Sea Swallows Island

Off Papua

Prom Our Brisbane Correspondent S‘ AIBAI, an island just off the south coast of Papua, west of Daru (but included in Torres Strait islands for administration) is disappearing into the sea. Consequently, its colony of 600 natives is being shifted to a settlement on Cape York.

Sea erosion has reduced the tillable land to an area which cannot support the natives who are agriculturists.

They, with other Torres Strait Islanders when transferred, will settle in a main land village with modern amenities.

The Queensland Government has a re serve of 44,500 acres on Red Island Point in the Cape York area, for the settlement of aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders.

When finished, the village will include sanitation and drainage; water supply and electric light; school and recreation reserve; civic square; church reserve; shopping centre and picture theatre; garage and workshop. (It is, of course, unnecessary to point out that this, like other “model villages’’ we could mention, is still in the blue-print (or dream) stage).

Life-membership of the Victorian Wheat and Wool Growers’ Association was conferred on Mr. Alex Wilson. Adminis trator of Norfolk Island, at the Associa tion’s recent conference. (Mr. Wilson was an Independent member for Wim mera, a Victorian country electorate in the Australian parliament, before he re tired for “health reasons” at the end of 1945. He was appointed Administrator of Norfolk Island for seven years from Janu ary, 1946. Liberal-Country Party mem bers, then in Opposition, said it was a political appointment “for services ren dered.” Mr. Wilson’s vote with the Labour Party had helped to keep that party in office at a precarious stage of their affairs before the 1943 elections).

The New Caledonian Health Officer re ports that, in the first nine months of 1949, 25 of 75 patients hospitalised in Noumea for tuberculosis had died. In considering this relatively high percen tage it has to be b:rne in mind that most of the natives did not gain admittance to hospital until they weie beyond hope of a regular cure.

If an atomic bomb ever rocks Oahu Island what can Honolulu police do to minimise the death and destruction that would follow in its wake? When they finish a series of 18 lectures now being given on basic training in radiological de fences, every member of the department will have the answers to that question.