Moresby
pp. 75-77 · Read in the full issue
The Month in Moresby
From Our Own Correspondent
Port Moresby. June 30.
rHE administration’s two latest schemes are—first, to replace native carriers with horses and donkeys, where pos ible; and, secondly, equip native police men, in towns throughout Papua-New Juinea, with sandals.
Both ideas have been tried out before n a small scale but this time the Gov rnment is aiming at something wide pread and permanent.
The “River Fitzroy” recently delivered few horses and donkeys to various parts f the Territory and if these prove satis ictory for carrying work, the adminis -ation intends to greatly increase the umber, both by breeding and importation.
One reason for the experiment is that, tficially, the administration disapproves f the use of natives as “beasts of burden ” nother reason is that as education )reads among the natives, the adminis ■ation expects them to become more and tore reluctant to do carrying work.
Old Territorians think horses and don sys could be very useful. They are more optical of the Government’s ability to irry out the idea than of the scheme it- General reaction to the sandals scheme ems to be amusement. People say the itive police are quite happy barefooted * why go to the expense of giving them otwear?
The administration is having 3,000 pairs sandals made in Australia and will me them to town policemen because it inks their feet should be protected :amst hard roads.
MEASLES and whooping cough have broken out in Moresby. Several European children either have measles or have just recovered from them, but the Administration is more worried about the fact that measles and whooping cough are spreading among the natives.
At present the number of native victims is estimated at “three or four dozen”—the Health Department could not give a more definite figure. The Administration is trying to restrict the movement of natives in and out of Moresby to prevent the diseases reaching other areas. v ♦ SOMEONE should tell the officials of the Moresby Tennis Club about the pleasures of night tennis in the tropics. The club has three good courts but many people think it could make better use of them by erecting lights. A common belief is that the Administration has refused to allow lights to be erected because of the power situation, but we have been told officially that the Adminis tration has no objection, and that after 8 n.m. there is plenty of power.
The new Murray Heights Club is putting lights on its tennis court, so why not the Moresby Tennis Club?
The Murray Heights Club has made a lively start with dances and housie nights and if all its plans become realities, life will be much more pleasant for residents of the area. A children’s playground and a sports oval are among the amenities planned. * « * AMONG those who returned to Moresby on the last “Bulolo” were Mr. and Mrs. S. Lonergan, Mr. and Mrs. A. de Groen, Mr. M. C. Rich and Mrs. Crisp.
Dr. and Mrs. J. Gunther have just flown south on leave and Mr. J. McKenna is on six months recreation and sick leave. Mr.
A. E. Way, District Labour Officer, Samarai, is relieving him as Assistant Director of Native Labour. * * ♦ THE Government Secretary’s Depart ment is recovering slowly from the confusion caused by the fire which destroyed its office at Port Moresby on February 12. The Department moved into a new and much better building on May 31, but the work of reolacing lost files will continue for a long time.
After the fire residents of the Territory were asked to forward copies of letters to
which they had got no reply and this re sponse is helping the department con siderably. Some staff files were charred but readable, but out of 4,000 general files, little more than a hundred were saved. It is stated, however, that, in most cases, copies of correspondence in these files can be obtained. ♦ * ♦ BIGGEST sporting week-end in Moresby for a long time was the King’s Birth day holiday week-end, June 11 to 13, when 56 cricketers, basketball players and golfers came here from Lae, Wau and Bulolo.
The visitors chartered two planes for the trip, arriving on Saturday morning and leaving the following Tuesday morn ing.
Twenty nine men and women came from Lae and 27 from Wau and Bulolo.
The Lae-Moresby fixtures opened on Saturday afternoon with a women’s nasketball match, won by Moresby 21 to 6.
Moresby also won the cricket match next lay, declaring with 8 wickets down for 105 as against Lae’s 136. On Monday norning, the Lae men’s basketball team dunged about in the mud to better effect han the Moresby team, winning by 12 foals to 10. The rain held off for the econd and last women’s basketball game n the afternoon and, watched by His lonour the Administrator Colonel J K Jurray and Mrs. Murray, the Moresby iris won by 13 to 8. The visitors had 'fitter luck in the golf, although Moresby cored 20 points to Wau-Bulolo’s 12.
In two members’ matches Moresby de puted Bulolo 8-3 and Wau 7-0 but Wau lulolo won the associates’ match 4-3 and tie mixed Canadian 5-2.
There was plenty of entertainment for ic visitors. The Moresby cricketers and asketball players held a dance for the ae teams at the Konedobu Club on aturday night, an informal entertain icnt at the same place on Sunday night ight a ba 1 at the RSL club on Monda y The Moresby Golf Club held a dance : its club house on Monday night for le Wau and Bulolo visitors.
Mrs. Murra y presented a umbei of trophies, including one to the ? f % Moresby cricket team, Max aylor for the best batting average (109 01 6 ,? 0 oy Eiseman, of Moresby, * vf 10 best bowling average (3 for 24)uL f* rs ’ , El i €< ? n Poll ard (captain) for rU*^LpfK d n f f irest player in the Lae ns basketball team and one to Mrs. Beth ooas (captain) for the best and fairest ayer in the Moresby team.
Moresby is hoping to take teams to Lae id Bulolo next September.