Norfolk Island News
p. 91 · Read in the full issue
PROCEEDS of the sale of liquor on this island amounted to £15,448 during the vear ending June 1950 —against an estimated sale of £8,500. No one will take credit for this great increase—local moderate drinkers blame the Works and Housing staff for being so thirsty (it : seems to be a habit to blame W. & H. for everything hereabouts) but whoever is responsible, for a so-called dry Island (there is no pub, but we acquire it on a permit system) of 1,000 men, women and children, we are not doing so badly.
APROPOS of grog: One of the leading guest-houses here applied for per mission to operate a “house bar” for a couple of hours each evening and, for a while, it seemed that their chance of obtaining it was good. But then the local clergy took a hand, and the Advisory Council now says “No.”
MANY of the residents of this island have been here so long that they have lost touch with mainland cost of-living increases—many have forgotten what salaries look like—consequently the newly-published list of salaries being paid to local administration staff has caused some raising of eyebrows. 'Most public servants have secured increases of from £2O to £5O per annum and the Adminis trator’s salary has gone up from £1,250 to £1,650.
AT the time of writing (February 21) foggy conditions are prevailing and planes from New Zealand are four days overdue. Although there have been lengthy spells when planes could land with safety it is reported that shortage of aircraft in NZ causes trouble if schedules are in any way disrupted.
Some visitors now on the island arei broke as the spending money allowed by the NZ Government (£7) is exhausted and guest-houses are having to give credit for board bills.
Foggy weather was experienced in late December and early January also! and played havoc with our big cash crop, bean seed. About 60 per cent, of the seed was affected by the damp.
THE TB survey of the Island is now completed and the result is pleas ingly satisfactory as all but a few have been found free of the disease.
Bovine tests were also carried out with equally satisfactory results.
WORK on the Anson Bay road is pro ceeding apace and big cuttings and fills have wiped out some of the old hair-pin bends and are bringing the road up to modern standards. Coral sand is being used for surfacing material and the use of chains in wet weather will soon be a thing of the past.