The Month In Moresby
pp. 27-29 · Read in the full issue
From Our Own Correspondent
Port Moresby. Nov. 5.
FOUR months after the Papua and New Guinea Act, 1949, was proclaimed, the Executive Council still has not been formed. We understand that the members have been nominated and the Minister’s approval is being awaited. The Council, which will advise and assist tne Administrator, will consist of nine Admin istration officers. As announced at the time of the proclamation of the Act, the Legislative Council will not function be fore August, 1950. * SIX migrant doctors are due to arrive in the Territory early next year.
They were chosen from 40 applicants by the Director of Health, Dr. Gunther, who was in Australia on leave at the time. The doctors are now attending a special course at the School of Pacific Administration. * THE Administration announced recently that its European staff totalled 1,174 persons. To be at full strength the Ad ministration would need 1,778 persons, so that at present two people are doing the work of three. ♦ A VISUAL education expert from the South Pacific Commission, Mr. L.
Moore, arrived here on November 1 to spend five weeks in the Territory. His visit marks the start of his survey of the present and potential uses of visual educa tion in Pacific Islands and Territories.
The Education Department’s visual edu cation officer, Mr. John Cox, will accom pany Mr. Moore on his tour of the Terri tory. * THE Hekaha, a converted trawler, is nearly ready to begin work as Papua’s medical patrol vessel. It has been fitted with new engines and has a dis pensary with accommodation for seven patients. Another trawler is being con verted into a medical patrol vessel for use in New Guinea. * TWO girls and two men clung to a cap sized boat in Moresby Harbour throughout the night of October 28.
They started out on a pleasure cruise in an 18 ft. yacht early in the evening, cap sized and were rescued by a native canoe about 5.30 a.m. They all had to receive medical attention. The girls were Miss J.
Doherty and Miss W. Grant and the men were Mr. B. Houchen and Mr. W. Court ney. * QANTAS is starting a weekly service to Kokoda and Popendetta. A Dragon will leave Moresby at 7 a.m. each Wednesday, returning at about 10.15 a.m. the same day. The Dragon can carry five passengers or 1,000 lb. of cargo. Fare from Moresby to Popendetta is £6; from Moresby to Kokoda £5, and from Pooen detta to Kokoda £2. * THERE are now two Administration dentists: Dr. Anders is stationed at Moresby and now Mr. A. Alkazar has taken up duty at Lae. * GIBBS SEPIK AIRWAYS has stationed an Auster at Moresby for charter 'work, mainly for the Administration.
Captain Ted Marriott is the pilot. * PORT MORESBY RSL raised £460 from its Melbourne Cup sweep and race meeting. The money will go to the Christmas party fund and the building fund. Mr. W. Conroy, of the Bank of
New South Wales, won first prize of £2OO in the sweep, Mr. Ken Chester won second prize of £5O and Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Wash ington collected third prize of £2O. The race meeting was a big success and created nearly as much excitement as the Cup itself. A horse owned by Mr. Doug Spence and “ridden” by Mrs. Spence won the main event, the 1949 RSL Cup. The sweep held by the Murray Heights Club was won by Mr. F. M. Kicinski, of APC, who also won third prize. Second prize went to Mr. L. Gesch, of Steamships Trading Company. * 11 HE Port Moresby Parish Council will erect memorials to Padre and Mrs.
Matthews, in appreciation of their
many years’ service at St. John’s Rectory.
Mrs. Matthews died at Moresby in April, 1941, and Padre Matthews was killed on August 7, 1942, when a Japanese sub marine sank the motor vessel Mamutu by shell-fire in the Papuan Gulf. The Mamutu was evacuating half-caste women and children from Moresby to Daru and Padre Matthews was escorting them.
The Parish Council has decided that the memorials will be a pair of stained glass windows in the church, estimated to cost £3OO. A fund is open and donations will be received by Mr. E. Johnson, Bank of NSW, Port Moresby. * I'IHREE local artists, Mr. D. Lincoln Crow (pianist), Mrs. P. Frank (soprano) and Miss I. Gibney (violinist) gave a half-hour recital over 9PA recently. 9PA is to be congratulated but why should such broadcasts be only annual events?
A local variety show would brighten 9PA’s programme considerably. * NOEL COWARD’S Private Lives, a three-act comedy presented by Lester Sims, entertained Moresby audiences at the Papuan Theatre on October 18, 21 and 25. The play was snappy and the characters were convincingly portrayed by Leila Steege, George Bardsley, D. Lincoln Crow, Bettina Wright and Jean Lane. Mr.
Crow, who replaced Warren Steele during the last few weeks of rehearsals, naturally was not as polished as the rest of the cast. There will be a break of about four months before Mr. Sims’ next pro duction. Meanwhile, the Port Moresby Freezing Company will improve stage and dressing facilities at the theatre, *
Miss Mary Ellen Crowley And
Mr. Geoff Masters were married to day at the Catholic Church, Moresby.
Mr. Vic Carter was best man and Miss Val Cadzow, bridesmaid. The couple will spend their honeymoon at Rouna Falls.
A SEVEN 12-footers are now competing in the Moresby Aquatic Club’s weekly races. Another four boats are being built. Members who build their own boats can launch them at a cost of about £5O.
The present season ends on December 18 when trophies will be presented at a din ner at the Papua Hotel. ♦
Senior Matron Thorburn, Of The
Moresby European Hospital, has been a patient in the hospital herself for the past month. She will soon be going south on sick leave.
MR. K. LEVY, of the Native Labour De partment, Moresby, departs for Aus tralia next week to be married. He will return with his wife when his leave is finished. * MR. VIC SULLY, who has recently been in charge of the Education Depart ment’s technical training, is leaving by air to-morrow on his way to take up a position with the Western Australian Department of Native Affairs. He will be director of a big aboriginal industrial school. Mrs. Sully, who is in Sydney at present, will join him. ♦ JUDGE and Mrs. Gore left Moresby by air on October 24 for Brisbane, where Mrs. Gore will undergo an operation.
Judge Gore will return as soon as pos sible but Mrs. Gore is expected to be convalescing in Australia for some time. ♦ AFTER 23 years’ service in the Papuan and Papua-New Guinea Administra tions, Mr. Bill Ley din is leaving on the November Bulolo to retire to a property in the Gosford district. Mrs.
Leydin, who has been in the Territory even longer, will accompany him. Mr.
Leydin, at present Registrar of the Su preme Court, has served as a clerk in the Treasury Department, as Collector of Customs at Daru, Postmaster at Samarai and Treasury Paymaster. He became se cretary of the Moresby Golf Club just be fore the war and has been secretary since the club reopened in 1946. Mr. J. Gibney will be the new Supreme Court Registrar and Mr. T. Grahamslaw will replace Mr.
Leydin as Golf Club secretary.
The Church Missionary Society (Angli can) hopes soon to establish a medical mission in the Netherlands East Indies.
Dr. lan Holt left Sydney for Batavia at the end of September.
The Administrator of Papua-New Guinea, by proclamation, has appointed Messrs. T. P. M. Byrne, Ivan Champion and E. A. Barr to be the Marine Board of Papua.