N. Guinea Notes

From Various Correspondents

ALTHOUGH the people in Rabaul have nad no fresh meat since early De cember (this is the end of February) owing to there being no shipping service to Rabaul, it is stated that last weex 30,000 lbs. of fresh meat was dumped by tne Army authorities because of a break down in the Army freezer.

The steamer “Eastern” arrived in Rabaul from Hongkong last week and is loading for Australia a large consign ment of vehicles and spares recently sold by the Disposals Commission. Efforts are being made to get sufficient water to enable the vessel to continue her voyage.

Although we have plenty of water, our Administration does not seem to be able co supply any conveniences whereby it may be utilised.

As from February 1, the Overseas Tele communication Service was taken over from Amalgamated Wireless. The new service will operate several stations in the Territory, communicating with Aus tralia direct, but the inter-island radio service, it is understood, will be carried on by the Provisional Administration.

The Administration hopes to be able to train the local natives to do the job.

We have a local paper in Rabaul printed in Pidgin English and issued weekly. Therein the native is told how to dress in European clothing. Articles, supposedly written by natives, laud the local Government servants. One native wrote to the paper recently and said that he had seen a certain District Offi cer in Rabaul on a visit. The said DO was “bone nothing” (in English this means a skeleton) because he had been working too hard trying to help the natives to rebuild their homes and gar dens. The paper is edited and printed by the Provisional Administration.

WHEN the steamer “Eastern,” from Hohg Kong to Australia, passed through Rabaul in February, it was noticed that most of the passengers were foreigners and could not speak Eng lish. Apparently it is much easier for a foreigner with money to get a permit to enter Australia than it is for an Aus tralian (returned soldier or otherwise) to get a permit to enter New Guinea. Al most everything that happens in the Australian Pacific Territories these days tends to make the non-official Australian there more resentful of the actions of the Australian Government and its attitude towards white settlers in the Territories. * rE absence of an inter-island mail service is causing serious inconveni ence to all centres outside of Port Moresby. Apparently the Provisional Ad ministration at Port Moresby is so ab sorbed in its local affairs that the idea of an inter-island mail service has not been thought of. * 117 HY does the Rabaul branch of the ▼ ▼ Production Control Board open for six hours a day? Hours of business there are 8 a.m. to Noon, and 1.30 p.m. to 3.30 p.m. We appreciate the good work being done by this branch but it is very inconvenient for planters and business people when, through road mishaps and weather conditions, they ar rive too late for their produce deliveries and cannot purchase their requirements.

A lot of time is wasted. Why cannot the Production Control Board observe the hours of business obtaining in Rabaul commercial undertakings?