"New Guinea"

Apparent Changes in Names

THERE is a marked and growing ten dency, in recent semi-official refer ences to the Australian Pacific Ter ritories, to group Papua and New Guinea together as “British New Guinea.” This, probably, is a result of the stand taken by the existing military administration in treating both Territories as one.

The idea has milch to commend it.

Past references to “Papua,” when mean ing the south-eastern section of New Guinea, and to “New Guinea” when only the north-eastern section (included in the Mandated Territory) was meant, have caused much confusion.

But, if a new system is planned, it should be officially announced and clearly understood. “New Guinea” then would mean the mainland of New Guinea; and the big islands of New Britain, New Ire land and Bougainville (now officially part of New Guinea) could then stand under their own names.

Mr. H. H. Hickling, who has been Resi dent Agent at Mangaia in the Cook Islands for the last three years, left the island recently for Rarotonga. It is understood that he is on transfer to another position in the New Zealand Service.

A vessel which lifted Tahiti’s accumu lation of copra, some time ago, took away also the remnants of the American colony-leaving there onlv half a dozen whose roots are so deeply embedded in Tahitian soil that they may be regarded as permanent residents.