Papuan Items

Native Gift To Red Cross

WHEN the native coffee planters of the north-eastern division received their payment of £2,102 for their yearly output, they voluntarily handed £47 to the Government officer, stating that it was their contribution to the Red Cross funds.

Land Conscious Papuans

Papuans becoming land conscious h^- s 1 th x ir , cu Pidity been aroused since tne Kiia Kila law suit, when over £4,000 was demanded for land acquired by the Government for a 'drome and other buildings? Within recent months, a num ber of applications for land have been met either by refusals to sell or by demands that have been previously un known. Qpe spokesman, when refusing, was said to have stated that his people fully realised that the offered price would bring many desirable things to their village; but, added he, it would also bring plenty of trouble and disturb their village life. They turned the offer down, preferring to live in peace.

Temporary Water Supply

Owing to the acute shortage of water in Port Moresby, and the severe rationing to householders, the Director of Works, Mr. H. G. Hannam, is installing an emer gency pump, on temporary foundations, to pump 10,000 gallons per hour from the Laloki into the town reservoir, until the new system is completed. The latter has been held up owing to delay in securing the necessary machinery. Mr. Hannam’s timely assistance is greatly appreciated.

The Administration is drawing up new regulations to meet the issue of water, which will be made available imme diately the pump has been installed.

£20,000 For Roads

Great satisfaction is felt over the Commonwealth’s grant of £20,000 to pro vide “sealed surface” roadways in and outside Port Moresby. The existing type of road has long been found unsuitable for the heavy traffic of recent years. Not the least benefit to residents, as a result of the improved roads, will be the elim ination of dust which, since the traffic has become heavier and faster, is an abomination.

Papuan Red Cross

The Papuan division of the Australian Red Cross last year collected £1,135, plus £732 for Special Ambulance Fund, plus £3300 (from Samarai) for Bomb Victims Fund, plus £l7 for Mobile Canteens Fund. Over £2OO, in clothing and ma terials, also had been contributed. Office bearers for current year are: President, Mrs. H. L. Murray; chairman, Mr. G.

Haughan; hon. treasurer, Miss A. Ben sted; hon sec., Mrs. T. Grahamslaw; council, Mesdames F. E. Williams, L.

Lett, W. A. Beck, Miss L, Preston, Messrs.

H. G. Hannam, C. B. Schuler, Dr. F. J.

Williams, and Captain D. Watson.

The Burman civil service students at the University of Sydney have been elected members of the Pacific Islands Society: Messrs. Mo Myit, Ba Nein, and Kyaw Nyun are graduates of the Uni versity of Rangoon, and Mr. E. N. Lar mour, BA, graduated from Dublin Univer sity. Towards the end of the year they will return to Burma and take up their administrative posts. But for the war, they would now be at Oxford.

Mr. C. E. Leake has returned to Sydney and taken up duties again as officer-in charge of the New Guinea Trade Agency, after a short period in Melbourne on transfer to another Government depart ment. Mr. J. O’Grady was in charge dur ing Mr. Leake’s absence.

Commander V. C. Eddy, RN, transferred, has been replaced at Port Moresby by Lt.-Commander A. G. Montieth, RANK, who had recently been stationed at Ade laide. Lt.-Commander Montieth is well known to Port Moresby, where previously he was attached to Burns, Philp and Co.’s branch. Mrs. Montieth, who was formerly Miss Coline Fowler, a sister of Mrs. W. N. M. Chester, also spent many years in Port Moresby, as a popular mem ber of the younger set