Life In Moresby

Depressing Picture

Port Moresby March 3.

AT the risk of being credited with a persecution complex, we must give you yet another chronicle of frus tration and despair. Two months of the new year have fled, and with them most of the optimism we managed to affect during the festive season. Living in Port Moresby is becoming an increasingly dif ficult and unpleasant business, and the problem is getting on the community’s nerves.

Possibly the most profoundly shockir g experience of the last few months was the sight of people in a local store sadly handing over 7 6 in exchange for a dozen eggs. One felt that this was the last straw.

Many of our difficulties, however, derive from the fact that Moresby is now a town of 1,500, with public utilities to serve 500.

The electric supply provides the Ex ample of the moment. The power-house could not stand the load which a greatly increased and fairly extravagant popula tion has in recent months imposed upon it, and three out of a total of five en gines have broken down. New engines have been on order for some time, but have not yet arrived. We are therefore rationed at the moment to one electric light bulb per house, and as often as not there is not even power for that.

The water supply has a similar history.

Throughout February, water was cut off from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. daily. Residents were forbidden to run hoses unattended, and reouested to turn off leaking taps.

In an official “handout” it was explained that the daily water consumption was too high. The pumping plant simply can not maintain the load.

Then there are the roads, which have been so churned up by the recent north west rains and the heavy drainage from the hills that they now resemble ploughed paddocks. Here, again, the facilities are inadequate these roads were built and maintained by an army. Perhaps there will be some improvement when Works and Housing become established in a big way, but one wonders whether Moresby’s rugged hills will ever be suitable for the efficient running of a large and busy town.

Spectacular Fire

IT was bound to happen, and at last Moresby’s gloomy prophets have scored. One of the town’s many paper houses has been burnt to a cinder.

The house in question was at Idubada Training Centre, around the bay beyond Hanuabada. It was the honeymoon home of newlyweds Maynard and Lettie Lock, but had been handed over to Mr. and Mrs. W. MacMahon, of the Education De partment, who were also on the way out when the fire hastened their departure.

Mrs. McMahon had already left for Wewak on the “Montoro,” but Mr. Mc- Mahon’s personal belongings and some Administration furniture went up in the blaze.

The fire caught hold of the house in a few seconds. Looking across the bay from Paga Hill, one could see what ap peared to be a huge box of flames, belch ing forth black smoke, quickly give way to a few sticks of burning timber. Noth ing was saved. “Happy” Finn's brand new streamlined firecart was on the scene with commendable and somewhat as tonishing speed, but could do nothing.

The house had sisalkraft walls and plaited coconut ceiling. So have thirty other Administration houses at Kone dobu!

Sundry Annoyances

MONDAY, February 23, brought Mores by residents another catalogue of broadcast cheer.

First, a warning to mariners—the Basi lisk Light, guide to ships entering Mores by harbour, had gone out.

Second, those stern words to land lubbers from the Public Works Depart ment; the engines at the nowerhOuse had broken down, and householders were warned to use no more than one electric light bulb at night or else power would cut out completely.

Third, the ABC itself announced its intention of badgering the listening pub lic with the highly original idea of pre senting a recorded programme of listeners’ requests. The thought of requesting the ABC to nlay one of the so oft-heard discs in 9PA’s meagre repertoire was by far the most hurtful of the three.

The radio was not our only source of annoyance that week-end. The water went off; the phones refused to work; the electricity supply changed its mind every few minutes; and it seemed that the only thing likely to preserve our sanity would be a visit to the local pic ture theatre. Unfortunately the techni cians failed us even there. Barbara Stan wyck looked comely enough, but “The Lady Eve” might just as well have been a “silent.” Several lip-readers enjoyed the show.

RSL Meeting

rpHE Annual General Meeting of the 1. RSL was held in mid-February.

Most of those who held office last year were re-elected, including the Presi dent. Vice-president, Secretary and Treas urer (Messrs. S. E. Reillv, D. L. Pullen, P. Bosgard and K. Scott respectively).

Among those elected to the Council were

Messrs. lan McDonald, Schuler, Aiken, Foley, White, Edwards, Morris and Sq/Ldr. Dixon.

Honorariums were voted to Messrs. P.

Bosgard and K. Schuler for their work in running the Club premises for the greater part of last year, until the arrival of the manager, Mr. Penny, before Christmas.

The Club has commenced a series of Sunday morning entertainments, ar

ranged and compered by Bob Smith.

As vocalists have to compete with the steady clink of glasses, it is hard to tell whether the popularity of these functions is due to a thirst for entertainment, or just thirst.

4,000 In Bomana Cemetery

117TORK will soon commence on the Yf foundations for 4,000 headstones at Bomana War Cemetery. The

contract has been let to John Stubbs & Son, and the stones will be shipped from Australia when the foundations are com plete.