Sophistication!

Three Stories From The N. Guinea Highlands

From a Special Correspondent THE comparatively recent introduction of money (for the payment of native wages) into the Highlands of New Gumea, has had some rather amusing sidelights.

at an Administration Hospital, the native labourer employed as goat appeared at the back door of the medical assistant’s residence accompanied £L on ?- of *i ls pne-talks. He said that at some time during the night the old billy goat had broken out of the banis and had destroyed one-talk’s garden. He went on +T? a \. 11: he one- talk was given a iob in the hospital, everything would be lorgiven and forgotten, but if he wasn’t employed, he would proceed immediately to the Kiap and make court.

An investigation was instituted, and it was found that the goat had not broken out, and no garden was destroyed, b , oys 9 onf essed on questioning that they had cooked up the story so that the one-talk could get on the pay-roll.

No job was given.

At the same establishment, recently, there appeared six natives, all with fowls!

The missus of the house was pleased, as he f J fo Z ls were sadl y depleted. She asked them what they wished in return for the fowls. They answered that the fowls were not for sale, but a present to the master if he would employ them in the hospital. Unfortunately for them, there was no work offering. ■ from behind the hills came in entire savings to buy a Kina (Goldhp) Shell, and a Talibum (Green Snail) Shell. When the storeman wanted to see the colour of his money, the lad produced mnepence—seven pennies, and four ha pennies. He was upset and an noyed when he was told what it was worth.

He thought he was being “got at,” and in sisted that it was big money—therefore, big value.

For the third quarter of 1949 Tahiti is to receive 30,000 US Marshall Aid dollars, of which $lO,OOO are for the purchase of electric refrigerators.