Rabaul Roundabout

From Our Own Correspondent

RABAUL, April 3.

A FTER initial difficulties with regard to the allocation of funds, Rabaul resi dents have made great response to he appeal from the Lamington Fund Jommittee, Miniature golf nights, card drives, box ig tournaments, swimming carnivals, nd the mock police day, sports day and arnival which is to conclude the drive, ave all been well patronised.

Individual donations from citizens have Iso been most satisfactory.

In a lecture delivered in March at the iabaul Women’s Club, Dr. Jamieson, who ; in charge of the tuberculosis immuni ition programme, said that he had been isappointed in the poor attendance at le Rabaul clinic for tests.

He said that the incidence of the Isease amongst local natives is particu larly high.

Monday, April 2, was a great day in le lives of Rabaul’s youngest citizens.

A kindergarten which had been com- Lenced in Rabaul for three to five year ds, was discontinued after functioning >r one month.

Parents and Citizens’ Association took P the cause, after being pestered by the ttle ones to return to school.

Public support was very ready and merous, both from business firms and :ivate individuals, and thus the kiddies ere enabled to carry on their necessary :e-school training.

An interesting visitor to Rabaul on the ulolo was Mr. Robert Robertson, of The ing’s School, Parramatta, NSW, Austra l’s oldest school.

Having retired from the teaching staff of King’s, after 25 years on the job, Mr.

Robertson has been commissioned to write a history of every Old Boy of the School.

While at Port Moresby he visited the war cemetery to inspect the graves of Old Boys killed on active service in the Islands.

His stay in Rabaul was too short for him to meet old boys resident in the New Britain district and New Ireland, of whom there are several.

Kevin Walker, of the Department of Works and Housing was the surprised victim of a rodent’s whim.

Mr. Walker went to bed on the night of February 20, depositing his wrist watch on the bedroom table.

Next morning the watch had disap peared, and the most vigilant investiga tions on the part of local police failed to discover the thief.

Recently, when Mr. Walker was re

pairing a chair in the bedroom, he dis covered a ratnest studded with the jewel movement timepiece.

RABAUL is to have a new air service.

On April 9, Amphibious Airways Co. landed its first land and sea craft at Rabaul, after making a survey flight from Lae.

The company already operates from Lae, and will work on a similar basis in Rabaul, making flights to outlying stations ferrying natives for labour and urgent cargoes.

One feels that, with so many perfect landing spots in these waters, this is the answer to inter-island transport.

IN the soccer world of Rabaul, games for natives have already been com menced. The opening game was attended by District Commissioner Macarthy and his wife.

This game went off smoothly, but dur ing the second game between local natives and a police-boys’ team, the affair rapidly developed into a pitched battle.

Officials hastily intervened and ex plained the rules, particularly those of

sportsmanship, to the irate black gentle men.

No doubt they considered these verj effete ideas, but having grasped the rudi ments of the game, carried on in the best traditions of Eton and Harrow.

Cups have been ordered for them frorr South for presentation at the end of the season.

AT Malapou, Kokopo, on April 7, Mis: June Dobell was married to Mr Stanley Smith, also of Kokopo.

The Reverend Mr. Lutton officiated; i reception was held at the bride’s honu after the wedding, at which more thar 50 guests were present.

Mr. John McCoy, of New Guinea, wa; best-man, and the bride was attended b: Mrs. Pamela Boyne.

The bride’s mother flew from Soutl to be present at the wedding.

At a quiet ceremony at Raluana Mis sion on April 7, Miss Eileen Weston wa married to Mr. Gregory Kent.

Mr. Y. B. Donald, of Pondo, th brother-in-law of the bride, gave he away. The only attendant was Mis Margot Edge.

Mrs. Kent, the bridegroom’s mothei was also present, having flown to Rabau previously.