Territories Talk-Talk

By Tolala

BINATANGS again! (Nov, PIM., page 19). I would hesitate to >lame the Japs for “introducing” the Oynastid family to NG plantations.

Vhat does seem logical to me is the phenomenal growth of the pests on plantations throughout the Territory luring the war years, and the postyar period, when estates were icglected and the beetles allowed to un riot with no preventive measures eing taken. No plantation beetle angs, no Dept, of Agriculture Pest nspectors and, as I said last month, here appears to be a laissez faire ttitude by present-day plantation eople towards binatangs. There an only be disaster for the industry pest gangs are not kept at work. :: :: :: Apropos of compensation to ivilian internees during the war Nov. PIM, p. 18): In Melbourne ;te r rnees W T™l S t irenHv k hanHlino the’ Th cretary S ta“s “The l“ of Tef ■ence by whfch the T™s™es of thL' rust Fund are bound restrict paylents from the fund to ex-internees ho were Australian citizens at the me of their internment and who lifer distress or hardship as a result : any loss of limb or other permanit disability (physical or mental) rectly referable to the conditions of ieir internment.”

A point which should not be issed by the authorities is that Serces personnel still drew their pay

while POW’s, whereas many civilians drew nothing at all. Box 5303 88, Melbourne G.P.0., will reach the Secretary should anyone be interes ted. :: :: :: I note Editor Robson in his search for Coes in Samoa (relations of Queen Emma), as mentioned in Nov. PIM, p. 40, found few of them; but says “there are many in New Guinea.” I thought most of them had faded away, with the exception of a nephew (Paul Parkinson) and a couple of grand-nephews (Rud.

Diercke and H. Schultze), perhaps my grapevine has slipped a bit. At one time nearly everyone in NG, with Samoan blood in their veins, used to lay claim to being a relation some sort to Emma Kolbe, but older residents knew better. :: :: Turn down an empty glass for Bill Candler, who has gone to his well earned rest (Nov ' PIM) ' 1 first w a d de was *he hfe of the ship, and K”h,tf the • ’ uT 5 ' L m going difficult for Hlt,c° r< r n ?u y civi, ‘ an ln those ear 'V fe* ruu ™ne" o = cupa * ,on : ?hirm w™ h h,v£ y ,. w, ■ na i ura him a host of frlends ln c rcie * :: :: • • Prophetic Section: Browsing through an old PIM (Dec. 1949, p. 49) recently I came across a par of

mine anent the colour question in South Africa, with reference to a Mis sionary Scott who had “taken up the cudgels” on behalf of the natives.

I wonder now what Mr. Scott has to sqy about the Mau Mau in Kenya.

The first day cover of the P-NG stamps make a fine array, to gladden the heart of any philatelist. There is nothing particularly artistic about the designs or subjects portrayed, save perhaps the £1 issue, which ap proaches the standard of the Fiji 1/-, and is said to be the most artistic stamp in the British Empire. Per sonally I like the NZ idea of short descriptive captions on the pictorial series. Few people, outside the tropics, will know what the lad is doing in the 9d scene, and fewer still know the “Upi” hat on the Id stamp. The 10/- map is the least attractive of the series, while the 2/- marks will mystify most people.

However, it is a welcome change for the Territory to have its own stamps—and it will bring a few more bawbees to the Treasury.

B 4 New Guineaites will be interes ted to know that Gill Hemming has started off on a round-the-world tour the hard way: hitch-hiking from

country to country. Latest advice is that she is in NZ. Gill, who has a flair for journalism, had reached the stage, on a Sydney evening paper, where her name appeared over her articles, and that is always a step up in the profession. Her friends wish her all the best of luck.

“The Minister for the Army will begin a nine days’ tour of Army units in Papua-New Guinea,” says a recent Canberra report. Just the difference between the League pf Nations, which tabooed under Article 4 “the military training of the natives,” and the present Trustee ship set-up.

One cannot help but wonder, de spite its international significance, whether the present UNO is going to prove itself more practicable as a means towards international under standing, than its predecessor—the League. At least reports of the UNO meetings enable the Press of the World to let everyone know what a heckling, disunited mob it is, em phasising the differences between the East and West, the Russian bloc and the Rest of the World.

Politicians seem to have failed to bridge the gap of misunderstandings, perhaps, after all, it is up to religions of the world to achieve some modi

cum of success. But which religioi exactly, seems to be a bit obscure £ the moment.

And talking of world affairs, th more I think of present-day problem the more I am inclined to suppoi the theory of the Bavarian School teacher, Oswald Spengler, as put foi ward in his Der Untergang de Abendlandes (The Decline of th West) which points out the period! change of world culture down th ages.

Once again Bishop Strong break into the news with statements whicl are afterwards claimed to be mis reported, when he gives a warnin; that if commercial enterprises ridi roughshod over the natives, P-N( could face future uprisings similar t< those in Kenya. Sounds very mud like a revival of the old lament ove the Murray resignation. Would th< Bishop have expressed such ai opinion if J.K.M. had been chairmai of the Mission conference?

Mr. F. P. V. Robb, ADO a Mount Hagen, New Guinea, who ha been in the Territories’ Service sino World War 11, drew the first priz< recently in an Australian lottery— £ls,ooo.