Late News Items

Mr. H. E. Maude

NOUMEA, May 11.—Mr. H. E. Maude, who originally was appointed Deputy Sec retary General of the South Pacific Commission, has been made a full-time member (Member for Social Development) of the Research Council. He has been acting in that capacity since the Council was inaugurated.

Oh, For An Adequate Thirst!

AUCKLAND, May 11.—The Union Ex port Co.’s small motor vessel “Melva” sailed to-day for Port Moresby witn 93,000 bottles of beer, the product of two Auck land breweries. N.Z. beer is going to the Islands in increasing quantities. Owing to local industrial conditions, the well known Australian breweries, like Tooth & Co., Ltd., and Carlton United, which formerly held these markets, have diffi culty in arranging shipments.

Not Enough Ships

APIA, May 7. —Western Samoa copra is accumulating here. The ships which nominally come in to load copra are gen erally nearly full when they arrive.

Fruit For Nz

SUVA, May 12.—The Fiji Banana Board plans considerable extension of banana shipments to NZ when the new Union SS Co.’s “Tofua” (5,300 tons) comes into commission in 1951.

RAROTONGA, May 6. —By the time the new “Tofua” comes into service, Raro tonga will be ready to quadruple its orange exports to N.Z.

N.G. Club Restored

RABAUL, May 12—Premises of New Guinea Club, attractively reconstructed, will be opened shortly.

Waterhouse Memorial

RABAUL, May 12 —In formal ceremony to-day, a plaque was affixed to Nodup native village school naming it “J. H. L.

Waterhouse Memorial School,” in honour of the man who did splendid service in the thirties in connection with native education.

Drunken Natives

RABAUL, May 6.—The District Court sent 21 natives to hard labour for six months for drunkenness.

Anglican Church In Rabaul

RABAUL. Mav 12.—Bishop Strong of Papua, and Bishop Caulton, of Melan esia, and a representative meeting decided that New Britain should be rem oved from Anglican Diocese of Melan esia and attached to the Diocese of Papua. Rabaul hitherto has been under control of the Solomons church; but communications are difficult.

Phenomenal Rainfall

SUVA. May 5. No less than 14.5 inches of rain fell in 24 hours.

There was considerable flood damage, especially to copra and coconut meal at the Island Industries’ mill.

SUVA, May 14. —The sub-chaser which was picked up at sea in Februarv, 1948, with Mr. R. E. Johnson aboard, and towed 100 miles to Suva, has been converted into a trading ship for the Suva-Lau Islands, named the “Purple Sea,” and has left on her first trip.