State Of The Nation

GLEANED from various letters from Papua-New Guinea: A young woman resident of Port Moresby, says: “Recently one of the Administration jeeps, driven by a native, went off the road and into the river. The boy came out without a scratch and, when questioned as to how he happened to drive off a clear road into a river, replied: “My eyes must be off the road as I have no breakfast.”

Another story goes that when the rumour recently went round that the latest Studebaker cars were expected to arrive shortly, a “rehabilitated” native approached a dealer in Port Moresby and insisted upon leaving £4OO as a deposit, He said that he would pay the rest in cash when the car arrived. Perhaps this is the same native who is alleged to have £3,000 to his credit in a Port Moresby bank.

Manus residents —European as much as native —will miss the Yanks, One of them has written: “I don’t know how the Manus folk will exist now that the Yanks are moving out. I fear that there is much wailing and gnashing of teeth. From our American friends came fresh food, ‘hooch’ and cigarettes. All will now be cut off. Australian Navy does not get the same supplies; nor does it have the same philanthropic outlook on life as did the Yanks.’’—DlWAl.

M. Lerat, who has been acting as an assistant justice of the New Caledonian lower court, has been appointed the town’s Commissioner of Police. The town police are not to be confused with the Colony’s gendarmerie. M. Sylvain Gargon has succeeded him as assistant justice.

Masses of flaming blossom transform Merauke’s main street.