Notes From New Ireland

From a Special Correspondent KAVIENG. March 28.

TOWARDS the end of February our permanent medical officer arrived by Qantas plane. He is Dr. G. C.

Tweedie, whose headquarters will be in Kavieng. * In recent weeks we have had a num ber of official visitors on tours of inspec tion: Dr. J. T. Gunther, Director of Pub lic Health, in early March; Mr. Keith Kear, of the Civil Aviation Department, to inspect our airstrip, at the end of February; Mr. Cottrell Dormer, Director of Agriculture, Stock and Fisheries, on March 9; and Matron Thorburn on March 23. * Medical Assistant Ray Carlaw of Tas kul, New Hanover, arrived here by canoe in early March and later went on to Rabaul by plane to meet his family. They returned to Kavieng on March' 9 and later went on home by launch. Canoe trips from New Hanover are getting to be a habit—Patrol Officer Kimmerley ar rived in Kavieng by the same means, on March 25. * Mrs. and Mrs. Ted Lowney have arrived and will take up their positions with Dis trict Services Department—Mr. Lowney as Chief Clerk and Mrs. Lowney as typist to replace Miss Anne Lowrey who has gone to Rabaul. * Mr. and Mrs. S. Poole have a young son, born on March 12. This youngster has the distinction of being the first Euro pean child born in New Ireland since the Japanese invasion. * Party of the month was held at Mr.

John Cox’s home to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day—Mr. Cox being the sole representa tive of Eire in our midst. Mrs. J. Read, wife of the District-Officer, presented Mr.

Cox with a large cake, lavishly iced, de corated with shamrocks and bearing the somewhat cryptic inscription, “God Save Ireland.” ♦ Heavy rain that has continued inter mittently since January, has hampered work on local roads. Some work has been done in other directions, however, and a new wing is being added to the Euro pean nurses’ quarters. This will provide a temporary European hospital, capable of accommodating six patients.