Canberra Killing

Australia's Islands Trade

FROM two letters from the Mandated Territory of New Guinea, received by the “PIM” on the same day: “The ‘Nellore’, carrying mostly Russian Jews migrating to Australia, came in here on June 20, en route to Sydney,” writes a Rabaul resident.

“This vessel has brought a very large cargo of beer and spirits from Hong Kong.

The business houses are retailing this beer at 3/6 per bottle, or £B/8/- per case.

“The supplies of Australian beer for Rabaul, by vessels arriving here from Australia, are practically nil, despite the assurance of authorities in Australia that the beer quota for Rabaul is based on the idea of three bottles per person per week.

“This beer quota is either a myth, or it is being off-loaded en route and sold at a much greater profit elsewhere. Any way, a check oh this quota business through the Customs Department would quickly dispel the idea that Rabaul re ceives the quota that it is supposed to re ceive.

“One wonders what is happening to New Ireland and Bougainville. They cer tainly never have any beer, and get very little of anything else. There is no pro vision whereby they can receive fresh meat, medical attention, mails, etc. For over twelve months, the unfortunate resi dents of those areas have been trying to exist on what tinned rations the Army left behind.

“It looks as if the Administration has abandoned that portion of the Man dated Territory to the giant slugs and other pests, until such time as the Indo nesians and other Asiatics decide to move in.

“Export surcharges on goods purchased in Australia for export to New Guinea are a grevious burden. On a 50/- car battery the export surcharge is 25/10.”

Our other correspondent, a missionary resident in Buka, sends us an original letter, dated May 9, from the manager of Queensland Groceries Ltd., Brisbane.

The missionary sent to this Co. —which he says had given him every courtesy and attention over a number of years— a cheque for £l2, covering a grocery order.

The Co. sent it back, with the intima tion that the Australian authorities were putting so many difficulties in the way of shipping goods to New Guinea, that it had been decided reluctantly to abandon Islands trade. The manager pointed out that there seemed to be a move to force all such business to Sydney; even when they got shipping space for Brisbane, there was endless red tape to be gone through before they could get permission to ship.

The daughter of the French Resident Commissioner in the New Hebrides (M.

Robert Kuter) was married on July 4 to Mr. Donald Jean Gubbay, second son of Mr. and Mrs. D. D. Gubbay, formerly of the New Hebrides. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Father Chaize, and Dr. J. Rutherford (brother-in-law of the bride) acted as best man. After the service at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Sydney, a reception was held at “Kinneil.”