[?]Ussle

Officials In Losing

With E. J. Maelstrom

IOME of the endless regulations ) which bureaucracy loves to fasten upon us have got across le neck of Mr. E. J. Hallstrom, le Sydney philanthropist who gave bndugl and the sheep industry to le New Guinea Highlands.

Mr. Hallstrom, who is also the pre ding genius of the famous Taronga ark Zoo, in Sydney, recently pre ;nted to the Zoo some 300 birds-of iradise, the biggest and finest Election in the world, and some ling calculated to give even reater distinction to Taronga Park, e says he spent many thousands f pounds in collecting these birds i New Guinea.

But Australian officialdom said he Dald not bring the birds into Aus •alia. It was against the law. They light introduce Newcastle disease, hich affects poultry.

Mr. Hallstrom was surprised. He lid there is no Newcastle disease in

New Guinea. The officials shook their heads. Mr. Hallstrom then offered to set up a quarantine station in New Guinea, under the supervision of a Government expert, so as to show whether the birds of-paradise are diseased. Official dom did not answer his letter.

So now Mr. Hallstrom has offered to contribute £lO,OOO towards Polio research if officialdom can show that Newcastle disease exists in New Guinea.

At this writing, officialdom is still silent. But obviously it is beaten.

Taronga will get the birds-of paradise. No one can stand long against EJH when he makes up his mind.

Mr. and Mrs. Frank Exon, of Suva arrived in Sydney in August in the Aorangi, on leave. Mr. Exon is Fiji manager of Amalgamated Wireless interests there.