Magazine Section

Territories Talk Talk

By "Tolala"

A COLUMNIST in a Sydney afternoon newspaper recently mentioned it was "like old times to see planters in town again from the islands, and back at their old haunts again, picking up the old threads”. He was quite right. A number of old Islanders gravitate regularly these days to the old haunts, but I’ve never heard it called “threads” before.

More often than not the old topic of copra and its price comes up for dis cussion. “Why,” they ask, “is the pro ducer paid only £4O in Rabaul for something that will realise £75 in Van couver, or £7B sterling in London?”

Echo answers: “Why?” * * * AND talking of copra; There was a time when “Rabaul copra” was a grade known —and favourably known—in the world’s markets. That was when all TNG copra was rigidly inspected for export and a high standard maintained.

Buyers knew that the grade was well cured, free from sand and the many bits of foreign matter with which copra, with out inspection, is so often mixed — intentionally or otherwise. Since War II copra inspection has gone into the dis card. Isn’t it time it was revived so that Territorial copra may once again be distinguished for its good quality? Or doesn’t that matter these days? * * * THE BP plantation interests have had a sad time during the past few years since the war in losing, by death, their three senior plantation executives.

First to pass on was Alan Campbell, then his successor, R. A. Robinson, and last month (on December 6) Alan H. Gauld, who for the past fourteen years has been in charge of plantation interests in the Sydney Head Office. Oldest plantation executive is W. H. Lucas, who retired these many years, lives in the shade of the Kurrajong at Canberra. * « * rpHE Robinson murder on the South X Coast of New Britain is indeed a sorry affair. The reported statement by an Administration official that the deed was perpetrated by an “impulsive” native appears to be a decided under esti mate of the case from an official angle, which seems to adopt the theory that Brown Brother, like Caesar’s wife, can do no wrong. It is the irony of Fate that “Robbie”, having made such a miraculous escape from the Japs at Tol in ’42, should have met his death from a native in a district he knew so well.

Perhaps a tragedy like this may in cline officialdom to get a firmer grip on the wheel guiding the native policy. * * *

SYDNEY philanthropist, Hallstrom, who

recently made a trip to NG high lands, accompanied by press photo graphers and newspapermen, and a plane-load of sheep for the hefty hillmen, gave the country some wide publicity.

The experiment of sheep-raising on the Nondugl station will be watched with interest. If “Nip” Blood is not bound about with too much red-tape he is the

man who could make a success of the job—if anyone can. * * * LUTHERAN Missionary O. H. Schmidt, recently told an Adelaide audience that “NG natives no longer wait for miracles to bring them refrigerators, cars and other comforts of the outside world for their leaf huts.”

I’m not so sure about that, after read ing of the Hallstrom trip. It would almost seem that the days of miracles are not past. Happily, the hillmen around Nondugl never suffered from the Cargo Cult as did the prophets in Buka, Aitape and Madang. ♦ * * BIG Bill studied the bubbles rising in his. glass of lemonade thoughtfully.

“I’m not politically-minded,” he re marked slowly, “but we small planters used to get a better spin when Labour was the Federal Opposition. We were looked on as the under-dogs in those days, and Texas Green or Eddie Ward were often fighting for us in Canberra.

Now we’re classed with the Big Firms as a lot of blanky exploiters, because we want to work boys on a three-year con tract. It’s a bit tough, y’know.”

And, after perusing a few old copies of Hansard, I was inclined to agree with him. O tempora, O mores!

Glancing

through an old scrap-book the other day I came upon an article by one S. Alston Pearl, in a Mel bourne week-end magazine.

The title was “Tran s f o r m i n g Savages into Citi zens,” and dealt with “Teaching NG natives to become skilled artisans is a white man’s Tri umph.” You might think it was an Ed wardian plug for the present Admin istration and the post-war policy, taut it wasn’t. The date was November 18, 1939. Photographs showed”boys” working on the ex perimental farm at Keravat; making black-boards and water-tanks at the Malaguna Technical School; while des criptions were given of natives being trained in health and hygiene at dis trict hospitals.

It was all proof to show that the New Deal did not come down in the last shower, but had been developing ever since Australia took over the mandate in 1921.

Credit should be given where credit is due. * * * ||/|ORE than six months after the re- Itl ports of gold being found in the Wabag area in NG, the New York Times ran a story headed “Gold Rush Fever Grips New Guinea." Result was that Australian News Information Di rector, E. G. Bonney, in the city of sky scrapers, was inundated with enquiries from adventurous Yanks eager to chase the elusive ’weight. NY Times switch board girls were kept answering inquiries all day long. It only goes to show how necessary it is to be a bit sceptical where rumours of new gold being found are con cerned. * *s= * A RECENT arrival from Rabaul was wrapping up the good work being done by Ted Knox, who during the war looked after Works and Buildings for the RAAF. Apparently, Rabaul has a chance of being freed of some of its dusty roads now Ted is on the job. He should know how to go about it, for it was he who sealed most of Rabaul’s old pre-war roads—and did a good job, too.

Now he is OC Works and Housing in the Territory. ♦ * * JAP prisoners in Rabaul war camps, numbering about 200, are (according to a recent report) to be used in

reconstructing the Australian naval base at Manus. Whether this is quite accord ing to Hoyle’s rules of war or not is be side the point. Why, when their number was a hundred times as great, were they not put to useful rehabilitation work on public works and plantations?

There’s no doubt that there are strange things done beneath that New Guinea sun ... I remember hearing the story of an officer in charge of some of these Rabaul Jap prisoners (who had bashed our own people about a-plenty) giving a recalcitrant Nip a clip over the ear; and for that he was severely reprimanded.

That in a country where the natives had seen the grossest indignities heaped on the whites by the erstwhile victors. No wonder the ramparts of Empire have tumbled about our ears. This turning the other cheek policy can be carried too far, One day we’ll discover it in NG, to our sorrow. * * * song of the Nondugl natives at this time of the Festive Season is naturally “Silent Night”* * * * A DARWIN report states that 60 abos., men, women and children, made a 400-mile trek to secure a ration of tobacco. Can you imagine that being allowed to happen in New Guinea?

There would be a cry to high heaven by Trusteeship Committee members if. it did.

As a matter-of-fact Bobby Gibbes’ air taxi service in the Wewak area has been receiving a modicum of publicity, where bush natives charter planes to do their buying in Wewak township. * * * A SYDNEY daily paper runs a feature page of notable personalities. Re cently the late Sir Hubert Murray was the subject of a eulogistic article.

Interesting tit-bit revealed that Yarra lumla, present G-G’s vice-regal lodge, is located on the site of the original Murray home. ♦ * * BITS AND PIECES: US Consulate at Suva closed down December 31 for lack of business . . . The R. B.

Carpenters, with daughter Edith May, returned to Sydney last month from Frisco, breaking their journey to spend two weeks in Suva. Most of their five months’ absence was spent touring Canada , . . Harvey Gorrie, of the BSI Service, was married last month to Maisie Nolan, of Maroubra Bay. They will live at Honiara . . . TNG Pioneer and most popular and eligible bachelor for the last three decades. Tex Roberts, was recently married in Rabaul to Mrs.

Uechtritz, also an Island identity held in high esteem . . . Before sailing on Malaita last month for Port Moresby, Mr. and Mrs. Dudley Spence gave a cocktail party to friends to say “au revoir.” . . .

The Ken McMullens were down for Christmas from Rabaul-way, meeting many old friends . . . Mrs. Ethel Bates, whose husband was one-time Judge in BSI, later at Fiji and then Tanganyika, is on a visit to Sydney from South Africa. She is staying with Mrs. Rhoda Coote at Wahroonga. Mrs. Bates is a sister of Mrs. Claire Scott, of Faisi . , .

Ted Fulton and family from Makurapau and Rabaul are down on leave . . . Frank Patten, recently inspector with the War Damage Commission, was holidaying in Sydney last month. He returned to take over the management of the Pigibut estates, off the New Ireland coast.