Papua-N.G. Notes

(Continued from Page 53)

Acute Milk Shortage

A SERIOUS shortage of processed milk is affecting practically all parts of the Territory, and by sarly September the problem was >o acute that assistance was sought :rom the Territories Department in jetting a special shipment. By that ;ime anyone who still had a can or io of milk was measuring it out in jealously-guarded spoonfuls.

This is the second time within wo years that a milk shortage has lit the Territory, and while it is i> real privation for most people, it s more than that for people with nung families.

It looks as though the cry to Can >erra is likely to produce results, ven with the current shortage in Australia. With only two or three solated dairies in the Territory, nilk is an absolute necessity on our mport list.

No More Free Buses

PORT MORESBY residents are about to say goodbye to free bus travel in the town, and iebate waxes strong over the ques ion of fares.

The free service came about radually, as the town population icreased. The morning scatter of eeps and trucks collecting staff ave way to first one bus, then nother; and, finally, right on to a ree native bus service.

Now the Administration has got jS orders from Canberra that cash lust be paid for a ride on the Government vehicles. So far as ares are concerned residents are nstfully suggesting a flat rate of ixpence, or (with less confidence) flat annual rate of around £3. The overnment says it is not antici ating a fare to cover the whole ost of the bus service, and the ser ice may be handed over per public ender to private enterprise. The bvious inference is an Administra ion subsidy.

Another Bank Comes In

A NOTHER banking house is pre i paring to extend its trading area to Port Moresby and Lae.

"his is the merged Union Bank and lank of Australasia, called the lustralia and New Zealand Bank.

Ir. H. Watson, a Queensland in pector of the Union Bank, had a ood look around the two towns in lUgust, with a keen eye for business ites and a land for the homes of ank staff personnel.

Maybe a bank has a way of get ing a business site; but it’s a prob ?m quite a few other interests have ackled in Port Moresby with con picuous lack of success. And it will e even more interesting to watch he flow of building materials for

bank premises. At present the as sembly of a full category of build ing materials for even a modest dwelling requires something akin to the magician’s art. Only the Works and Housing Department can pull those particular rabbits out of the construction stockpile.

What Our Planters Want

The Planters Association of Papua is still unhappy about the Commonwealth Government’s failure to do anything regarding the copra price charged to Australian crushers.

The Association’s Annual Report

says the present system, under which Australian crushers buy at the United Kingdom contract price,. is subsidising the Australian manu facturers by £2O a ton. The con tinued sale on this basis has been the subject of repeated protests to the Commonwealth Government.

Papuan planters also want to know what the Commonwealth.

Government intends to do about the s copra stabilisation fund. They emphasise that there has been a steady rise in plantation production costs, and pointedly mention that, new plantings last year were limited to a few small-scale extensions.

They hoped future conditions would be more encouraging for new de velopment, both replacements and extensions.

On native labour, the report advo cated continued campaigning for an. initial Native Labour Agreement of two years, instead of the present term of 18 months, with an optional] additional six months by mutual, consent of employer and employee..

Improved coastal shipping services ; were also mentioned as a matter for* further representation.

The Annual Report also referred] to the composition of the proposed] Legislative Council, and a resolution j was passed unanimously that the; representation as laid down by the-; Act was entirely unsatisfactory..

This, the report added, did not per mit proper representation for' interests outside the government.

General

Road maintenance work has? started in the Kanosia district, west) of Port Moresby, and all the maim plantation roads are to be recon ditioned. The Administration has? provided £12,000 for this work, and ai team from the Works and Housings Department has started on the job..

Equipment being sent to Kanosia i includes a bulldozer, a light grader*] and tip trucks.

A three - masted Americam schooner, the California, sailed intoc Port Moresby on August 13 after*] visiting most of the Pacific Islands? groups. On board are its four*] owners, young lads from California! who are making their dreams off adventure come true. They haves already spent about two years onr their round-the-world voyage, and! will be out for two more before theyv sight California again. They clubbed! together and raised $12,000 to buy the schooner, then put another! $13,000 into refitting it. Their next? port-of-call will be in Indonesia — then South Africa, around the Cape,,; and home across the South Atlantic.: New Presbyterian missionaries; who will go out to stations in theo.

New Hebrides in September are:; Rev. and Mrs. R. W. Kirkby (Am-j brym), Rev. and Mrs. J. Poon, withri two children (Tongoa), and Rev.v and Mrs. H. A. Prenter (Hog Har bour) .