Magazine Section

Territorio TaIK- TalK

By "Tolala"

“T SEE nothing to be gamed by raking X over the dead ashes of the past. Many names would be besmirched by the kind of accusations made ... I do not propose to go into what may be purely military mistakes,” said Mr. Chifley in the Australian Parliament recently, when answering a demand for an inquiry into the Rabaul tragedy in 1942.

And so that is that. But it creates a dangerous precedent for future mistakes by high executives. Does it mean that criminal negligence, dishonesty or any crime in the calendar goes unpunished in order to obviate a name or names “being besmirched”?

Such a statement from the leader of the House only emphasises the need for a full inquiry into the circumstances lead ing up to the Rabaul holocaust. * * * GRIM reminders of that tragedy were in evidence on the first of the month around the base of the Martin Place Cenotaph, when wreaths were laid there by relatives and organisations to mark the fourth anniversary of the sinking of the “Montevideo Maru.” Indeed a sad and sorry affair. Of one thing ’tis sure; “We will remember them.”

i°WLD-TIME residents of the Buka-Boug- XJ ainville group will be glad to hear that Father Chaize (so well-known in those islands for these past thirty-odd years) has collected the Legion of Honour £ nd the DF C for his wor k during the wa r.

Apparently, he has lost none of his old time energy for during a short stay in Australia, he visited inland mission sta tions at Alice snrings and Darwin, to say nothing of throwing a narty at Prince’s in svdney to some of his old friends, ' ♦ * ♦ A ND still another member of the TNG J\ Judiciary has gone to his Long Rest, ioining Judge Wanliss and Judge Griffiths. Donald Gordon Bathgate, who relieved Mr. Justice Griffiths in the Sup reme Court at Rabaul in 1941 nassed away a t the end of last month. Mr. Bathgate was one of the lucky ones to escape the j ap invasion by a split second, when he boarded the “Matafele,” and made a safe get-away to the mainland. ♦** . 4 .

T>ILL GROVES, the newly-appointed Xj Director of Education for the Papua- New Guinea set-up. was down from the north recently, having a busy time establishing his new department.

Bill is a practical man for the job. and has that happy knack of combining theory with practice where native administration

is concerned. I remember him when he was teaching out Kokopo-way in the early ’2O s, a job which enabled him to get the right perspective on the Islands indigene.

He is evolutionary rather than revolution ary in his ideas, and that’s what we want in these days of planning.

Talking about education; There was a meeting recently held in Sydney when Minister Ward and missionaries got into a huddle over the proposed health and education set-un for the Territories, and a general exchange of ideas took place. This is the sort of thing we want for this Brave New World of ours: A few more huddles, and interchange of ideas covering all in terests would go a long way towards creat ing a better atmosphere in territorial affairs. * * ♦ JUDGING by some of the latest head gear worn bv ladies (one can hardly call them hats), the old bird-of-para dise is coming back into its own again after nearly thirty years.

Presumably, the plumes come off the blackmarket; but it opens up the Question; Why not lift the ban on the BOP t r ade. which flourished so extensively in the old German days, and was a very profitable method of obtaining revenue and a wel come side-line for planters, as well as natives in the districts where these bright plumed birds abound? It’s an idea, any way. ♦ * ♦ 1 DROPPED in at the social evening on June 14 of the NG Women’s Club at the Feminist Club-rooms, and found a good crowd of Territorian women, some with their escorts, gathered in little groups around the tables and it reminded me, somewhat sadlv of the old-time gather ings at Wau and Rabaul.

They hailed from all parts of the East ern hemisphere: There was Mrs. (Dr.) Dickson (Jean Hawnt that was) talking about returning to somewhere in Malaya; while Mrs. White (known perhaps better as Thelma Robbins)' making plans for her return to Hong Kong. Mrs. Amy Gregory, visiting from Melbourne,, was busv chat ting with many of her old friends from Rabaul and Kavieng. Many of the women were discussing ways and means of over coming that bogey—the permit hurdle. ♦ ♦ ♦ APROPOS of that particular hurdle, de spite the number of residents who have already returned, there still anpear quite a number of old Territorians who are unable to get the green light from Canberra to allow them to return to their homes (or what is left of them). Secre tary Halligan, of the XTD, recently made a trio to the North, so possibly now the permit hurdle may be let down a bit. ♦ * * OVER the tea-cups and the beer-mugs: Missionary Percy Chatterton, who used to be stationed at Delena, in Papua, is off for a visit to England; he sailed in the “Stirling Castle" . . . Bert Perriman, WRC executive has been mak ing a tour of insnection through NG and the BSI, having a look at the lay of the land . . . Oscar Rondahl, over from South Australia, has been making a few business calls in Sydney recently. He has ideas of settling down on the land in S.A. after giving his Island properties the once-over (Continued on Next Page )

. . . Met one-time Copra Inspector Guthrie the other day, down from the North for a medical overhaul, though he was looking well enough at the time . . . Bill Royal, prosperous and healthy-looking as ever, was a Sydney visitor recently from Melbourne. He, too, has ideas of returning to his old Homeland in the near future ...

Back from England, where she has been for several years, is Mrs. Amy Campbell, with her son Matthew. In the 1920’s she lived in Buka—planting and trading—and it wouldn’t surprise me to see her wending her way back there one of these fine days . . . Judge Phillips, who temporarily left his Chief Judgeship in TNG to enter the RAAF at the beginning of the war, was in Sydney recently from Melbourne, He sailed from Sydney for the Territory, on the “Montoro” on July 8. * * * YOU’VE heard that old saying about there being smoke where there is

fire; well, here’s the latest smoke from up north—around Rabaul: — (a) Rebellious feelings amongst the Asiatics against the whites. (b) Big firms getting in on the ground floor where the disposal of military build ings are concerned. (c) More discontent amongst the native troops. (d) The erection of a big power-house in Rabaul.

Regarding (a), some sort of reaction is bound to occur as a result of the Gov ernment’s disregard to evacuate Asiatic women back in December, 1941, when white women were evacuated from the Territory. As to (b), the “responsible Minister” (I like that term) will probably see that capitalistic interests are not given preference, (c) Will always be a headache until they decide to disband this local force, (d) Would indicate that Rabaul may be about to stage a “come back.”