Kieta Notes

Kieta, Ng, Sept. 15.

ON August 4, ceremonies commenced here to mark the Golden Jubilee of the Bougainville Marist Mission. An imposing party of ecclesiastical dignitaries, who arrived on the Mission yacht, in cluded Bishop Wade, of Bougainville; Bishop Sharmack, of Rabaul; Bishop Ark feld of Wewak and Bishop Appleman, of Alexishaven. 'The Mission received con gratulations and good wishes from all over the world. * * * There was some anxiety when the MV Kokoda arrived in this port with a 3-ton tip-truck for Headmaster John Cox, as well as water-piping, cement and build ing material. The old wharf is far from safe, and it was not known whether Cap tain Rassmussen would adopt the usual method of floating the truck ashore on hatch-covers laid across surf-boats. So Mr. Cox built a substantial raft of bush timber, attached to 30 petrol-drums. But Captain Rassmussen, after personally examining the situation, laid his vessel very skilfully alongside, and swung the 3-tonner onto the decrepit wharf, whence it was got safely ashore without accident. * * * Like all ports in this Territory, Kieta and the district around are very seriously handicapped by lack of port facilities, a small official barge, roadmaking plant, and bridges. The paramount need is a wharf with a water pipe-line. There is a surprising amount of small shipping com ing into Kieta, chief town of Bougain ville, but under present conditions it is under a handicap. * * * Mr. Maclaughlan (Chief Clerk) and his wife left in August, on leave. Mr. and Mrs. “Jimmy” Joyce, of Iwi Plantation, have gone to Australia on leave, and Mr. and Mrs. Gaskell have taken over. Mr.

Wong Parrish, ADO, is going away on long leave, and will be relieved by Mr.

Maclartney, Assistant ADO at Sohana. * • • The American LST 533 returned tc these waters in August and. anchoring off Arawa Plantation, made this snot the centre of final surveying operations in this vicinity. Following q petrol stove explosion, three of the USA personnel were severely burnt, and were rushed by barge to Kieta, on the 15th, for medical treatment. Fortunately, Dr. Pike was at Kieta, and he and his able assistant, Gordon Lansdowne, quickly made the in jured men comfortable. They were then taken to the USA hospital at Guadalcanal by the LST.

Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Michener, well known American journalists, have been recently in Australia, en route to some of the South Pacific Islands. He may be remembered as an American Navy officer during wartime in New Hebrides, New Caledonia and Norfolk Island, etc.

He wrote a delightful book (Tales from the South Pacific) during his war ser vice which had a wide vogue, and was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1948 for the best fiction story of the year. A play called “South Pacific,” based on Michener’s book had been making a re cord-breaking run on Broadway. The book was reviewed in PIM in February, 1948.