Notes From Lae

From Our Own Correspondent LAE, April 2.

CONDITIONS at the European School, Lae, are causing concern; and al though the Director of Education, in reply to representations made by the local branch of the Returned Soldiers’

League, gave a maze of statistics that led nowhere, and failed to satisfy the League, an inspection of the existing conditions showed that the complaints were well founded.

The main complaint that there was less space per pupil in the school than that laid down under the Native Labour Ordinance for accommodation of natives cannot be denied. A simple mathematical problem establishes its correctness.

Ventilation is insufficient and though, through the work of the local Parents and Citizens Committee, this has been im proved, this does not remove the onus of responsibility from the Department.

Inadequate lighting is apparent, and no provision has been made for a room for the teacher, who is compelled to do all clerical work in connection with the school requirements, and reports, etc., at a small table in the large classroom. It is only recently that the concrete floor has been relieved by strips of matting under the pupils’ seats and desks.

Drinking water is obtained from a tank, the source of supply being a very limited roofing of an outbuilding. Finally it would appear that further teaching staff is required. Certainly a site has been re served for a new school in the Town Plan but this could easily be the “gag” to further representations being made by worrying parents, and outside interested bodies.

A FEW issues ago comment was made in these notes of shortcomings in the telephone services, and it is fair to state that there has been a very marked improvement during the inter vening period. While it is apparent that uniformity in dealing with public re quirements has been achieved and main tained by the operators, there is another side to the problem.

A leading official of the P.M.G.’s De partment in the Territory stated that the operators have, from his own personal observations, been subjected to abuse from subscribers, and, in a recent case at Rabaul, to assault by an infuriated European.

For general information it is pointed out that, under the Postal Regulations as applicable to New Guinea, should a case of offensive abuse be sheeted home to a subscriber, or to a person using a subscriber’s phone, the phone will im mediately be disconnected.

THE dictatorial attitude assumed by the Department of Works and Housing in breaking firmly established conditions of employment of contract tipper trucks by cutting the hourly hire rates has resulted in owners withdrawing their vehicles from the works on which they were engaged.

The advice, which emanated from the head office of the Department at Port Moresby, fixed the date of the cut as

from March 12, 1951*, but the same head office has withheld from the con tractors the difference of 2/6 per hour from the beginning of January, 1951, although intervening periods were covered by Interim Orders fixing the price at the old rate.

The Department has not earned a singularly high reputation over the years,

(Continued at foot of page 85)

id this latest episode has not endeared in the minds of quick-thinking people io. recalling the recent report of the iditor-General in respect of excessive penditure in the Territories, feel that is action of Works and Housing is a mor face-saving move. It is still up to e Department to look to the “pounds” d leave the “half-crowns” to look after emselves.

IHE change-over of headstones in the War Cemetery at Lae has been com pleted, and in some quarters the old /le of cross is considered preferable, iwever, it is generally felt that, in an ea subject to earth tremors, the new pe will give better service. A disquieting ature is that, during the change-over, could be possible for someone to trans 'se headstones, and thus the sanctity the resting place of a particular soldier uld be removed.

The headstone comprises a concrete base th a rectangular sloping face in which e bronze plaque rests by means of studs id corresponding countersunk holes and kept in position by means of a con ete mixture poured into the holes and e plaque pressed into place. At the esent time, however, the plaques are erely resting in the base and can be ted out. Except for this omission, and e alignment of the headstones, the neral appearance is commendable.

Opening of Muslim Education

Centre

Photograph of the formal opening of Vuni ono Muslim School Hostel by Mr. J. W. Sykes, strict Commissioner, Southern.

Standing in the first row are; Mr. A. R. Sahu [?]han (Manager), Mr. J. W. Sykes (District mmissioner), Mr. G. Sims (Deputy Director Education), Mrs. Abdullah, Mr. M. Abdullah [?]eadmaster), Mr. F. W. Reids (Education ficer).

Second Row: Mr. M. Shaban (Assistant cretary) Mr. Haidar Baksh (President). In [?]e fourth and fifth rows are seen Mr. Westen istrict Officer), and Mr. King Irving, OBE.

The Hostel is 104 ft. long and 22 ft. wide. It [?]s a porch 18 ft. x 10 ft. in the centre, and [?]o rooms. 12 x 10 ft., at both ends with hip of.

The building was erected by the Anjuman layat UI Islam, Rewa, which has been engaged educational work for more than a quarter [?]ntury and was the first to appreciate the need secular education among Muslims.

The foundation stone of the building was laid Mr. Howard Hayden (Director of Education), e building was designed and erected under the Pervision of Mr. M. Abdullah, the headmaster and secretary, who was introduced by the [?] ciety in 1931 from West Pakistan.

l>r. Lestrade, doctor in charge of Noumea’s big Colonial Hospital and a specialist in childhood ailments, recently returned to Paris by Pan American service after three years in New Caledonia.