Magazine Section

Territories Talk-Talk

By "Tolala"

mHE shouting and the tumult die and X another Federal election is over, and the Menzies government is back in power, faced with the head-aches of at tempting to bring order out of to-day’s economic and social chaos. I heard many political speeches; but our northern bas tions in P-NG were certainly not made a political issue by either party. Not even a mention of Doc. Evatt’s handling of the Manus situation.

And we find the Territories, at this par ticular moment of writing (end of April) in the Parliamentary hands of Richard Casey, C.H., D. 5.0., M.C., 8.A., than whom no other Australian, of the present time, has held so many responsible positions in the past. But two other portfolios, plus External Affairs and External Territories are a bit of a load even for his shoulders, and he will have to carry them until June at least.

Not so good either for Casey or for the Territories.

Now is the time for that separate port folio for the Territories.

Synchronising,” more or less, with the PIM correspondent’s item, the “Shell Co. Rebuilds in Rabaul” (PIM April), appeared a news item in a Sydney morning paper to the effect that a “team of senior officials” would leave Moresby for Rabaul “to inspect and survey alter native sites for the township.” This re port goes on to say that Rabaul residents were “uneasy again” following on the Lamington disaster.

One would think that they would be less uneasy, with another seismic safety valve working, as well as the un certainty of where the next blow-up may occur. The devil you know is often better than the devil you don’t know.

I am still prepared to back the life of Rabaul for a good many years longer.

FROM two quarters recently came ex pressions of concern regarding the administration of P-NG. The first emanated from New York, and the view was expressed by a research associate of the International Secretariat of the In stitute of Pacific Relations (that should give weight to any opinion!) that a UN trusteeship for the whole of New Guinea should be created. The other suggestion came from Melbourne and was contained in a report submitted by Holland and Neagle, Retffrned Servicemen’s League officials, after their tour of inspection of the Territories. “The creation of a new Australian State is the best solution of the Territories’ difficulties” say they, after referring to the necessity of thoroughly shaking up the horse and buggy ideas of colonialisation if Australia is to hold the Territories.

So there you are —you can take your choice. It is a wonder somebody has not suggested Secession and the creation of :he neutral Federated States of Melanesia. (The federation of a number of the South Pacific territories was suggestet by num erous writers in PIM, about eight years ago.—Editor) IN these days of industrial and commer cial topsy-turveydom the first thing that seems to happen, if anyone has something done to him of which he does

not approve, is to take out an injunction in the appropriate Court of law, and so stave off the execution of the particular unpleasant act.

Political parties do it, Labour Unions do it and so do individuals. Injunctions fly v, eV D xS 161 ! 6- iT u a wo *?^, er t 0 me that the P-NG planteis have not fallen mto line m respect to the much-discussed PCB activities. 0— y_, , .

NE of the most interesting—to Islanders, anyway—of the ABC broadcasts on Anzac Day was a BBC feature programme, heard on 2BL in Sydney, covering the valuable work performed by the Coastwatchers during the last war in New Guinea. Special men

the" great

Paul Mason and W. J. Read, for their exploits on Bougainville, also received good mention; and what was supposedly Eric Ppldt’s vnirp ramp nvpr thp air at inter-

vats" tn relhstT inGdenls when cS&-

an important part Con Page deserves a monument In Rabaul. It was his warnings, during late December, 1941, and early January, 1942, which gave Rabaul folk time to prepare for Jap raids by hitting the slit trenches.

SPIRALLING costs: In 1939 clerks in the kJ Administration of TNG were receiving £3OO-£408; medical assistants (grade 2) £4OB-£480; female typists, £156- £3lO. A recent advertisement in Sydney papers called for applications as permanent or exempt officers offering clerks £698-£1,082; medical assistants, £7lO-£734 and female typists, £551-£635. The work-

ing week was one of 36? hours. And yet, so my Civil Servant friends tell me from up there, they have to practise rigid economy to make ends meet. :: :: :; mHERE'S one thing, at any rate, which 1 the “cargo cult’’ is accomplishing: Artist Joliffe, who has been wander ing through t he P-NG jungle (so I hear) has launched some realistic-looking sketches in a Sydney Sunday paper’s coloured comic strip. I often wonder what the reaction of the more primitive native is when these strips come into his hands for cigarette-paper, and the word ing is translated by some more sophis ticated one-talk, GKJHTINO the advertisements In last /T , n?” turns Lck the ana companies, turns duck me

and DaL?s ! y knowTha° Ph!l

*nd ■•Hoppr have gones toi their long rest, jack London P had Inuc™ about Berande in his book ™ Adventur? 5 ” when he was cmisine the South sSs’ in the D Snark ... Manning Strahs was tlso noted for its pearls and gold-lip shell. Lofung, lying alongside Faisi Island in the Short lands was never famous for anything other than copra, unless it be the seed nuts it supplied for planting up many of the CPL properties over in Bougainville —Arigua, Teopasino and Baniu—during the First War period. There have been some good yields from those Lofung nuts, . . . Ah, but those were the good old days,

and yet,—l remember these old-timers complaining of the conditions prevailing then. The natives wouldn’t work—prices were too high—copra was too low—the Government officials too exacting. . . .

IWAS GLAD to read of the Adams-Page wedding in last month’s PIM, and I am sure the spirits of Harold Page and Harry Adams were smiling down on the union. Both fathers were such close friends in Rabaul in the old days, and that dates back to the early twenties.

ONCE again history repeats itself as concern is expressed at the March meeting of the Moresby Advisory Council regarding the increase of attacks by natives on European women. It was in April. 1937, that the Citizens Association of NG was formed in Rabaul to bring this same menace before the government’s at tention. Stiff gaol sentences and the kanda are no doubt excellent deterrents when the culprit is apprehended. But modesty and decorum are the best pre ventives.

IT is good to hear that Capt. Bertie Hall is still on deck. He is a marvel as the Tropicalities par (PIM, April, p. 59) affirms for all his 74 years. There is one item I would like to correct. He fell down the hatchway a few years be fore the Pacific war, and spent months in Namanula hospital, which really makes his later experiences even more grim.

BITS AND PIECES; Engaged: Christo pher Normoyle to Dorothy William son, of Northbridge. . . . Married: Geoffrey Robert Melrose to Miss Alice Hannah, of Brighton-le-Sands at Darwin last February. ... At the sheep-dog trials at Canberra last month I noticed all the prizes were vice-regal or High Commis sioner’s trophies, save one: the Colyer Watson Cup!