Sceptical

Some Rabaul Residents Still Sceptical

From a Special Correspondent

Rabaul, May 16.

JINCE the announcement that Rabaul j is to be abandoned in favour of Rapopo, there have been two schools f thought amongst local residents. One ection favours the wild snort and “we ron’t see it in our time;” the others rofess to believe that we will be out of ere and established at the new town site ithin six months.

Those who have -seen the Mt. Laming sn devastation urge a move at once, and ne of our most reputable citizens who as seen Lamington and who was here uring the 1937 eruption, feels that Rabaul citizens were just lucky on that ccasion and that there could have been reat loss of life.

Bulldozers and graders are already at rork on the Rapopo site, but although he job has been given top priority, Rabaul citizens have been hoaxed so many imes that many of them refuse to believe util they see Rapopo an accomplished act. But, in the meantime, many who lad intended to build in Rabaul have tayed their hand and it seems that here n the old town we are in for a period of tagnation.

One of the projects to which a halt has ieen called is the Church of England, t rectory has recently been completed md the new rector and his daughter

have arrived. But it has been decided to use the large enclosed verandah of the rectory as a chapel for the time being instead of going ahead with a separate church.