Port Moresby's News Sheet
p. 31 · Read in the full issue
TO hand is a* copy of No. 38, Volume I, of “Moresby Army News Sheet,” which is “published by the Army Education Service for free distribution to defence services’ personnel in Australian New Guinea.” The editor is our old friend William C. Groves, well known in Victoria and Nauru as a school-teacher, better known in New Guinea and the Solomons as an anthropologist, and now Major in Command of the AIF Educa tion and Welfare Service “in Australian New Guinea” (otherwise, Papua and the Mandated Territory), One seems to recognise in the “News Sheet” the type-faces which once made the “Papuan Courier” distinctive; and one wonders how successful was Major Groves in rounding up Mr. E. A. James’s team of well-trained native compositors.
Well, better this than that the “Courier’s” printing-office should be idle and dete riorating.
Four Islands printing-offices have been put out of action by the war—those of the “Papuan Courier,” in Port Moresby; of the “Rabaul Times,” in Rabaul (there is still no word of the fate of Gordon Thomas, editor, and Jans Hoogerwerth, manager); of the “Morobe News,” in Lae, NG; and of the Melanesian Mission, In the Solomons.
“Moresby News Sheet” is mostly a news sheet, but Editor Groves finds space for his local poets. This one is reminis cent of “Wrap me up in my stock-whip and blanket”:— Put me deep in the heart of the ashes, Take me out of my old-fashioned tomb.
Cut the tin right away from my shoulders — Far away in the air let me zoom.
Place a crust o’er my head to conceal me, Or just bury me deep in the mire, With a dark sodden mess to surround me.
And then hang me over the fire.
Tear my innards apart and then stew me — But still it remains my belief, That I’ll come hack at night-time to haunt you, And ril still be the same Bully Beef!