Rabaul Roundabout

From Our Own Correspondent

RABAUL, March 30, Administrator, Col, J. K. Murray paid a special visit to Rabaul during the last week-end of March in order to officially open the new RSSAILA Club.

The President, Mr. E. V. Smythe and Mrs.

Harry Reid, wife of the vice-president welcomed his Honor, who was accom panied by District Officer and Mrs. J. K.

McCarthy. A buffet tea followed the opening ceremony and the many guests had a very gay party.

MRS. TOM AITCHESON, wife of the DO, Manus, paid an unexpected visit to Rabaul recently and was the guest of the DO and Mrs. McCarthy for a week.

Mrs. Aitcheson had been called to Port Moresby for a DCA Court of Inquiry. Mr.

Aitcheson was recently appointed DO, Manus, succeeding Mr. K. W. T. Bridge, who has retired, and had been ADO, Madang, since the War.

Mrs. Aitcheson and her children are very happy at Manus and to her delight, a small school has been opened, which is attended by her two small girls, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Steege, and several Eurasian children.

AT Namanula Hospital, Rabaul, on March 6, a son was born to Mr. and Mrs. McSkiniming, of the Methodist Mission, Duke of York Islands.

MRS. J. K. MCCARTHY loaned her home at Namanula to the Church of England Ladies Guild for a card evening on March 20. This successful

function netted £l2 for the Church Coun cil Building Fund.

MRS. lAN SKINNER, wife of ADO Skinner, Talasea, New Britain, has not been in good health for some time and came to Rabaul recently for medical attention. She underwent an ap pendix operation at Namanula Hospital on March 21 and is progressing satisfac torily. She hopes to return home by the next QEA Catalina for Talasea.

RABAUL was busy with shipping this month. Burns Philp & Co., had three large ships in port in a fortnight— Malaita, Merkur and Bulolo.

The Bulolo was a particularly welcome ship—owing to her delayed departure from Sydney fresh food supplies had been exhausted. There was the usual influx and exodus of Territorians returning and going on leave. The Merkur was an un expected ship to the Territory ports.

Mr. and Mrs. H. Niall (he is DO, Lae) were passengers on the Bulolo proceeding on leave. Others leaving on Bulolo were Mr. and Mrs. Max Lees of Kokopo and Mr. and Mrs,. Cyril Doyle. Mr. Doyle has been very ill and was going to Aus tralia for health reasons.

MR. E. W. P. CHINNERY passed through Rabaul during March en route to Kavieng. He was a former Government anthropologist and Director of District Services in the Mandated Ter ritory during the years 1924 to 1937. In 1937 he resigned to become Director of

TOP: The Administrator opens the RSSAILA Club in Rabaul. BELOW LEFT: The Krazy Kapers ballet, led by Mrs. Lenore Pound. BELOW RIGHT: Blake-Ross wedding group (from left to right): Miss A. M. Patterson, Mr. Bailey, Mrs. J. Hawnt, Mr. A. Brown, the bride and groom, and the three Ross children. —Photos by C. H. Meen.

Native Affairs, Northern Territory, and advisor on anthropology to the Common wealth Government.

His present visit to New Guinea is to make a detailed native census of the east coast of New Ireland. His last very care ful census was in 1930, and as the Ad ministration is now concerned by the gradual decrease in the native population in that area, Mr. Chinnery has been asked to make another census. He ex pects to be in New Ireland for about four months and during his patrol will be ac companied by various members of the Medical Department.

Miss Malcolm, nutritionist attached to the South Pacific Commission is also going to New Ireland for several months to investigate and advise the native peoples on their food supplies. She will work in conjunction with Mr. Chinnery’s patrol.

Mr. and Mrs. Chinnery now reside at Brighton, Victoria, and shortly expect to move to a new home, at Black Reck, Vic toria.

Two of their daughters are married: the other two, who are Air Hosesses, are to be married at the end of this year and will live in Adelaide.

AT the little Methodist Church, on the comer of Mango Avenue and Mala guna Road, Rabaul, on March 21, the two children of Mr. and Mrs. Eric Petterson were christened. Their son, aged years, was christened Kim Eric; and daughter, aged eight months, Jen nifer. The Rev. Mr. Young of the Metho dist Mission officiated.

A WEDDING of wide island interest took place on March 16 when Mr.

Charles Blake and Mrs. Marjorie Ross were married at the Methodist Church, Rabaul. Both are well-known Territorians of long residence.

The bride, who was given away by Mr.

William Bailey, was attended by Miss Pat terson, and Mr. A. Brown attended the bridegroom. The reception was held at the home of Mr. Bailey.

PRODUCED by Mr. Kerry Leen, a mem ber of the District Services staff at Rabaul, a revue, Krazy Kapers, was presented to appreciative Rabaul recently.

The super-heavyweight male ballet and the professor who failed to escape from the strait-jacket all added to the general

hilarity which shook the town as much as our more usual gurias.

A bevy of fair maidenhood clad in the traditional costume that is generally as sociated with Hula dancers were led by gifted danseuse Lenore Pounds.

The show was for the RSL Club and was staged in the excellent open-air theatre in the grounds of the Catholic Mission.