Lae Town And District

Prom Our Own Correspondent

LAE, February 3.

A NOTHER war-time myth has been □L exploded. The Tenyo Maru, a Japanese freighter of 7,000 tons is r alueless. She was beached by the Japs >efore the fall of Lae in 1943, and is well mown as a landmark at the sea ap proach to Lae airstrip. She was believed o contain valuable cargo which might ie salvaged. Recently, a syndicate decided o make an inspection. Diver E. Martin, of he United Salvage Co., reported that the hip was entirely empty of goods. With nly her bows above the water-line, the hip will continue to be a landmark.

Two Men Killed In Fire

DEATH by misadventure” —the finding of Coroner A. E. Ewing in his inquiry into the cause of the disastrous fires dhch resulted in the death of two well nown residents of Lae—wrote finis to the Jhristmas tragedy.

The victims —Paul Egel, 43, and Jerry lajor, 40—were trapped in a fire which ngulfed the property with great speed.

Ir. Egel died shortly after admission to ospital, and Mr. Major’s charred remains rere recovered after the fire.

Paul Egel will be well remembered tiroughout New Guinea, more particularly s one of Australia’s leading wrestlers r hen wrestling first came into vogue on ae mainland.

Mr. Major had a splendid war record as high-ranking and decorated Air Force ►fiicer and fighter pilot.

Leturned Soldiers Have Many

Prospects

rHE Returned Soldiers, Lae Sub-branch elected the following office-bearers: President, Mr. J. Hughes; vice residents, Messrs. L. Ashton and J. [cKeam; secretary, Mr. R. Tann; •easurer, Mr. J. V. Knight.

Two of the nominees of the Lae Sub ranch to the newly formed Papua and ew Guinea State Branch were elected ad the Executive Council of this body )mprises: President; Mr. G. K. Whittaker (Lae).

Vice-Presidents: Messrs. C. Beckett L.ae), I. McDonald (Port Moresby) and Cr. W. Smythe (Rabaul).

Mr. N. Osborne (Lae) is Secretary and ’r. E. Pointon (Lae) Treasurer. Lae will ? the Headquarters of the State Branch.

An extensive agenda occupied the Mention of delegates to Congress for 2 lys, and special consideration was given ► such items as the extension of the War srvice Homes Act to the Territory; cpedition of the new European Hospital ; Lae; the establishment of an Advisory ouncil at Lae: Soldiers preference in the & NG Administration: acquisition of md for Soldier settlement: controlled igration to the Territory; Rifle Clubs id the defence of New Guinea. Dele tes attended from Lae, Port Moresby, amarai, Kokopo, Wau, Madang and cewak.

State Sub-branches will be asked to ipport an appeal by the State Branch to Jtablish a Trust Fund for wddows and ependants of Returned men lost in the ft. Lamington eruption.

Gofton-Birrell Wedding

HHE first marriage ceremony to take L place in the new Anglican Church, Lae—All Souls—and one of general iterest was that of Miss Ela L. Gofton, aughter of Mrs. F. S. Stewart, of the [otel Cecil, Lae, to Mr. James A. Birrell, lanager of Morobe Transport Co., Ltd.

Both of these young people have spent lany years in the Territory. Mr. Birrell ad a distinguished war record, and ained the MC.

Mr. Leo Bowman, of the Commonwealth

Bank staff was best man, and the bride’s step-sister, Miss Flora Stewart, was bridesmaid.

The guests were later entertained at a reception by Mrs. Stewart at the Hotel Cecil.

European Hospital

SOME changes in staff at the European Hospital, Lae, have taken place recently. Matron May, 0.8. E., has proceeded South on furlough, and is being relieved by Sister E. Keirwan, who is

Sister-in-Charge at Madang. Dr. T. P.

Morley has resigned as M. 0., and has been succeeded by Dr. H. Bruce, who relieved Dr Carl Gunther, of Bulolo, dur ing his absence abroad.

Defence Of New Guinea

WITH the arrival of the Mangola, the proposed defence plans for New Guinea have been advanced a little.

Many classes of supplies were landed and placed in store. There is still no sign of recruiting for the P.N.G.V.R., although it is well over a year since it was publicly announced that all plans were complete.

The apparent indifference of the authori

ies in Australia to this matter is causing soncern throughout the Territory, and Returned Servicemen’s Organisations are igain pressing for some action. |/|R. PAT BYRNE, Native Labour .▼1 Officer, Lae, with his family, left on the Bulolo for a 7-months’ urlough in Australia . . . Mrs. Bob Jeverley was a passenger on the Bulolo . . On January 16, a daughter—Lae tenet was born to Mr. and Mrs. J.

JcArthur, of Lae Taxis . . . Mr. and Mrs.

Jonel Darby have taken over the manage nent of the Mumeng Hotel from Mr.

Jark Schultz, who is concentrating his .ctivities on water transport. Mr. Darby nil be well remembered as a Customs ifficial at Port Moresby and, more ecently, as Collector of Customs at Lae. lis place has been taken by Mr. Jack load, who arrived from Samarai.

Handicaps On Lae Town Plan

IM’ILFORDHAVEN Road, Lae, has been .▼1 selected, under the Town Plan, as the “light industrial area,” and esidents whose business comes under this :ategory have been given instructions to irrange for the removal by the end of 951. The previous ultimatum expired on December 31.

However, no obvious effort has been nade by the authorities to supply water, ight, and telephone facilities, and those vho have moved have been compelled to nstall private lighting plants and to lepend on tanks for water.

It was ascertained this week that there s no early prospect of telephonic con lections: in fact, it was hinted that 12 nonths might pass before a service could >e provided. Shortage of materials—old tony equipment is still being used—is the inmary cause; but this explanation is iggravated by the fact that, if materials yere available, shortage of staff would ;ontmue the hold-up.

A suggestion that there may be a clash >etween Postal authorities and the Town lanners as to a permanent site for the lew exchange need not be treated lightly, n the interim it is the public that has to )ut up with the inconvenience.

Taxes Kill Enterprise

rHE Minister for External Affairs ex pressed the desire of the Australian Crovernment to encourage private enterprise in the Territory. These in fancies of how these ideas are imple nented are typical.

Some time ago, a local company decided o sme!t down aeroplane bodies, and bits S v P il c ,f s ‘ Tl J e enterprise got well under m gots aluminium were pre >ar®d f u r shipment south. The most ® ce 0 1lt shipment, however, was subjected ° f a pe J c J ® n i: cus toms duty before ntry into Australia. .oifo anot f er case a shipment of truck r lx?- Sl i c k as rear ends, etc.) was shipped hinrnori+■. Australia. Although the hipment arrived in Sydney for trans *s u arly Oc tober, and actually e i v . ed *? y consignee on or about the ast week m December last, the consignor, invoiced at £6OO, was required to ,ay customs duty of £271/14/2. iriu e^nS S f- Mr ; s pcnder, in between times, )lain ir^hwvv e i h . ese . two cases and ex lam why this duty is imposed and how ln Wlth hls ay owed policy of •ncouragmg private enterprise.

Dicks-Ogorman Wedding

December 16 Miss Norma Dicks and Mr. Kevin Ogorman were married at ?nh Q vn a K ier -pn Malaguna Road, ms hrirSJT a - t i ier y hite - Miss Val Lang est man , BiU Flynn W6S Th u e s e , em P lo yces of Burns nd lace Th bride S grown was of satin