The Month In Rabau

From Our Own Correspondent.

Rabaul, Aug. 2

Canberra Tours Unlimited

A NOTHER Parliamentary party arrh on July 11 and for three ds swallowed dust and liquor in eqi quantities as they were rushed from c show place to another.

They enjoyed it all; declared themseh impressed by the standard of debs which ruled the Ordinary Mont] Meeting of the Rabaul Native Villt Council; decided that here, at any ra the Civil Servants were civil, e\ obliging, and made of their job a care dutifully counted the livestock Kurakaul, not forgetting the donke; wholeheartedly admired the view fr Rabaul’s “Sublime Point”, near E Barrett’s place, and laughed appreciate when Jack Sedgers jovially raised 1 question of backloading why < Government cannot afford to pay t fares of even fifty Scouts to the Jamboi next year!

The theme song from the first “quick: to their own “shout” on the eve departure was that Rabaul need developing and defending. And that, b has been said before.

Rabaul’S Wrecks And Rubbish

Since the announcement by the Co monwealth Government that Rabj would be rebuilt, the business of A visory Council meetings has larg< centred on the subject of “Rabt Beautiful”.

A spirited argument between R Dudley Jones (who knows his law), a District Officer J. J. Murphy (who shot know the business of his district) relati to responsibility for the removal of c ships and other war wreckage strei around Rabaul’s foreshore resulted in t matter being referred to the Governme Secretary.

Since 90 per cent, of the wrecka belongs to the Administration, Mr. Joe says it is the Administration’s job remove it; but Mr. Murphy says that clause in the Leases lets the Administr tion out.

Meantime, Rabaul townspeople wou love to be able to enjoy their beaches.

Planter’S Wife Charged With

Murder

On July 31, in the District Court, N F. Warner Shand committed Mrs. Mad Culnane for trial on a charge that s: murdered her husband, Edward Culnar at their home on Ulitowa Plantation, an isolated part of the Kokopo distrh on the night of June 2.

Early in the morning of June 3, Mi Culnane sought help at the Vunapo; Mission. It was found that she w wounded, and her husband was dea apparently the result of shooting with revolver.

In evidence, Mrs. Culnane said that si was left alone that night, and tl electric light failed, and she had on

hurricane lamp. She thought her house was being entered by native labourers, and fired shots from a revolver. She still had the revolver when her husband arrived at 3 a.m. and, when moving [around, the revolver was accidentally dis charged, and a bullet struck and killed him. ! Mrs. Culnane was defended by Mr.

Dudley Jones: but the Court decided that there was sufficient evidence to cast .doubt upon her explanation of the bccurance, and to warrant a trial by the Supreme Court.

“Boy” Trouble

1 Three weeks ago, 21 driver boys em ployed by Town Taxis, Ltd., walked out, and around to the Native Labour Officer for the Works Dept. The latter, after checking with Mr. K. E. Cummings, proprietor of Town Taxis, signed them on to work at Manus; and that very Saturday they were farewelled by their jubilant and admiring followers.

Jubilant, because the native only knows black and white, win or lose, and this time he feels that he has certainly won.

Mr. Cummings knows no reason for his (rivers’ behaviour; but he does know that they have been sabotaging his business for some time. It was not uncommon for ilients to ring his home and complain that his office boys were answering, “No jot taxi —ring—” (another taxi ser vice i. when they got,-requests for a taxi.

The drivers are all Tolais and, for some :ime. they had been pinpricking by irriving on the job when it pleased them md taking their meris for joyrides, in stead of returning to the depot after

doing a job.

Since then, some half-dozen boys have drifted back and are working peacefully.

European friends help Mr. Cummings out during peak hours.

Apart from public inconvenience caused by breakdown of an essential service, and the owner’s losses, there is a legal and ethical side to this which should not be ignored. The native has no “employee” traditions to guide him, and the nearest we get to an explanation from him is it is “feshin bilong Master”. Perhaps our Legislative Council will seek ways and means of fostering among natives a sense of responsibility towards their job.

Rebuilding Of Rabaul

Through the port of Rabaul flows more than half the Agricultural wealth of the Territory. Administration and Private Enterprise are united in their determina tion that the new town shall not be only a collection of wood and iron shanties. Designs for the Administration block show a two-storied reinforced con crete building inspiration has been looked for from Suva and Malaya rather than Moresby.

Priority is to be given to safety factors, such as the installation of the seismo graphs at the Observatory, the simul taneous construstion of an escape route over Tunnel Hill and, in addition, a permanent highway from the town up to Namanula, down to Nordup and across to Tavui.

District Commissioner J. K. McCarthy regards the present types of Administra

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lion house as far from ideal, and is Submitting alternative designs, f a general survey of the Vunalame area jhydro-electric scheme for Rabaul) has been completed and findings have been hlaced before a party of engineers which has just arrived. After that, progress Hepends on how soon equipment can be tot from Australia.

I it is believed officially, that the new Lharf and customs sheds at Rabaul will be completed within a year of com mencement of work, but general opinion says two to three years. Our present Kin can” wharf may not last another year, however.

Planters’ Parliament

I The New Guinea Planters’ Association, at their Annual Conference in Rabaul, re-elected Mr. D. Barrett as President, and Messrs. J. T. Allen and J. A.

Thurston as Vice-Presidents.

Executive Council members: J. Dunbar Reid, A. Hopper, C. W. Blake, F. P.

Archer, E. A. Stanfield, W. T. Thomas, R. S. Mac Kay, G. Bliss, F. Wilson, J. L.

Stokie, J. K. Dowling, L. Fry.

The Secretary (Mr. W. R. Paul) re ported that membership had increased to 131, and the gross profit for the year was £5,154 as against £4,136 for the previous year.

The delegates met Messrs. Lambert, Willoughby and Reeves, of the Depart ment of Territories and discussed various matters —particularly marketing of copra, appointment of a Copra Inspector and the increased freight rates, against which they strongly protested.

New Guinea Club

The annual general meeting of the New Guinea Club elected the following officers: — President: K. E. Cummings.

Vice President: L. H. Corbett.

Treasurer: G. D. Kent.

Secretary: E. R. Williams. Assistant; secretary, Mr. G. Ashwood.

Committee: E. Cody, G. Judd, D.

Williams, H. Lyme, R. Grimshaw.

Despite Mr. Gow’s gloomy picture of the Club’s finances in relation to its aspira tions, the motion to increase the fees was rejected, Mr. Renton declared that any move which would deter a working man from joining would be a break with tradition.

Motions to increase fees and restrict membership were rejected. It was stated the Club lost £5OO on the catering section last year.

Copra Production

Total shipment of copra from Rabaul in the year ended June 30 was 34,000 tons, of which the natives contributed 7,000 tons.

A Native Co-operative venture in New Ireland is producing 1,500 bags of copra a month.

Personal

Professor K. C. Bailey, Commonwealth Solicitor General, was an interested visitor at the monthly meeting of the Rabaul Native Village Council, and the Courts for Native Affairs conducted by Mr. M. B. Orken, Native Authorities Officer, in connection with the non payment of Council taxes.

The engagement is announced of Mr.

Kevin Wilkinson, of the staff of the Commonwealth Bank, Rabaul, to Miss Margot Filby, of Sydney.

Scouts from Fiji, Nauru and New Guinea will be among the 12,000 from all over the world who will attend the Jamboree at Parramatta, NSW, in December.