Territories Talk-Talk

By Tolala

Liquor Inquiries seem to be the vogue these days. Late reports from Moresby describe contemplated action by the Town Advisory Council into native drinking and the need to as certain the source of supply to natives of intoxicating liquor. That should not present such a problem —providing it is not home-brew.

Another matter of civic importance to be investigated by the Moresby TAG is the strength of the police force, which is stated to be well under-staffed.

In comparing present conditions there with pre-war Rabaul, one of the Councillors mentioned that there was always an armed European officer on patrol at night and he was called a “sut” man. What he was actually called was a “shoot-man” and it was derived from the old German word “Schutzmann” (a policeman).

And talking about old times and old timers in Rabaul reminds me of an interesting article I glimpsed recently in the “Christain Science Monitor,” all about Mrs. Rhoda Coote and her son Peter and daughter Diana, and the work they are putting in on their plantation on the North Coast, out of Rabaul.

Unlike a lot of US papers’ ballyhoo in regard to NG, it paints a life-like picture of conditions and the job of work carried out by the Coote family. I “dips me lid” to them, and to all those other brave women in NG who have staged a comeback after losing everything, and at a time when the going was rough for the white planter. Good luck to them!

Apropos of US papers, an Ameri can friend sent me a clipping re cently from a six-year-old issue of the “St. Paul Dispatch.” It is headed “Blarney Opposes US Hold on Isle,” with a Melbourne date line; and it says that Sir Thomas Blarney, for mer Australian Army commander, declared that “Australia, not the United States, should control the big naval base built by the US on the island of Manus . . . Australia is the only country in the Pacific which would be menaced if Manus were out of her control.” He added, cryptically, that “history shows that nations with great power have great difficulty in restraining themselves from using it.”

So now we know. At least, we

know what some of the Yanks thought.

Old TNG residents will be sorry to hear of the death of Tom Fox, who, with his brother, back in the 20 s was an Exproboard overseer in the Kavieng district and, in after years, made a name for himself (with his brother) in opening up sections of the Highlands area. He has gone to his well-earned rest. 1 notice that Minister Hasluck is showing interest in the preservation of old brick buildings on Norfolk Island. Paul Hasluck has a natural penchant for matters historical. I mentioned before he was lecturer in history at the WA University at one time, and for over six years was Hon. Sec. of the WA Historical Society. I’d like to see him start some move in NG to preserve old historical landmarks and do some thing about recording NG’s history for future generations, instead of leaving it until it is too late to collate reliable information.

Should we call it MANZUS now?

Anyway, Minister Casey’s action at the Honolulu Conference in patch ing up the damage, done by his opposite number in the Chifley government over Manus, did a lot to raise the morale of the average Australian. What we want now is action, not words.

Seems to me that history is re peating itself. Once again we read of unidentified submarines and shell poachers in northern waters; once again Emirau comes into the news.

That was the island on which German raider dumped its prison which were later collected “Nellore” in ’4l. And once aj officialdom is trying to brush whole thing off. Or at least appears to be doing so. ( Ministers have an unhappy knack objecting to unpleasant truths be made public by other than their c officers.

We had the same old story in T 1 twelve years ago and were cau napping by the Nips.

There should be little wrong v George Whittaker’s eye-sight. He been a qualified optician for mi years.

Even the announcement by GOC Northern Command of “t army outposts on the North Co of New Guinea” is not reassuri but one must naturally expect— £ hope—that all defensive measu are not publicised for the world large to read. It would be nice know we had Eric Feldt and Coastwatchers, or some such set on the job again—though I’m afr they would not find the same loya amongst the natives as displayed the last war.

News items concerning the ar Indonesian movement up in our N< North brings to mind the wide gi which separates the Javanese frc such smaller Island folk as the A boinese. Most of the Mala originally brought to TNG were frc Amboina, and had little in comm with the Javanese. A mark difference in treatment was me apparent by the Japs when occup ing Rabaul during the last wj Javanese POWs were treated pra tically as their allies and strutt around in their natty green unifom wearing side-arms, while POW’s fra Amboina and the Celebes receivi true Jap POW treatment.

Australian students of foreii

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affairs should realise this gulf and

profit accordingly.

There has been considerable publicity given to the exclusion of a certain anthropologist from entering NG, and Minister Hasluck received some adverse criticism over the ban he imposed on P. M. Worsley, more from the A.N.U. Students’ who look upon the whole affair as an attack on “the liberty of inquiry.”

Poor old Liberty! What alibis are laid at your door! [ At one time there was a very com prehensive screening of all arrivals in NG, and one of the reasons was to keep the White—unsuitable for making black contacts—out of the country. But this cautionary measure has been neglected, especially in the artisan class; and it was impossible to maintain with military personnel in the two wars.

Personally, I don’t suppose Scien tist Worsley is such a danger let loose amongst the natives as some of the ardent Unionist technicians roam ing the country, many of them with a modicum of Government authority behind them. Most natives look upon the intinerant anthropologist as a crack-pot, anyway, and living on a shoe-string; whereas the technicians invariably throw their money about.