Territories Talk-Talk

By Tolala

BILL COOK, one of the few sur vivors of the Tol massacre, has been much in the news— having unfortunately lost both legs in a Sydney train accident. He came along to see me a few weeks before his accident, and was telling me some of the ghastly details of the Tol affair. He was a cheery soul, as he tootled along on his motor-bike.

Bill was a medical orderly with the military in Rabaul before the Japs landed. Amongst the Rabaul folk he met at Tol was the ever popular Bob Kennedy, who did a fine job up to the end. Here’s wishing Bill all the best. He has guts.

Norman Bennington Watch, known to all old New Guineaites as “Squlzzy,” passed, aw&y on Sep tember 11 at his home at Ash bury. An outstanding personality in the Territory, he was always ready to fight for the underdog, and when he ceased being an Administration medico he took a keen interest in public affairs, as well as dabbling in several commercial enterprises, including the Rabaul Pictures, where he acted as monitor for years.

When the Japs arrived in Rabaul, he was MO of the NGVR, with the rank of Major, and did a fine job at the Vunapope hospital. After his term as a POW in Japan, he went to Africa for a while, and returned a short while ago, owing to ill health. He served in World War I and collected the MBE for his work in the 1937 eruption. He was 68 when he passed over. Anticipating his end, he wrote his own “Into the Silence” notice for Sydney Bulletin.

The Fadden economy shears are not leaving the Territories out of the picture. Anticipated expendi ture was in the neighbourhood of £7 million; now it is cut to a mere £5.3 million. Director Rooney, of the Works & Housing, reckons no new work can be undertaken. In fact, in the first three months of the financial period they have spent nearly all the money available for the entire year. Malahang air strip is deferred, and I can’t see the transfer from Rabaul to Rapopo having a very healthy time.

Now, wouldn’t it have been nice to have had the Yanks maintaining the Manus base in tip-top order?

As a result of the damaging fire on Bulolo in August—due it is al leged to spontaneous combustion—

P-NG Administration might now pay more attention to copra inspec tions, as made in the old days, *and which gave us what was called “Rabaul Copra,” which commanded a higher price than other South Seas grades. From what I hear, this very necessary piece of Admin istration supervision is being sadly neglected. And that is something worth spending money on.

The appointment of D. M. C. Cle land as Assistant Administrator ap pears to be a popular one in many circles. I notice he has dropped his military title of Brigadier. One won ders why the Administrator clings so tenaciously to his colonelcy. One does not hear of the “half-colonels,” majors and captains, who surround him in the Service, hanging on to their military handles. This is quite unlike the first post-war period in New Guinea, when the majors and the captains of the Military ad ministration kept their titles long after Civil Administration had ab sorbed them.

Speaking of Assistant Adminis trator Cleland—who was Liberal Pafty organiser for Australia—the opinion is being widely expressed that he left his job with the Party too soon. They say that if he had been directing the Referendum campaign, “Yes” might not have lost by a mere 50,000 in a vote of 5,000,000, But then, who knows?

Dr. Mowll, Archbishop of Sydney,spent a few weeks up in the Terri tory in August, and on his return was loud in his praise “of the work done by the Federal Government in developing Papua and New Guinea.”

Not a word for the private individual living in the far-flung snots of the Territory and doing every bit as much (if not more) to develop the country—and using his own money, too.

Years ago Australia used to send out missionaries to Fiji. Now Fiji sends missionaries to Australia!

A few weeks ago Penaia Motonico coka Sati and his wife arrived in Sydney and flew to Darwin to teach aborigines “how to love God and grow vegetables.” They are Metho dists, and have gone to Elcho Island.

Norman Neal and his wife were recently farewelled at Wau, where the Neal home, “Izzidizzy” (is he dizzy to build on that place?) was a popular haven for the weary traveller in pre-War days.

Not only Wau. but the whole of e Morobe goldfields owe a lot to at couple. Norman was the first LC for the goldfields, and he had i uphill job in the Legislative mncil at Rabaul in the early days, it he was a fighter and got places.

I wish him all the best in this itterless. budget-ridden country, jan see him, later, wishing himself ,ck where the mists rise lazily out the valley; or, maybe, travelling » the Khindi road again. 1 don’t like to see these old ners leaving the country for which ey have done so much. They are balancing influence —although the ‘hinds may not think so. And ch one will be missed from his rn area more than is realised. But, en, New Guinea has always been )ked upon as a stepping stone to flower-garden in Killara, or some ch city suburb.

Wanton destruction of inward rgo at Rabaul is the claim of the 3al Chamber of Commerce there, a result of much damage in un iding goods from overseas ships.

There was a day when Jack Ed irds, with his well-trained labour ie, would have shuddered to have ard of such complaints. I can 2 the Befores shaking their heads d muttering: “Lack of discipline, hat do you expect?”

And that sort of wanton destruc »n can be but the beginning of tier things to come. It couldn’t ssibly be organised sabotage, uld it?