Historic Dates In
p. 23 · Read in the full issue
N. Guinea
THREE outstanding events of early 1942 brought to an abrupt end the Civil Administrations of Papua and New Guinea: and, as no one expects that those Governments will be re-established in their old form, those events have his torical importance. They are:— (1) Occupation by the Japanese of Rabaul on January 23, 1942. (2) The call-up of all males of military age in Papua and New Guinea, on January 27, 1942. (3) The supersession of the Civil Gov ernments of Papua and New Guinea (New Guinea already had been abandoned) by a military administration, on February 12, 1942.
As a matter of record, we print here under the proclamation of January 27. under which the men of Papua and New Guinea were conscripted:—
Commonwealth Of Australia
Enrolment For Military Service
For Home Defence
In pursuance of the Australian Military Regulation, 141 A, all male inhabitants of Aus tralia who at the date at the foot hereof are of the age of eighteen years and upwards, but under the age of forty-five years, are required to enrol on the 27th day of January, 1942.
Failure to enrol involves a maximum penalty of £2O or imprisonment for three months.
Section 5a f 1) of the Defence Act, 1903-1941, provides as follows:—“sA (1). —This Act shall extend to the territories of the Commonwealth as if each of those territories were part of the Commonwealth.”
All persons liable to enrol will report to the Enrolment Officer, 8 Military District, at the Convent School, Musgrave Street, Port Moresby,
at 2 p.m. this day. They will carry with them Immediate personal necessaries, such as shaving gear, tooth brush, change of underwear, etc.
Issued this 27th day of January, 1942, by command of the Military Board. (Sgd.) E. B. SERISIER, Major,
A.A. & Q.M.C..
Bth Military District.
Until further notice no Papuan native need enrol.
Personnel engaged on essential services will report not later than 7 p.m. this day.
Government officers' on out-Stations will not report, pending further instructions.
Persons who reside at such a distance from Port Moresby as to render impracticable their reporting at the time directed, shall report to the nearest District Officer.
It was announced in the Western Pacific High Commission Gazette on February 2, that Mr. E. L. Leembruggen, Acting Office Assistant, had been ap pointed to act as Assistant British Resident Commissioner of the New Hebrides. The appointment was to date from December 8, 1942.
The Americans in New Caledonia have discovered what Caledonians have known for a long time: that prickly pear prickles make excellent gramophone needles. So, also, do needles made from bamboo.
Following the entry into Tunisia of the Fighting French Forces, advancing with the British Eighth Army, over 500 resi dents joined the “Bataillon du Pacifique” and the column of General Leclerc. The original Pacific Battalion was made up of men from New Caledonia and Tahiti; and, like the famous Maori Battalion of the NZ Army, it has fought magnifi cently.