Rebuilding Of

Rabaul

Much Australian Activity

GOOD progress has been made in the heavy task of cleaning up Rabaul, which was completely wrecked by the Japanese occupation, and by the American and Australian bombers who went in after the Japs.

There were no buildings left, but the occupying troops soon had small towns of tents scattered around, lit by electric plants, and now groups of hutments are replacing the tents.

Sanitation has been restored, and the insect pests have been partly routed by DDT sprayed from aircraft. The jungle growth, which so quickly had taken pos session of the wrecked town, is being cleared away by Japanese labour gangs, and by bulldozers driven by Australians.

Working parties of Jap prisoners are erecting buildings, making new roads, working the ships, etc.

Communications are being restored.

Mr. Ted Bishton, well known in the Ter ritory for many years, is in charge of the AWA radio installation. Servicemen in Rabaul now can talk to Australian cities by radiophone.

Chinatown is being rebuilt, under the direction of the Australian officer in charge, Lieut. J. MacGregor Dowsett.

There is a Chinese Town Council of 14 members, with Mr. Thomas Y. K. Mow as president.

Rabaul may become an important com mercial town, but it is not likely to be an administrative centre again.

Jap Prisoners

JAPANESE prisoners still occupy 15,000 acres of the best garden country in the Gazelle Peninsula, reported a correspondent in November. Those eva cuated from Rabaul have been trans ferred to some of the best gardens south of the town. There are still 89,000 Japanese living off the land in the penin sula, and 35,000 natives waiting patiently for the Australian authorities to allow them to return to normal life there.

Before this can happen the Japanese must be transferred to compounds on the coast, in which they will have to grow their own food pending repatriation.

Meanwhile, they are appropriating more gardens and felling native coconut plan tations to clear camp sites. The irony of this situation is emphasised by the eager welcome the natives have given to their liberators and their complete de pendence on them for protection from further Japanese depredations.