P-NG Still Selling War Disposals

Cyanide, Sunken Tractors

And Aircraft Engines!

P-NG Still Selling War Disposals Goods

rpENDERS were called, at the end of X January, for a miscellany of war disposals goods at various centres in Papua and New Guinea. The strange thing is that 41 years after the war ended, and after being raked back and forth by all manner of dealers, there is anything left to dispose of.

The collection now offered by tender induct s 15 tons of scrap copper wire, packed in 44-gallon drums at the wharf, Samarai; wrecked aircraft and aircraft engines (number unspecified and they must be removed within six months) lo cated in the Rabaul and Kokopo areas of New Britain; three tractors of un known make and size, which are located somewhere in the sea, in the vicinity of Milford Haven wharf, Lae; and 376 two hundredweight drums of cyanide at Salamaua.

Presumably the tractors were driven off the wharf in a fit of military exuber ance before civil administration took over control of the Territory. After being at the mercy of the salt-sea waves for four years it is unlikely that thev will be of much use for the purpose for which they were originally intended.

It is said of the cyanide that 20 per cent, of the drums are losing their con tents through rusting. Salamaua is, of course, a completely deserted village as far as European residents are concerned, but unless a strict guard is kept upon it. the disintegrating drums of cyanide seem to be as great a hazard to the health of local natives as is the square mile of bombs at Tadji in Northern New Guinea.

It would be interesting to know for what purpose the 38 tons of cyanide were required in Salamaua in the first place.

We have never heard that the Japs re leased rabbits to eat up the country side, as they released Giant Snails.