Old “Pim” Copies

To complete my reference file of “PIIV from Vol. 1, No. 1 to the present, I wh to purchase three early copies: Dec., 19i & Mar., 1931 (Vol. 1, Nos. 5 & 8), ar Sept., 1931 (Vol. 2, No. 2). I am prepan to pay a good premium for these issue Write: “Bibliophile”, C/- Box 3408, G.P.C Sydney.

The Administrator gave the fol lowing figures to show native offences against European women in the Port Moresby area only:

Steps are to be taken at once to jxamine the housing accommoda ion of the native population in Port Moresby. The natives will be [rouped in various categories, rang ng from those fully employed and loused, to those who are not em iloyed and inadequately housed. It 5 suspected that most of the trouble s caused by ‘transients.”

A Native Transit Depot for visit ng natives will be provided im mediately alongside the Native labour Compound at Konebada; here will be a canoe ferry service rom Ela Beach to this Depot, so here will be no excuse for transients 3 remain in the town unnecessarily; nd land will be sought for larger Lative labour lines for those em loyers whose present accommoda ion is inadequate.

Native labourers in the town must arry written authority showing ientity and place of residence, fatives from outlying districts mst get a pass from their District •ffice before leaving, and must re ort to the District Office on arrival i town; and there will be increased flephone equipment, etc., for the olice.

Mr. Elliott Smith, at present Dis •ict Commissioner, Northern ivision, will be stationed in Port [oresby to be District Inspector nd to implement the foregoing lan so far as it affects District ervices.

Select Your House-Boy!

Frorr a Special Correspondent rE situation here is not as bad as has been suggested. But it definitely needs action; and the teasures now taken seem to meet quite well. Things are no worse ere than in any other community careless white and primitive ack.

New people here do not under and, and do silly things. For ex nple, there was trouble with a lerema garden-boy. I wouldn’t ive a Kerema or a Mekeo if I was lid £5 a week to keep him on, ithout wages; Western Papuans ive never been safe house-boys, id before the war they were never en in houses where there were iropean women.

The Administrator could not ive made a better choice than liott Smith for the job of bringing

the situation under control. He is a first-class chap on Papuans—he is known and respected and feared by every Papuan contemplating mischief in the Northern District, and his reputation has travelled far beyond Northern.

Year Offences reported Convicted 1946 . .. 6 2 1947 . .. 10 4 1948 . .. 14 9 1949 . .. 13 10 1950 . .. 11 8 L951 . .. 26 18 1952 . .. 17 12 1953 (to Feb. 21) 4 3 — — 101 66