Territories Taek-Talk

Island Travellers

By Tolala

VTO doubt about Western influence in Australia’s Islands territories.

In one issue of the “S.P. Post” one reads: Two natives being committed for trial on a murder charge.

A native woman slashed by another with broken glass.

A seven year old child charged with murder (eventually discharged).

Two murder charges, a rape case and an attempted carnal knowledge case cropped up during a circuit court at Daru and Kikori.

A “peeping tom” case.

Van smashed by illegal driver.

Police called over an alleged gun incident between two Europeans.

Is it a question of increased crime or a greater vigilance on the part of the police? Or. perhaps, more pub licity is being given to offences com mitted in these one-time peaceful Isles. Whatever the cause, it is no feather in our Western cap.

Heinrich Rudolph Wahlen would probably be a very disappointed man if he were to return to his old stamp ing grounds (PIM, July, p. 17) for Time and “Progress” have wrought so many changes in the last 40 years.

There is only a handful of Euro peans who remember him from pers onal contact, but among many of the natives his name remains as one of the legendary Big Mastas, who will never be forgotten, even as Gov ernor Hahl, who was known by the most respectful name of “Patuan” to Rabaul natives, and loved by them all. Contemporaries were Thiel, Timm and Kuhn, of big commercial

ventures, who wielded considerable power. One reason was, of course, the long distance and infrequent communication with the Vaterland.

They had to use their own initiative.

An old Rabaul identity in Romola Willmott, who was for some time Mine Hostess at the Cosmopolitan Hotel—known in earlier as Ah Chee’s—hit the headlines in no un certain manner at the end of last month when she passed on a few suggestions to the Liquor Commis sion concerning equality drinking for the sexes in Sydney hotels. She cert ainly had something, and broke new ground at the Inquiry.

About the same time another well known NG identity (at least he was accepted as such) was making air history. Captain Ken Jackson, an old WRC Airlines pilot into Rabaul, was Chief Pilot of the Qantas Con stellation pioneering the new air route from Sydney to Johannesburg, in South Africa, (via Cocos Is. and Mauritius)—and he is just the man for such a job. Older residents will remember the time when he had to put his DHB6 down “in the drink” off Siccacui plantation, when he was attempting to reach Kavieng drome on finding Lakunai strip closed by bad weather. A good cove, Ken.

And talking of old air-men, I see that Orm Denny, one-time of Guinea Airways, has changed his Sydney executive job with Qantas to become area manager for that firm in NG.

He will receive a warm welcome from his old friends in the Territory.

Three American women who “live by miracles” will be on their way to NG soon. They have the idea of recording bible readings in native dialects. They start out with only a small sum of money, so it is re ported, but “we just pray to God and He sends what we need.” Many Islands people have a name for the type of individual who parks himself on unsuspecting planters and mis sionaries for indefinite periods—and it has no connection with miracles.

I hope the American ladies are not in that class. Every primitive country has had its share of travellers on the cheap, but I think NG has had more than its quota. Years ago I remember hosting one such female wanderer, who claimed she had trecked across Africa with

?orthbound on the MV Tofua from ?kland, NZ, July 31, were the follow-

ing (top to bottom):— Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Cashel. Mr. Cashel is Pacific Sales Manager for Westfield Freezing Co. They travelled to Apia.

Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Girling and Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Cashmore. Mr. Girling is Governing Director of the Blenheim, NZ, firm of Girlings, Ltd., and Mr. Cashmore is Director of Cashmore Brothers Timber Co. of Auckland.

Mr. and Mrs. S. Thomas and Lindsay returning from seven months leave in NZ.

Mr. Thomas is Principal of Vatukoula Fijian School, Fiji.

Constable and Mrs. H. Williams and Allison, were bound for a new appoint ment at Niue Is.

Sister J. Sawyers and Mr. F. Reid.

Miss Sawyers was taking up an appoint ment at Suva War Memorial Hospital and Mr. Reid was paying a holiday visit to his native land.

Mr. and Mrs. B. B. Loughnan were to visit friends at Lautoka. Mr. Loughnan is a Christchurch, NZ, solicitor.

Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Jackson were mak ing the round trip. Mr. Jackson, is a former seafaring employee of the Union Co.

nothing more than a walking stick as a defensive weapon. I can quite believe it. :: :: :: Let’s hope both the ink and the gum on the new P-NG stamps are of good quality, and better able to stand the climate than some of the old issues turned out for both Papua and New Guinea. The 2/6 issue should please Sir Edward Hallstrom.

It depicts a NG Highlander, armed with bow and arrows, herding a flock of sheep.

I notice from July 25 issue of the Moresby Post that B 4 Resident, J.

J. Gilmore, has not by any means lost his capacity for writing interesting letters. His contributions to the old Rabaul Times were invariably pungent and provocative and he retains his skill in hitting the nail on the head. He is criticising Bishop Strong’s remarks anent J. K. Murray, and suggests that cobblers should stick to their lasts. •• •"

The latest development (Aug. 4) in the Hasluck-Murray snarl appears in the “SMH,” where Minister Hasluck contributes a lengthy apologia entitled “New Guinea Presents Governmental Knot.” It is a recapitulation of the well-known conditions prevailing in the P-NG, with occasional subtle innuendoes, and does not add to the Minister’s stature . , , One statement, “The Legislative Council for the Territory was inaugurated during my term as Minister , is a trifle egotistical, if nothing else. If my memory serves me aright the Papua Act, 1905 made

provision for a Legislative Council in Papua, and in TNG a similar body was launched in 1933 when Charles Marr was Minister.

The facts that TNG was a self supporting Territory before the war, and that Papua received less than £50,000 a year as a subsidy, are not mentioned.

A couple of days prior to the publication of the “Knot” article Murray was quoted, over the ABC, describing the “potentialities” of P NG and its ability to furnish all Australia's tropical requirements.

We’ve been beating that drum for the past two decades, but it doesn’t seem to get us anywhere. In the old German days, some of the world’s best cocoa was grown on Witu Island, and Wilde’s coffee grown at Wau was second to none, The latest government move is to have a “world expert” investigate the “possibility” of large scale rubber production in P-NG. Most people know rubber has been growing in various parts of P-NG for years; and between 1933 and 1936 over £76,000 was spent by the Australian govern ment in grants to Papua to en courage the industry. Before the war, 18,000 acres were planted in Papua, producing a little over 1,000 tons, while NG produced a mere 95 tons from its 2,500 acres. Skilled labour for tapping is one of the main troubles. :: :: :: Incidentally, talking about rubber, I see that the Lolorua Rubber Es tales, Ltd., is paying a 20 per cent, divvy for its first year’s operations, So it can pay.