Territories Talk-Talk

By Tolala

JJO, here comes 1952, unsullied and 3 untouched. What are we—as so-called civilised beings— oing to do with it? Let us hope hat our actions, when looked at in [istory’s Gallery, may bring us redit and, at least, be a needful bepping-stone to that Peace of rhich . to-day’s carol-singers are inging so lustily.

To all those who casually glance trough this monthly “Talk-Talk” give you 1952, and wish you Peace nd Prosperity. A prosperity not leasured necessarily in quantities f material gains, but of increases i individual and international ttributes of mental and moral alues, higher ethical standards and nearer approach to that way of fe we should conscientiously live.

With the New Year came the list f the King’s New Year Honours; nd New Guinea scored three places mongst the Members of the Order f the British Empire.

The Territory, apparently, must e satisfied with small mercies; and r e shall be pardoned if eyebrows re lifted in surprise at NG’s lodest share of Honours, in view f the importance which the Duntry is assuming or, at any ate, is said by politicians to be ssuming in world affairs.

No better choice could have been lade than two noted missionary isters, and a man who has done o much for the pioneer develop lent of the Territory. The recog ition is right but the reward seems when one considers ffiat each of the trio has accom lished in years of Service (with a apital S) to the country, and in omparison with the accomplish aents of other recipients of higher lonours.

The two Sisters (Miss D. L. Beale nd Sister Marie Clematia) have pent years in quietly performing nedical work amongst the natives irhich, if more widely-known, would ie splashed across the pages if the world’s press and be ompared that of Florence Jightingale whro, at least, received he Order of Merit. For years lister Beale did a great job in the Methodist Stewart Hospital at the funairima Mission station, on the tforth Coast of the Gazelle ‘eninsula; and after the War took harge of the medical work on the *iniqidu station in New Ireland.

Sister Clematia, who belongs to he Order of the Sacred Heart, has or long been carrying on a wonder ul work at the Analaua Lepro arium on New Hanover. It is lifficult to obtain details of the york of both these women for they lo not talk—they work.

Mick Leahy, of course, is so well

known throughout the length and breadth of the Territory as to need no personality sketch. He and his brothers have done more to actually develop the interior of the Morobe district than anyone else. They have done the spade work; others have followed the easier way. In peace and in war, Mick Leahy is “always on the ball.”

And, talking of honours, it seems strange (though there is probably a very good official reason, imper ceptible to the lay. eye) that the Port Moresby end missed out. It

would not have surprised me to have heard of the accolade being bestowed on His Honour the Administrator. He has had many VlP's in his neck-of-the-woods of late.

Apropos of bouquets being hurled at His Honour: He received a pretty compliment from in dustrialist and philanthropist Hall strom recently, when the Sunday Herald ran a feature of “Men of the Year.” The Baron of Nondugl picked none other than J. K.

Murray, “the name of a man who may not be very well known, but who is doing a job of tremendous importance,” to quote the Silent Knight.

Incidentally, that gentleman him

self was chosen as being the “Man of the Year” by Sydney’s Lord Mayor (Aid. OT)ea), President of the RSL (W. Yeo) and Balance of Power MLA, E. J. Geraghty.

And, whilst we are on the matter of titles, I notice that the press generally bestows the prefix “Mr.”

upon the native members of the Legislative Council. I should think this is a title which they themselves might not altogether appreciate. It may, of course, be an official ruling in an effort to abolish racial dis crimination. If so, ’nuf sed. It may also be an official edict that the MLC’s are not given the title

‘Honourable,’ for I have seen nc mention of such a prefix wher reference is made to anyone o; them in print.

In both the pre-war Legislative Councils, the courtesy title was given. Why the difference now?

I cannot say that I am ar enthusiastic comic strip fan, but ' do follow the doings of Tom Flynn an excellently-drawn series bj Jolliffe in a Sydney Sunday paper Tom is having all sorts of ad ventures with the Ariki tribesmer somewhere up in Papua, and he was last seen trussed up a prisonei in “the Dubu House,” waiting apparently, for his napper to be lopped off by the fierce Arikis.

I often wonder what the literate house-boys of the principal Island: towns think as they sit in thei] house-boys and study Tom and hi: companions being manhandled bj these head-hunting Papuans. Per haps they don’t think, perhaps thej just sit. But a little of this sort o: thing goes a long way too long sometimes.

In Australia some moralists clain the comic strip is responsible fo] the increased child delinquency And they might have something there, too. What would it do to ar imaginative house-boy?

Talking of censorship (which w( weren’t) reminds me of the days ir

Rabaul, when Bob Kennedy—man in charge of the local cinema—was forced by the police to cover up the legs and or bosoms of actresses on iiis film posters so that the local native lads of the town wouldn’t jet ideas. He became an expert at engthening abbreviated t skirts and liding the charms (both of them) )f the Jane Russells, Mae Wests md other well-developed females.

Re used ample quantities of printer’s ink.

The native MLC Merari Dickson md (wherefore Dickson?), a natured member of the Kwato Mission, is headlined in the Sunday Press, concerning his ideas of ‘ducational expansion for the lative people, and his claim that Australia should open the door to ;he people of Papua to enable them ;o attend State schools.”

I may be old-fashioned I probably am but I do think such itatements are premature, even if hey originate from Councillor Dickson himself, and are not nspired by other interests, possibly for the edification of UNO. I am a jreat believer in Evolution rather lhan Revolution, where native ievelopment is concerned.

The Australian Press would, in ny opinion, be well advised to treat ;arefully statements from these lative MLC’s, who doubtless are lonest and sincere, but know little )f the subterfuges of political ichemers, who may easily use the msuspecting native to fire bullets nade in Canberra, Lake Success, Djakarta or Moscow.

The average Australian, though le cares not a tuppeny dump for lis own natives, will go all senti nental over a New Guinea lad who s still remembered as a “Fuzzy- Wuzzy Angel,” with the result that le always hits the news: A pub icity officer’s dream.

I was interested in “Do You Remember” (PIM Dec., p. 18) where •eference was made to the Bremer laven having “unrestricted access ;o outports” in TNG. That was in December 1931; and now twenty fears later history repeats itself to i certain extent. The Pollurian sailed out of Sydney at the end of ast month, bound for Rabaul, to be put into the copra - catching business, sponsored by Bougainville, Limited, and skippered by Senator Roy Kendall. It is a private enter prise job, and the Government will lave an opportunity of putting into practice what it preaches about supporting that particular brand of mterprise. Here’s wishing the looker smooth seas and steady steaming.

Comparative trade figures of TNG [PIM Dec., p. 29) made interesting reading. Comment. Gold figures for 1938-39 should have read 400,672

oz, and the value was £2,129,263.

The value of copra exported in 1938-39, although some 9,000 tons more than in 1951, was only £727,949, as compared with £3.2 million. Excess of exports over im ports in 1938-39 was £1,619,918; and that’s the way to have it.

Monsignor Doyle, MSC, a one time headmaster of Downlands Roman Catholic College, Too woomba (Queensland), has been appointed Prefect Apostolic of Samarai, Eastern Papua. In token of their appreciation of their former headmaster, Monsignor Doyle was presented in Brisbane recently, with a Pectoral Cross by Past Students of their College.