Moresby

The Month In

From a Special Correspondent

Port Moresby: July 1.

THE New Guinea-Papua snipping posi tion in May and June showed 100 per cent, improvement on the pre ceding few months; but it is believed there will be another lull when the “Mon toro” goes into dock after her return to Sydney in July. “Montoro,” “Malaita,”

“Reynella” and “Ferdinand Silcox” all arrived from Australia towards the end of June. ■ ■ ■ Don Sneddon, chief announcer of Port Moresby station 9PA, has contributed some new features to the station’s pro gramme. He now broadcasts a session of Shakespearean extracts, with music they inspired, every Sunday night. The re sult suggests that Don could make a name for himself in Australian radio. He also scripts and comperes a recorded variety show, “Continental Cafe.” ■ ■ ■ To Mrs. Crawley, wife of Royal Papuan Constabulary Bandmaster “Dave”

Crawley, and to Mrs. Jenkins, wife of the APC doctor, bonnie babes. The Moresby Hospital’s maternity appointments for the months point to a rapid ex pansion of the local European school in a few years’ time. ■ ■ ■ THINGS are not happy within the Public Works Department. Rumours are rife that the department is to be merged with Commonwealth Department of Works and Housing; but officers of Public Works claim they have been left in the dark and as yet have no clue to their future. This department, without men, material and equipment, and with out clear indication of overall policy, has had a more difficult job than any in New Guinea, and has taken all the kicks. ■ ■ ■ Mr. Hal. Wootten, Sydney University “bright boy,” has just returned from Manus, where he has been on an “an thropological survey.” A recent graduate in Law from Sydney, Mr. Wootten as sisted Dr. lan Hogbin to prepare a Native Courts’ Ordinance some time ago. He is attached to the Australian School of Pacific Administration. ■ ■ ■ The “Doma” is still doing valuable ser vice in Papuan waters. On her last trip, at the end of June, she carried a large consignment of cargo for western ports, transhipped from the “Nusa,” which broke down on the first lap of the journey.

Passengers on the “Doma” included Rev.

Bill Reilly and his new wife, recently re turned from Australia, and Mr. and Mrs.

Cec. Fisher, well-known members of the London Missionary Society, who are opening up a station at Veiru, where Mr.

Fisher will establish a Technical Training Ocntrc Coastal shipping should improve with the arrival of the first of nine special ships now on the slips in Australia. ■ ■ ■ COMINGS and goings; Mrs. Basil Kirke, wife of local ABC manager, has arrived to join her husband at 9PA, Mr and Mrs. Kriewald and daughter, parents and sister respectively of local Customs Officer “Ernie”

Kriewald, are holidaying in Moresby at the Kriewald, sisalkraft abode. “Tommy”

Grahamshaw, well-known for his sterling work at Buna during tthe Japanese in vasion, is back at Government Stores after leave in Australia. ■ ■ ■ Applications have been called for the

position of Treasurer in the Provisional Administration: Salary, £1,150 to £1,250.

“Bill” Chester, formerly in the Papuan Treasury, has been acting in the office.

MR. LEN ODGERS, of the Department of District Services and Native Affairs, is conducting a class in book-keeping for natives from the local villages of Hanuabada and Elevala. It is understood that these natives are being trained to run projected native cooperatives.

Moresby’s native communities are very keen to establish consumer co-operatives, but some of their plans seem a trifle ambitious. Producer co-operatives would giCent y great6r SymPathy at the ■ • ■ Government Officers at Konedobu enjoy a brass band recital at 5.30 every evening when the Royal Papuan Constabulary sets out to perform the “Retreat” at Government House. The band marches along the road with a large retinue of grinning natives trailing along, fascinated.

European residents wonder whether the noise is necessary. They point out that BP’s have a large stock of guitars, which are selling at a rapid pace; but Hanuabada is full enough of synthetic music now -without more of these instruments. m m u .. „„ „ „ , ...

When the “Reynella” was in port with a deck-load of cattle and pigs, Director of Agriculture Cottrell-Dormer was seen wandering fore and aft with an expression of sublime content, muttering, “It’s a lovely smell!” He has been planning stock improvement in the Territories for a long time .‘ - - A recent guest at Government House was Mrs. Alf. Conlon—wife of the

youthful Colonel who rose to fame in the war regime as Director of Army Research and Civil Affairs. ■ ■ ■ At long last the picture theatre has re-opened. It is one of Moresby’s few civilised comforts, well adapted to the tropics. There are two shows a week, in variably booked out. The pictures show signs of age, but that is the price we pay for choosing to live on the end of the circuit.

Another touch of comfort will be pro vided by the new Hotel Papua, soon to open, which looks very trim and as in viting as any pub.