Lae Still Muddles Along

War Damage Money Running Out

From our Own Correspondent LAE. Jan. 17.

LAE’S roads are being done up at last -and the local members of the PWD are making a good job of it.

This sudden, if belated action has, how ever, come as such a surprise it has given rise to the rumour that the Duke of Gloucester is to pay us a visit on his way home!

Axr Ot s erwls + o v, *u arr ™- on + mUC £ aS US f al - We hear that the Montoro has a few hundredweight of essential foodstuffs for Wp arp mit eafrT 5 °* any b Residents are stm for cargo landedbv 1 the last Montoro lomp eoods were then dumped in heaps hi at Milford Haven; some was dispersed to various sheds stuttered about the Lae area. Grindstones and wireless receivers, cases of jam, powdered milk, bottles of whisky and beer were all tipped off the Lorries and coagulated into one solid mass in the sheds. Local residents crawled over pyramids thus formed, looking for essential articles.

Natives are still asking why they must pay so much for rice, tea, sugar and other necessary items. They still refer to the present time as “time no good,’’ in the same manner as they did during

L^r^T ation i.r They ask ’

p e come back.™ Government That is what we would all like to know.

Hundreds of natives are offering for employment but few Europeans can now employ them. Industry and land settle merit is discouraged The small man still sits tight and hopes. But the solution for many has been to take a job with the Government and let the Aus

tralian taxpayer foot the bill. Most have already exhausted their war-damage money and would not be able to set them selves up in their pre-war businesses even if materials were available.