New Ireland Notes

From Our Own Correspondent

Kavieng, July 31...

IGGEST barracouta ever hooked the Territory was landed at tld c Kavieng wharf on July 27 by W.

S. G. Martinson, visiting telephone lines man from Rabaul. He caught it with j nylon handline and the monster rs with the line for 100 yards before tK: fisherman could turn it. It took abok 20 minutes to drag it exhausted to tE; wharfside, where it was speares Measurement was 4 ft. in., and weigM 22 lb. Breaking strain of line was lb.

Popular District Officer, W. J. Reas will be returning to Kavieng early in OK tober after a long holiday at Dandf nong, Vic. He has recently been prn moted to the rank of Lieut.-Command* (Sp.), RANVR, and indications are ths should emergency arise, he would hoc a big naval job in New Guinea.

Unless the New Ireland natives plan crops instead of buying food from trao. stores and native foods from plantea they will find themselves in a dilemm if supplies should be restricted or cu off. Not so the Chinese community These industrious Orientals need onr a few seeds and some fertile ground an they could live comfortably should ok casion arise. During the Japanese in vasion of New Ireland a handful ♦ Chinese kept the entire Japanese occv; pation Army in native foods.

The Chinese could also quite easii; grow their own rice. They say that, needs be, the whole island could be sell supporting—if people only worked.

A Chinese chauffeur to the leadinj Japanese military officer at the time . the Rabaul invasion said the Jap. les secret papers on the car seat and com not find them—the Chinese had res; them and then burnt them. They rn vealed that Rabaul was taken by 2,5(c Japs., 1,000 of whom were killed; the rn maining 1,500 held Rabaul alone for considerable time.

Kavieng Flying Club has opened uu A few ex-RAF and RAAF members ini tend flying a Moth for pleasure purpose; Among them is an expert mechanic an also a pilot with 600 wartime flying hounj Jludging by the following paragrap, in the Lagasai (New Ireland’s Pidg? newspaper), Europeans and Chinese a* not the only “exploiters” of our poc natives “Samfela neitivs igat plandi kokon;r oli mekem arafela man i wok long long helpim. Samfela man i wok o no save kesim inaf pei long wok o mekim long arafela man. I moa betf oli mas kesim gud pei long wok biloiK ol.”

We shall miss A/Sub.-Inspector Fred Towner, who is being transferrn to Kokopo, but he is jubilant—he likjJ the Rabaul area.

An agricultural instructor from Fiji hr joined the staff of the Methodist Missioi at Buin, South Bougainville. He is Ovir Baleidaveta, a graduate of Navuso Agrq cultural College in Fiji. Since his a]r pointment he has received furthrl specialist training in Fiji to fit him fi his task of encouraging greater fotc production in the mission area. Ovini i to take charge of the mission’s agricur; tural training scheme in South Bougaiir ville and will work under the guidann of the Rev. A. H. Voyce, veteran Methodic missionary of the area.