Rhys Healey

First European Baby

On Sepik River

A Son for Mr. and Mrs.

Rhys Healey

A SON has been born to Mr. and Mrs.

L. R. Healey at Angoram, Sepik River, New Guinea.

The birthday of the child, July 30, was

a red-letter day for the Sepik River generally, and Angoram in particular, be cause we can state without fear of con tradiction that this is the first occasion upon which a European baby has been born in this area of mud and mosquitoes, Mr. Healey is the exceedingly popular local Medical Assistant. Mrs. Healey has been no less popular as our local post mistress, office-typist and good companion to her husband “Dokta Ris” as the natives call him. Together the Healeys have dispensed a hospitality that is greatly appreciated in an area more usually given over entirely to bachelors.

Interest in the anticipated addition to the Healey household has been mounting for months in a way that would probably have tickled the fancy of the late Bret Harte. Speculation as to the probable size and sex of the child had been a topic of some magnitude and money changed hands in support of individual hunches.

Although belonging to the medical fra ternity. Mr. Healey forecast the time a fortnight late and also erroneously fore cast that the child would be a girl.

Due to the modern conveniences of radio and air transport, Dr. Mclnerney was able to fly in from Wewak and Mrs.

E. D. Robinson was rushed to the scene as a nurse.

The European population of Angoram, miners, recruiters and the rest, celebrated the occasion fittingly. Assistant District Officer R. G. Ormsby made a fine gesture by opening a bank account for the baby with £lO he had previously won that amount from the infant’s father in a bet that it would be a boy and others

added to it.-

Mossie.

Mr. Paul (Karkar) Schmidt has re turned to Rabaul, on a visit to Mr.

Eidelbach, on the North Coast of New Britain.