Territories Talk-Talk

By Tolala

So here comes 1953! May I wish u all a happy and a peaceful year, ic from international tensions and th hopes of lesser fears of atom mbs and clashes among the tions of the world. It is the one riod of the year when, I think, >st of us have thoughts towards ace and Goodwill, despite the mmercialisation of “Xmas” (which, contend, should always be spent hristmas”, for “X” is usually con ered to be the unknown quantity, d Christ was certainly not that!), t’s hope the coming year brings something concrete and practical a policy among the Nations, who present are certainly not United, ;n though we kid ourselves that is doing a wonderful job . . . :re’s hoping!

Planter Sciortino, of Lihir Island, e of those delightful spots off the :w Ireland coast, has put his mey into pepper. And there’s no ison why he shouldn’t show a good )fit in that sneezy commodity. It jd to grow quite well on Matanatar ear Kokopo) in New Britain. Let n beware of the Sydney water eers declaring it “black”. That’s :ontingency Minister Hasluck might :e steps to overcome. That is, if yone can placate those gentlemen the hook. Their argument would , of course, that the pepper is >wn by “slave” labour to the

detriment of their comrades in Malaya and Java.

A typographical error (due, prob ably, to my bad typing) occurred in my par last month about the P-NG stamps. It should, obviously, read “masks” instead of “marks” when referring to the 2/- stamps.

And apropos of stamps I notice Mr. Nixonwestwood (Dec. PIM, p. 19) refers to the “two Buin boys in their headdress”. Presumably he means the “Upi” lads on the Id issue. This is the first time I have ever heard of their being Buin natives. I always knew their home as being North Bougainville, not far distant from Soraken. They could easily have been located at Buin— either working or being missionised —for the hat is worn continuously from eight or ten years of age to the time they undergo their initiation, which is sometimes in the early twenties.

In 1914 I had a weird and un canny experience with an “Upi” lad on a plantation some fifty miles from their home, and where some twenty of these “Upis” were employed. One lad was a chronic deserter. After the third occasion of recovering him I threatened, in my youthful ignorance of the sacredness of taboo, to cut off his hat if he deserted again. He did and, on his return, I felt obliged to carry out my threat and, despite

lath warnings to me from his com mons, I removed the hat by cutting fough many long strands of his ir. There was great wailing. That ght, true to native prognostication, died. At any rate I had a “black it”, while reading a book on my randah, and came to about three furs later.

What’s sauce for the goose . . . ipan and Tinian, just north of jam, in the Marianas, are to revert US Navy control, after 18 months’ ministration as a Trust Territory, ley will be under a strategic trustee ip. which is the best type of all ; UN trusteeships, because you can it tell everyone to go chase them !ves when they start “poking their )s” into matters concerning its ministration. The excuse is “for :urity reasons” and an iron curtain mediately drops. Why shouldn’t istralia obtain a “strategic trustee ip” over New Guinea? It would /e a lot of headaches.

Latest news to reach me concerning ; attack on the police boy, who Uegedly shot three Goilala natives”, sms to suggest the PB might not altogether blameless. PB’s out on trol have been known to cause

considerable trouble, unbeknownst to their senior offcers, who naturally have to take the rap. Most of the trouble used to be women and pigs; and I don’t suppose the causes have altered much during the past 30 years.

Reference is made in a recent issue of South Pacific Post to Tench Island, north of Kavieng where, it is reported, the natives use kites and spider-webs for catching fish. This method is also adopted by natives around the Teop (Bougainville) area.

Tench Island was a spot of interest for years. The Germans, in their day, stuck up a “Verboten” sign on this place, and banned landing, or any contact with the Tench Islanders.

The idea was to leave them entirely untouched by civilisation for half a century or so, and then check up on them. Our own government followed out this policy and Tench was a for bidden area. All went well until an inquisitive missionary skipper anchored one day and landed there about 1936. This action caused no little flutter in the Administration dovecotes at the time. It is possible that the Tenchians have their co operative society, radio sets and a few high-powered motor-launches by now. (Next Page)

There’s a movement on in H Moresby to replace native operate on the telephone exchange vw Europeans. Rabaul had its cross 2 bear at one time, when nah operators were engaged on switchboard and often gave p*( service. The problem was solved engaging Malay and Euronesz girls, who proved excellent on job. Mention is made of install! an automatic exchange in PJ Rabaul technicians toyed with idea before the War but found tIJ the high humidity affected i shutters (or whatever it is they hs on automatics >. Possibly science I now found something to overcoK this.

It will be interesting to see ha “The Man” gets on who is sui the government over the copra sat levies. His identity is being kept! dark secret. For security reason no doubt! It sounds to me like o: of these cases that will end up befo the Privy Council. Here’s wishii him luck, anyway.

The war being waged by A? tralian dairymen against copra margarine (Dec. PIM, p. 31) certainly not an original feud. Ov 20 years ago USA dairymen launchf a similar campaign against oleo () margarine is called in the States To read some of the reports, oil was the dirtiest commodity on tJ market, collected from unwashu natives, left to rot in the sun on ul hygienic wharves in the South Ses An adventure story, written alleged: by a young girl who had travell! throughout the South Seas, m quoted at great length.

It is indeed good news to hes that the South Pacific Commissio is to list historical sites throughoc the Islands (Dec. PIM, p. 63?

Where New Guinea is concerned, any rate, it wants to lose no tirm otherwise there will be few left assist the Commission in locating an historical spots. The best contact: I should think, would be some ♦ the older Catholic Fathers, who har about the longest residence in tH Territory.

Mrs. Kathleen Newick of Ape has recorded a series of talks on lit in Samoa for the New Zealand Broa*f casting Service under the title, “ M Samoan Newsletter.” The talks wi\ be broadcast in the weekly Womem Hour on the commercial network.