C.D.C. Activities in N.G.

Almost Ended

LAE, Dec. 1.

IT is estimated that the Commonwealth Disposals Commission’s recent auc tions on the mainland and at Rabaul have yielded between three and four hundred thousand pounds. Material sold probably cost the Commonwealth many times this amount originally.

About 100 Southern buyers have been staying at the Hotel Cecil, and many others were on the “Duntroon.” After this grand finale, it is expected and hoped that the CDC will soon be a thing of the past in these parts.

A fair amount of competition was given Southern buyers by local firms and individuals; but, as usual, we have seen many things for which we would gladly have paid a fair price go to Australian purchasers for ridiculously low figures.

From Rabaul it is reported that three-ton trucks for which local residents were ready to pay £lOO, were sold at an average price of £l5 each. These will, of course, go South.

BCD and other mining companies were keen competitors here in Lae; and Mr.

Norman White is supposed to have bought the old Jap wreck around near Malahang Native Hospital. He will sell it for scrap.

Of interest to local residents has been the presence at Lae and Rabaul sales of Mr. A. W. Anderson, popularly known as Sydney’s “Sausage King.” (It might be remembered that he stood for NSW State Parliament a year or two ago and introduced a Yankee air to proceedings by putting on vaudeville turns to support his candidature.) He has, at all events, now bought a 75 ft. steel tug for £11,750 and it is rumoured that he will use it to tow a refrigeration barge. With this equipment he will then start a fresh meat run from Queensland to New Guinea.

It sounds like a fairy story. But the possibility of regular fresh meat certainly has claimed the interest of all Territorians.

The general situation in the Solomons is dealt with in an article on page 26.