In This Issue:

Editorial: Colombo, British Empire Achievements—and February 23 5 PIM Editor can go North Again .. 6 Fiji Governor on Leave 6 High Copra Price Continues—Will Not be less than in 1949 ... 7 Fiji’s Sugar Agreement with UK .. 7 Paris-Tahiti Air Service to Operate 7 Papua-New Guinea Transport on point of Collapse 8 Another Trans-Tasman Air Service? 9 South Pacific Conference in Suva in April 9 Fiji’s Bid for Yacht Championship 9 Reforms likely in Papua-New Guinea —Non-Socialist Ministers Take Over in Australia and New Zealand 10 The Indonesians Demand Dutch New Guinea —Australia’s Diplo matic Headache 11 New Year Honours 11 Rabaul Roundabout 13 News from Torres Strait Islands .. 15 Repayment Demanded from Expro Planters 16 SS Suva May Go on New Guinea Service 16 The Month in Moresby 17 New Rules for Native Voyagers in

P-Ng 21

Catholic Mission in Haapai 21 Native Deterioration —Report from Bougainville 22 High Cost of Living—New Guinea Prices Compared with Australian 23 New Director of Public Works, Fiji 24

Rough Justice in Papua 24 Conviction on Finger Prints alone— Appeal in Ocean Is. Murder Dis missed 25 Christmas Festivities at Sohano .. 26 18 Feet of Rain in Suva in 1949 .. 27 Gales in French Oceania—Two Schooners Lost 29 Fijians and Indian Representatives at SPC Conference 31 Indian Newspaper Laments Social ism’s Defeat 31 Furniture Grant for Widows of New Guinea Internees 33 Storm in Tonga—Crops Damaged 34 Mr. Ward’s Oil Furphy 34 G & E Landowners Taxed in Copra 34 NZ Military in Fiji—Planters’

Criticism Resented 35 Tahiti Seeks Tourists—Plans for Big Hotel 37 The Late Sir Hubert Murray ... 38 £4,000,000 for Papua-New Guinea last Year 39 New Development in Malaria Study 39 Christmas Island Now Linked With Nauru and Ocean Island —Details of Australian Phosphate Purchase 41 Merauke Australia’s Unknown Foreign Neighbour 43 Fiji Banana Exports “Poor” 43 Treatment of Burns and Tropical Ulcers With Penicillin 45 Fiji’s Thorniest Problem —Indian In crease and Native Lands 47 Territories Talk-Talk 49 Biscuit-Bomber —1949 50 Turtle-fishing in Old Fiji 51 Rotuma: Land of Coconuts 52

Tropicalities 53 Short Story: The Noose 54 PIM Crossquiz 55 Children’s Section :: Fashion ... 56 Gloomy View of Papua’s Present and Future 53 Power of the Fiji Chiefs 61 Soil Conservation in Fiji 62 The Godeffroys 66 Jonfrum is New Hebridean Cargo Cult 67 Further Disaster for Groundnuts Scheme 71 The Problem of the Half-Caste ... 71 Tahiti Notes 75 Story of Niue and Bully Hayes ... 76 Fijians at Empire Games 77 W. Samoan Representatives at SPC Conference 77 News and Notes About Buka- Bougainville Folk 79 Election Day on Pitcairn Island .. 82 Poor Travel Facilities to Bougainville 83 Kavieng Notes 85 More Labour for P-NG —Highlands Opened to Recruiting 86 Plane and Shipping Services .. .. 87 Funds Needed for Rebuilding Suva Cathedral 97 Reform Awaited in New Guinea .. 103 OBITUARY: A. Gibson, 6; Mrs. G. Gar rick, 71; Mrs. P. McConnell, 71; Mrs.

Ivy McDonald, 95; The Rev. C. F.

Rich, 99.

ASSOCIATIONS: New Guinea Women’s Club, 19; Brisbane NG Association, 38; New Guinea Women’s Association, Melbourne, 77.

INDUSTRIES: Oil, 6, 94; Copra, 7; Sugar, 7; Gold, 86.