When "Number One"

Was Off Schedule

His Honour Col. J. K. Murray,

Administrator of Papua-New Guinea, paid an official visit to the District Office at Sohano, Buka, on June 8. Actu ally, he was due to arrive on June 3, on which day the usual out-station window dressing had been applied; the donning of stiff, starched whites, the drill re hearsals of the native police and the general what-have-you preparatory to the arrival of any very high official at a Territorial out-post.

None of these preparations was in evid ence when His Honor walked ashore from the mine-sweeper “Condamine,” to be welcomed by a surprised medical assistant instead of a senior officer—who, however, soon put in an appearance, and, being an old soldier of long experience, carried off the situation with aplomb.

Native chiefs, long awaiting this great e y e ?i’ a * ld gathered from all the points of the Buka compass, were disappointed at not having an audience with the Num ber One, who only stayed a couple of hours at the station.

Other recent visitors to Sohano have been Chief Medical Officer Dr. Gunther and Director of Agriculture Cottrell- Dormer—not forgetting the Administration yacht, “Laurabada,'’ which experienced a spot of bother in the reef-infested straits between Lalahan and Madehas n Buka Passage. But all’s well that ? £ ds well—the high tide floated the vessel )ff without any noticeable damage Three boars were unloaded at Sohano or the Agricultural Department’s repre entative. Local indigines are asking whether the three pigs represent the sum otal of live-stock for the publicised re tockmg of the district.