Madang Newsletter

From Our Own Correspondent

Madang, June 28.

THE wedding of Miss Pat Skene to Mr.

Reg. Vogler took place at the Madang Catholic Church, on June 23. Mr. T. Huxley gave the bride away, while Miss Thelma Huxley acted as bridesmaid, and Mr. “Lofty” Whitehead as best man.

Afterwards the guests gathered at the borne of Mr. and Mrs. R. Mitchell, where the breakfast was served al fresco.

At Tusbab, the Native Education Centre, a gala day and night celebrated their anniversary. Prizes for athletic “vents were presented by the District Commissioner, Mr. lan Downs. The en rolment now stands at 90 males and 77 'emales.

Dr. and Mrs. T. G. Braun, from Vagaum Lutheran Hospital, have gone Dn 12 months’ leave in the United States.

While there, Dr. Braun will do a six months’ post-graduate course.

The staff of the local Commonwealth Bank has grown to five.

Mr. Hardwick is in charge of the new duster plane being used by the American Lutheran Mission for freighting to and :rom the Highlands.

Late in June, Mr. Donald Smith, of the American Consular service in Australia, made a short visit to Madang to observe the welfare and general conditions of Americans living in Madang. Most of :hem are attached to the Lutheran and Catholic Mission Centres.

Among plane travellers South in June were Mr. J. Duncan, manager of the Madang Marine Workshops, and Mrs.

Duncan; Mr. Tom Leyer, foreman car penter of Works and Housing Dept.; ind Mr. Roy Collins, manager of Modillon Victors —he joined his wife and family in Melbourne. Mrs. H. Longmore, with laughter Janice, flew South for health reasons.

UNEXPECTED travellers on the MV Malaita were Mr. and Mrs. Jack Sherry and family; Mr. Sherry is ;oing South on medical advice.

On June 5, pupils of Madang Private Kindergarten, assisted by their elder Asters, presented a Musical Revue, The Awakening of Spring.

The cast: Ann and Sue Willis, Suzanne Brown and Margot Herriot as flower dairies; Wally Weidenhofer, Johnny Sherry and Sandy Esson as caterpillar goblins; Marie and Maureen Sherry, 31za and Robyn Nolan and Glynnis Clark is Spring Fairies; Helen Reason (Caps Eligney) as Fairy of Lavender Blue and

Margaret Weidenhofer as the Kinder garten teacher or Butterfly fairy.

The audience of 80 consisted of parents and associate members, who assisted in the production and prepared the delight ful buffet meal served on the lawn after the show.

As it was the Kindergarten Anniver sary, a birthday cake was cut and the one candle blown out by the children on stage.

All the children received a birthday present and a posy.

Chinese contract labour is building three new R-Type houses on Kalibobo.

Other blocks are being cleared and offered for tender.

Handrails have been added to the bridge across the neck of the lagoon joining Kalibobo residential area to the business centre. These add to the pic

turesque qualities of the bridge but for perfect safety, foot bridges either side are still necessary.

Madang’s younger children really had something to talk about after Brody Shields’ birthday party. Mrs. Shields decorated the cake in the form of a warship, with pins and cotton for the rails, flags and candles for the guns. So fascinated was Brody, when the candles were lit, that he would not blow them out and the flags caught alight.

Mr. W. Spencer left Madang by plane for Port Moresby on June 26. His wife and family expect to join him soon. The Spencers will be missed by many in the district.

A New Zealand poultry expert, Mr. J.

Kissling, visited Fiji in July to advise local poultry farmers on their problems.

There are 50 veterans of the last war living at Niue. They banded together and formed a branch of the RSA which is affiliated with the NZRSA. The “old Soldiers” paraded at Alofi on Anzac Day, which has recently been declared a public holiday hy the NZ Government. They first met at dawn at the Alofi War Mem orial where the Resident Commissioner and the Rev. M. G. Check took part in a short service. Later, a service was held in the Alofi Church and was attended by the Resident Commissioner and Mrs. Lar sen. and European returned servicemen resident in Niue.