The Month In Moresby

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Port Moresby, Aug. 5.

■DEVISED customs tariffs aimed at IV lowering living costs have come into force in Papua and New Guinea.

Clothing and all foodstuffs are now duty free, and duty has been lifted from other items such as bedding, carpets and floor coverings.

In Papua the effect is that clothing prices will drop by about 11 per cent.; there will be a similar drop in prices of tinned fish, tinned milk and cream, pickles, dripping, etc., and butter, tea, coffee and cocoa will cost 2d. a lb. less.

Toilet soap will be 10 per cent, cheaper.

The only clothing now dutiable is silk goods on which the duty has risen from 10 to 15 per cent.

In compensation, increased duty on beer will raise the price by 3d. a bottle and spirits will cost 2 - a bottle more.

Duty on cigarettes has jumped 100 per cent.-from 10/6 a lb. to 21/—representmg a price increase of 1/4 on a tin of 50. A 2 oz. tin of tobacco will now cost lOd. more. Duty on jewellery has risen 15 per cent, and machinery, formerly duty free, now carries a 10 per cent, duty —the least satisfactory tariff change as far as local firms are concerned.

Full effect of the new tariffs has not yet been felt as the tariffs have so far applied to only one shipment from Australia. :: ;: :: DESIGNING of a new residential area between the Four and Five Mile at Port Moresby is now under way.

The area is on the right hand side of the road when travelling towards Rouna.

As well as residential sites, the plan provides for 10 or 12 shops, a school and a recreation ground. A contour survey of the area has been made but the blocks have yet to be sub-divided.

The shortage of surveyors is delaying this work. Another project which the Administration is working on is the demolition of a number of native shacks at Koki. During his visit here Mr.

Spender described the shacks as a blot on the landscape and ordered them to be removed. Shacks to be demolished are those that were built on Crown land.

Buildings on native-owned land will not be touched. Natives whose homes are pulled down will be accommodated in houses built by the Administration on the salt pans near the golf course. The houses will be similar to those being erected at Hanuabada but, unlike the Hanuabadans, the Koki people will probably have to pay rent for their new homes. it is estimated that 100 Koki natives will be affected. Twenty-five new houses win be built for them in the first stage 0 f the project. Mr. Spender wants the project completed within a year. ‘ •• ■■ a™ J%/lORESBY S hre-hghtmg equipment I*l must be modernised at an early date if the authorities wish to avert catastrophe, said the Coroner (Mr. B. w. Faithorn), in his report on the Kila Police Depot fire. Mr. Faithorn said there was an ever-increasing danger of a large-scale fire in Port Moresby. The fire brigade was doing a splendid job

but was hampered by the lack of modK ern equipment.

The Coroner found that the fire whicDi destroyed a fuel storage shed at Kila 03 June 17 was caused by kerosene furrier coming into contact with a lighted huir icane lamp. Two native policemen were pouring kerosene into the lamp at tkl; time. Mr. Faithorn said the fire rei yealed “a lamentable disregard of til: elementary precautions to be taken fol the safeguarding of life and The fuel store containing highly inflann mable products, had been placed in tlf; midst of a crowd of administration builo. ings. Open fuel drums were in thd same shed as unopened supplies.

Portable stirrup pumps to fight fire has. proved defective, suggesting that ther had not been tested for a long time. “I‘ this neglect,” said the Coroner, “the OII< Kila Depot must accept a degree ♦ blame.”

Mr. Faithorn said that the fire brigaoj was equipped with one bush fire-fighn ing outfit, a water tank with a capaciti of only 200 gallons, and hoses fitted with water sprays which were “entirely ine:e fective” when dealing with oil and petra fires. The Coroner said that if po:o sible the fire engine should be fitted with foam-making pipes so that eitlur water or foam can be sprayed.

ROBERT CANN, of DCA, had behave abnormally on the night before M disappeared, witnesses said at tHd inquest into Gann’s death. (Gann’s bodb naked except for a pair of sandsho©< was found floating in Port Moresby Haii hour near Ibubada on June 23. He hsj been missing since the morning of Jum 19). Assistant Sub-Inspectors Harbeoe and Dutton told the Coroner (Mr. I

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W. Faithorn) that when they answered a call to DCA mess about 4 am on June 19 they found Cann pacing up and down.

Asked what the trouble was, Cann said, “I suffer from loss of memory and they re ganging up on me.” Then he said, “We are being watched,” and “I’ve got Bill Blunt on my mind.” (Blunt, another DCA man, was killed in a fall at Rouna).

Dutton said he believed Cann was suf fering from the effects of heavy drink ing.

The Coroner’s verdict was death by drowning. There was no evidence of foul play.

A PAPUA-NEW GUINEA Division of the Ex-Navalmen’s Association has been formed. Moresby is the head branch and sub-branches are to be formed in other parts of the Territory.

Twenty-two attended the inaugural meeting at Moresby and membership has already reached 35. The branch hopes to get land for a clubhouse and members of the Naval Reserve are planning to continue their training here. Officers of the branch are: Mr. N. Plant (President), H. A. Triggs and W. R. Frame (Vice- Presidents), J. H. Gillman (secretary), Miss S. M. Webb (assistant secretary), C. McEachern, F. C. Hill and J. P. Wal ton (committeemen), THERE is no reason to believe that any epidemic disease has been conveyed by Moresby’s water supply but, as a safety measure, water for drinking should always be boiled. Director of Health, Dr. Gunther, said this at a re cent Advisory Council meeting. Dr. Gun ther said the water supply is safe for human consumption while bottled chlor ine is available, but, due to shipping dif ficulties, the chlorine is not always available.

ASSISTANT Director of Native Labour, Mr. John McKenna, appeared in the Moresby Court of Petty Sessions re cently, charged with assaulting a native.

He was convicted but Magistrate B. W.

Faithorn discharged him without im posing a penalty. McKenna was al leged to have hit a native labourer, Mai

Sarufa, on the main wharf on June 19.

According to police, Mai Sarufa was talking to another native when McKenna approached, and, without speaking, punched Mai on the face. McKenna pleaded guilty but said he only hit Mai with his open hand. He told Mai to get on with his work and Mai had sworn at