Wphc Is Settling In
p. 105 · Read in the full issue
Headquarters In Solomons
Honiara, Jan. 20.
THE “second wave” of the transfer of the Western Pacific High Commission staff reached Honiara from Suva on January 13, in the MV Kurimarau. Passengers for WPHC Headquarters were: Mr. P. N. Dalton, newly-appointed Attorney-General, with Mrs. Dalton and family Mrs. T. I. Reeve and Miss O.
Reeve, for the Secretariat staff.
Other passengers carried included Miss M. Atkinson, for Vanikoro; an assistant medical practitioner from Fiji, for the Central Hospital, Honiara; a carpenter for the Public Works Department; a ship wright for the Marine Department; and Mrs. H. Wilder.
The Kurimarau carried 22 tons of affice records: 22 tons of office furniture; 11 tons of furniture for ifficers’ quarters; 10 tons of sugar f or the Trade Scheme; and 150 tons )f general cargo. The latter in duded 26,000 super feet of timber, ;wo motor cars, one tractor with railer, two surf boats, 12 goats, and lome hardboard and sheets of isbestos cement.
The only untoward incident of the voyage from Suva was the loss of the Third Engineer, Mr. W.
Beddoes, who fell overboard. The ship was put on the reciprocal course, and a thorough search made as soon as his absence was dis covered, but no trace of him was found.
The Chief Secretary of the High Commission, Mr. R. J. Minnitt, with Mrs. Minnitt and two children, arrived at Honiara on January 12 by Qantas aircraft.
Other inward passengers by air for Honiara were Mrs. Roy Gorringe, Miss G. L. Ross (returning from leave in Australia) and Mr. Halze.
Communications Officer, who re
placed Mr. Geoff Cocker at Honiara Radio.
Two more officers arrived recently in Honiara front Britain for the BSI Police —Mr. W. J. Carstairs (Assistant Superintendent) and Sub-Inspector J. L. Holland.
Apparently plenty of young men in Australia want to be patrol officers. When applications were called recently to fill 30 vacancies for cadet patrol-officers, 200 appli cations piled un in Canberra. Ten years from now it will be interest ing to scan the District Services records and see the calibre of the young men chosen by the Selection Board.