Magazine Section

Territories' Talk-talk

By "Tolala"

NEW GUINEAITES in Brisbane de cided last month to turn the old QNGA into a social club with monthly meetings. Gladys Forsythe takes over the reins from Doris Booth as president; and energetic Peggy Byron Jamieson 6 Haonv mSinSJ’tn ™ y> Happy meetings to tnem am * * , * . .

LIONEL ARMIT, whose writings put Papua well on the map in the US many years ago, was always looked upon as a safe bet for the Bachelor Stakes. But he tricked the books, and on March 27, slipped a wedding ring on the finger of Peg Christensen in St.

Stephen’s Church, Macquarie Street, Toasts were quaffed at the Allen Innes’ home in Vaucluse after the service, and the company had every appearance of a Papuan reunion. * * * BRASS-HATS have been busy select ing troops for the Victory Parade in London in June. So far I haven’t heard anything about the NGVR being included in the contingent. Australia must have a short memory if it forgets

what owes to those lads of the NGVR in > 42 . Where would Australia be to-day if New Guinea and Papua had not taken it on the chin when the Japs made their southward push? Poor old New Guinea and Papua are definitely on the outer where the Brass-hats are concerned, * * * . PHILATELIST friend of mine was A bewailing the fact t’other day that no Territories’ stamps were being issued. “Why not get ‘Guinea Gold’ printing plant to surcharge Australian stamps, and at least indicate'from where they come? They would have a good value.” And I repeated: “Why not?”

They would be a great money-spinner and the local Administration could utilise the revenue for native welfare—if for nothing else. ♦ ♦ ♦ fTIHERE was a characteristic opening of 1 the Security Loan in Rabaul last month. McGregor Dowsett was there and, despite his Scottish ancestry, sub scribed £2,000; which only goes to show that, notwithstanding the years spent in jungle-fighting and behind the Jap lines, McGregor Dowsett hasn’t changed a bit from the days when he was alwavs an energetic worker for any good cause, and

was secretary for the local Highland Society in Rabaul.

He could prove to anybody that there was Scottish blood flowing in their veins, and that they were, therefore, eligible for society membership, no matter what their nationality. Big-hear f ed McGregor Dowsett (he is always given his full name) made many a patient happy in Namanula Hospital, in the old days, with gifts of roses picked from his plantation on the North Coast. ♦ * ♦ “AS things are at present,” writes Dr.

Lucy Mair, in the “SMH” at the end of March, “the native contribu tion to the economy of New Guinea, is the supply of labour.” Which is, of course, a real laugh—more particularly now, when there is no labour. But even in normal times only 5 per cent, of the TNG natives were under indenture.

The article was a typical tourist burble, recording one-track opinions as supplied to her, possibly by a Wardist official. No mention is made of the 10,000 tons of native-grown copra exported from TNG and sold at top market prices. She gives no credit to William McGregor or Hubert Murray, who were rated all-high in Colonial Administration all over the world. Nor does she mention the £lOO,OOO annual expenditure on native welfare in TNG that came out of Territorial revenue, and not the Australian taxpayers’ pockets.

A pity the Lucy Mairs of the world would not write about something they know, and confine themselves to expound ing theories to stabilise economic and social conditions in their own home towns, where present conditions are far more disgraceful than in the tropic lands of either Papua or TNG.

Big Bill, sipping his usual lime juice and water, and always ready to blame these itinerant females for any innova tion, wonders whether she was respon sible for the natives lunching off the bare mahogany at GH in Port Moresby, the enforced official obsequiousness and the distribution of 10/- notes to Papuans by high officials. ♦ * * WAR Damage Commission’s anticipated surplus, after all claims have been paid, may be in the vicinity of £5l millions, according to a press statement made by the Controller. This will be the question then: What to do with the sur plus of a fund built up by premiums paid by property-owners? Australian Terri tories collected the damage and the in surance. But I don’t suppose the Un touched Ones on the Aussie mainland will object to that. * * ♦ PRESS reports on March 21, quoted Eddie Ward as announcing the abandonment of Rabaul as capital of New Guinea. TNG history relates Rabaul’s abandonment way back in Sep tember. ’4l. when Administrator McNicoll arrived at Lae (the then new capital) with Horse, Foot, and Pat Holmes to meet him. Re-creating Kokopo as the capital will be starting over where the Germans began in 1899 —and then the coconuts were looking better than they do now—according to all reports.