The Editors' Mailbag

Who Was A. J. Jones, MLA?

IF anyone ever has heard of the Hon. A. J. Jones, MLA, he might help in restoring a trophy to its owner.

Mrs. V. A. Cooper, of the Euro pean Hospital staff, Rabaul, reports that her son, aged 4, picked up among the debris of that war-shattered towq a sterling silver plaque, 4 inches long by 1 inch wide, bearing the inscription: “Memento, British Empire Exhibition, Wembley, 1924- 1925. The Hon. A. J. Jones, MLA.”

Many pre-war residents of Rabaul lost their household goods in the invasion and bombardment. If any one recognises the plaque as an object of personal or sentimental value, he should communicate with Mrs.

Cooper, at the address given.

Native War ‘Compo’—

New Angle

APROPOS of the war damage compensation paid to New Guinea natives by the Administration—a million up to date, and another quarter-million in contemplation— ve have an interesting note from a Rabaul correspondent.

“I don’t think that many people South realise the extent to which the latives in some parts of New Guinea iccepted Japanese control in 1942- 14,” he says. “You can’t blame the latives. They know nothing of in ernational affairs, and care less. The rmropeans were gone, the Japs were here; it was just one form of breign domination replacing another, fheir troubles!

“In a couple of years, they were is friendly to the Japs as they were o us. Certain villages on Bougain ville, for instance, were specially narked on our maps as pro-Japanese, t definitely wasn’t a good thing that my of our fellows should fall into heir hands.

“When our forces began to come >ack, certain American formations lad the job of seeking out and bomb ng all Japanese strong-points and ettlements. Naturally, these native illages came in for attention. Some )f the worst of them were pretty horoughly strafed.

“Now we have the pleasure of eeing our old native enemies from hose bombed villages getting com •ensation from the Administration, 'hey charge up, on the most liberal cale, the pigs that were killed (per haps) and the huts that were wrecked maybe) by Yank bombs; and the

good old Aussie taxpayer pays, and pays. What a set-up!!

“A few thousand pounds should have been made available to District Officers, to pay out compensation on a reasonable basis in cases where they were satisfied the claim was genuine—and leave it at that. This fantastic system, devised by the Ward-Murray regime, of scattering millions among the natives, has done far more harm psychologically than it can possibly have achieved in material good.”

A Small. Good Cricketer

SYDNEY newspapers have been making a fuss over David Ragg; aged 15, who has just been promoted to the first cricket XI of Riverview College. He is described as the smallest lad in GPS first-grade cricket; but David points out indignantly that he is 5 feet high and weighs 7 stone. A Sydney cricket commentator says these are “overstatements.” David is grandson of Fiji knight, Sir Hugh Ragg, at present residing in Sydney, and son of Mr. David Ragg, of Lautoka, who is about to leave with his wife on a European tour.

Those NH Chinese

A forthright note from on old planter in the New Hebrides: — “You are wrong in your February isue in saying that Chinese in con siderable numbers are being admitted to New Hebrides as labourers. They are not coming in as indentured labourers but as free men, which is much worse. They are young, cheeky, and self-confident, and most dangerous in their daily association with our natives.

“What is going to happen? The Chinese are now opening new stores everywhere, selling drinks to the natives—in some instances demoralis ing them ... I will bet you that in less than 10 years even the power ful Burns Philp interests will be at a loss to know how to handle this growing Chinese menace in this group.”

Inflation? Oh, No!

T'HIS inflation is not all in one A place (writes a correspondent).

About 1910, Mr. J. T. Bensted, well-known public servant, built at Ela Beach, Port Moresby, a good, roomy house, and it cost him £5OO.

So far as one knows, it has not been

materially altered or enlarged in the last 40 years.

A couple of years ago, the Ad ministration bought the house, fur nished, for £9,000.

Now a section of it has been pulled down, to get the white ants out of it. Someone has calculated that those termites cost the Admin istration £1 per head!

Wanted, Home for Trophy

ANYONE in a public institution in Fiji got room for a tastefully carved' bar-counter? Mr. L. A. Law lor, of Suva, is seeking a home for a precious trophy.

In World War I, Fiji servicemen ~n leave in London made the bar of die Chandos Hotel their unofficial headquarters. Many of them cut their initials in the ancient wood.

Among them we find “L.A.L.”, groggily upright but typographically correct. Some time ago, the Chan dos owners removed the counter, cleaned and polished it, and shipped it South to Les Lawlor. He claims he bought it during World War I.

He was going to erect it in the old Club Hotel, in Suva; but the Janu ary hurricane blew the top off the hotel, which is now being de molished.

Most Suva people make bright quips about Mr. Lawlor’s trophy, but it really does deserve a place among honoured and historically valuable relics in Suva.

US Consul in Tahiti

A CORDIAL official welcome was given Mr. Philip Haring, US Consul to French Possessions in the Pacific, when he arrived at Papeete in March from his headquarters in Noumea.

For nearly a century USA main tained a Tahiti Consulate. It was withdrawn a few years ago, and be came the residence of Mr. Oscar Nordman.

Mr. Nordman now maintains, in the house, a permanent office for the use of the Consul, on his periodic visits.

At the Methodist Church, Raluana, Rabaul on March 15, Miss Patricia Hill was married to Mr. Alwyn Cres well O’Reilley. A reception was held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. G.

Kent of Malapau.

Fiji’s War Memorial Anti-Tuber culosis Fund benefited to the extent of £2,813 from the sale of Health Stamps in the Colony between September 18 and December 31 last year.