Rabaul Roundabout

Prom Our Own Correspondent

RABAUL, December 29.

AT Namanula Hospital on December 1, a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. L.

Corbett. And on December 13, at Namanula Hospital, a daughter was born to Mr. and Mis. B. W. Ryan, of Rabaul. ♦ MRS. CHRIS NORMOYLE is back in Rabaul after three months spent in Australia. While South Mrs. Nor moyle underwent a serious operation but is well again. With her came her son, Tony, and daughter, Janet. Her elder son, Chris, Jnr., recently arrived in Port Moresby after attending the School of Pacific Administration in Sydney. He is now a cadet patrol officer.

Enthusiastic audiences filled the Administration Mess for two nights in December, when they greeted the first performances of the RSL Dramatic Club. The two plays produced were “The Man in the Bowler Hat” by A. A. Milne and “Cinderella” by a local playwrite, Mr.

Norman Adderley. Fifty-two pounds were raised and will be added to the rapidly-growing building fund for the new clubhouse. Splendid performances were given by local amateur artists, including specialty items by Mr. Gilbert Renton and Mr. Kerry Leen. Rabaul folk now look forward to another show scheduled for early New Year. It will be a variety show. * RABAUL Native Schools held their Annual Combined Sports Meeting on December 20 on the Recreation Oval.

Fifteen schools competed for a Silver Shield. Teams came from Keravat and Kokopo as well. Winner on total points was Matupi.

About 4,000 pupils attended the meeting which was opened by District Officer J. K.

McCarthy. Rain interferred with the morning events, but the skies cleared by mid-day. Music was provided by the splendid Kinagunan Native Brass Band which came from Vunapope Catholic Mis sion, Kokopo. * A SUCCESSFUL cake and ice cream stall, organised by the Church of England Ladies’ Guild, was held out side the Rabaul Cinema on December 9 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and raised £36/1/6.

The C. of E. Council then decided to hold a Ball on December 27 at the Cosmopoli tan Hotel. Despite the fact that most people were tired after a hectic round of Christmas parties, a large crowd assembled and £5l/6/6 was raised. These two

amounts will be added to the building fund. The Council has received informa tion that two quonset huts at £2OO each have been reserved at Manus. When shipping is available they will be brought to Rabaul and erected as a church and vicarage. Mr. Chris Normoyle is the Council president and Miss Dorothy Stewart is secretary and treasurer. Mrs, Shanley is president, Mrs. Hides, secretary and Mrs. Whippey treasurer of the Church Ladies’ Guild. * RABAUL children turned out in force on Christmas Eve when the New Britain Club held its annual Fancy Dress Party and Christmas Tree.

It was a difficult job for the judges to decide finally which were the best costumes, but special mention was made of lan Black as “Tarzan” and Hilary Shanley as the little Hawaiian Girl. Judges were Mr. B. B. Perriman, Mrs. Una Adams and Mrs. J. Keith McCarthy. * BULOLO arrived in Rabaul early on Boxing Day with many tourists aboard and skippered by well-known Captain W. Wilding usually of the Malaita. When the ship departed th.s morning many Rabaul folk were aboard including Mr. and Mrs. Gerry Brown, Mr. and Mrs. Lindfield, Mr, and Mrs. Dixon, Mr. and Mrs. “Mick” Thomas and daughter, and Miss Kiernan, of the nurs ing staff, Madang. ♦

Island Paradise Cabaret Was The

setting for a party given by Mr. and Mrs. V. Pearson during December to celebrate Mr. Pearson’s birthday. ♦ A QUONSET HUT has been put into use as the new RSL Clubhouse. The hut has been altered considerably and with extensions and glass louvres provides a floor space of 70 ft by 20 ft. as a ren dezvous for RSL members. They held their opening night on December 23 and the house warming on Boxing Day was largely attended by husbands and wives and widows of servicemen. A picnic for the children of members was held at Nonga on December 28. * mHE New Guinea Club at Rabaul wel- X corned in the New Year with its first post-war Fancy Dress Ball. In pre war days the New Guinea Club’s Fancy Dress Ball was one of the occasions of the Christmas season.

The Club this year, returned to some thing of its former glory, was the haunt

Members of Rabaul RSL Dramatic Society. —Photo by C. H. Meen.

of devils, pirates, gypsies and ladies of the East and included the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Excellent music was provided by Mr.

Berkfeldt. In the absence of the presi dent, Mr. B. Gaskin, guests were welcomed by the acting-president, Mr. K. C. Mc- Mullen, and secretary, Mr. Galway.

The difficult task of judging the cos

tumes fell to the lot of Mrs. Rhoda Coote, Mrs. Una Adams and Mrs. J. Keith McCarthy whose final selections were Mr. and Mrs. Guy Black, best pair; most original costume, Mr. “Soldier” Williams; best dressed man, Mr. Len Palmer; best dressed lady, Mrs. Scott; and a special prize awarded to Mrs. Len Palmer as “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”