Madang Newsletter

From Our Own Correspondent MADANG. March 1.

MR. and Mrs. Tom Warburton have re turned from leave in Sydney, both looking fit after their holiday.

The Government Secretary, Mr. S. A.

Lonergan, accompanied by his wife, visited Madang as part of his Territory-wide tour to discuss policy with the District Commissioners.

Townsfolk wonder just how much high ranking officials see when they are hur ried from place to place by plane and car.

Do they get an opportunity, from the win dow of a car, to view the true state of

the roads, bridges, houses, power plants,

water supplies, townspeople and exist ing conditions?

An ABC news item on Mr. Lonergan’s trip noted that Mr. Lonergan was im pressed by the Madang swimming pool, tennis court and golf course. As yet I have not seen anyone swim in this pool and j after five years rehabilitation, Madang can show only a pre-war, repaired tennis court and an attractive golf course to a Government Secretary, it indicates confusion in policy somewhere.

Mr. Stan White resigned his post as electrician in Works & Housing and re turned to England on the Teviot Bank.

Mr. S. Baker has succeeded him at the Power House.

On the MV Malaita came Mr. Jock Mackay’s niece, Mrs. O’Halloran and her two children from Scotland. They will make their home with him at Bogia.

Some curiosity has been shown in the first European building, post-war, being erected on the Lutheran Mission site on the Eastern end of Gragan Island (Kran ket). It is a workshop. Later, a home will be erected on the site where the late Mr. Radke and his wife lived and worked for so many years.

ABOUT twenty people gathered at a meeting to discuss the raising of funds for the victims of the Mt.

Lamington disaster. Mr. Groves, manager of the Commonwealth Savings Bank, was elected receiver of moneys.

Another reliable clerical man was lost to the Administration when Mr. Lou Meek resigned. He now has a position with Works and Housing Department.

After looking at the Government Salary gazette, one wonders if the Administra tion, in its long-range planning has de cided that one department will administer the outstations. It is hard to see why ac countants, trained clerical men or tech nicians, most of them married men with families, filling jobs as Customs Collec tors, Chief Clerks, Treasury Clerks, Wire less technicians, mechanics or inspectors, should receive less than the salary paid to numerous female teachers, in many cases, junior to them in the service.

DURING a short visit to Madang, the town planners, Messrs. Walker and de Molle, who have at different times, previously visited the township, were interviewed by a deputation of pro minent residents, who submitted their various ideas for modifications of the latest town plan.

It was decided that a meeting of resi dents should draw up amendments to the plan to be submitted to the District Com missioner.

I Many Madangites wonder if the town planners have been close enough to be bitten by the millions of mosquitoes that inhabit the swamp area where they plan to dump the residents of Madang.