The Editors' Mailbag

Malacology Surprised

In the March issue of the PIM we published a photograph, received from Mr. Gordon Thomas, of snails clustering thickly upon a tree-trunk, in the New Britain district. It will be remembered that these giant snails were introduced to the area by the Japanese in the war years, and have been causing havoc in jungle growth and plantations.

Soon afterwards, we received an inquiry, couched in very urgent language, from Mr. Yoshio Kondo, an entomologist of the staff of the Bishop Museum, in Honolulu. Mr.

Kondo wanted to know if, in print ing the photograph, we had in some way reversed the negative.

Wonderingly, we referred the in quiry to Mr. Thomas. He in turn inquired of the photographer. He and we were then assured that the photographic print had not been reversed. We sent on the reply to Mr. Kondo, and expressed our natural curiosity.

Mr. Kondo’s courteous explana tion follows. Please bear in mind that “sinistral” means “pertaining to left”; while “a dextral shell” is “a spiral the whorls of which turn from left to right.”

“If you will kindly examine the photograph again (writes Mr.

Kondo) it will be noticed that each snail on the tree trunk is a sinistral individual, something which only a conchologist is expected to notice, and it is no wonder that my un explained note puzzled you.

“Now, the giant African snail, or Achatina fulica, is normally a dextral snail; in recent years only five specimens of the sinistral mutant have been found in the Pacific, namely, on Pagan, Tinian, Agiguan and a rumored fourth specimen from the same group of Islands, that is to say, the Marianas.

The fifth sinistral specimen was discovered in Honolulu this year.

“The probability of an entire colony of this particular species be ing sinistral is so remote that I was strongly impelled to submit the question to you. Should the photo graph be a true copy of the negative, the world of malacology will be in position for a surprise, though not entirely unexpected.”

Qld. Thinks Ahead for

P-Ng

The National Parks Association of Queensland is interesting itself in the question of National Parks in Papua-New Guinea, and has submitted to the Administrator eight areas which it feels should be preserved.

The matter has been discussed before—but mostly by mainland

Australians; Papua-New Guinea residents seem to have little real interest in the project, although it might be something in which the proposed Historical Society in Port Moresby could concern itself. Dec laration of a National Park is better done early in a country’s history, rather than late.

The eight areas which the Queensland Association has pro posed are:— Cape Nelson, Papua, with its fiords and mountains; 15,400-ft.

Mt. Wilhelm, which is sometimes snowclad; portion of the Kokoda Track in the Owen Stanleys; Lake Kutubu which is at an elevation of 2,500 ft. and inland from the Gulf of Papua, and the Naora River; Beaver Falls and Gorge on the Mobi River, between Lake Kutubu and the coast; the large waterfall on the October River, a tributary of the Sepik; portion of Goodenough Island; a section of the Bulolo Valley and its unique trees, between Wau and Bulolo.

Any P-NG resident with any suggestions to make in the matter of National Parks should write to Mr. Douglas Jolly of the National Parks Assoc, of Queensland, Box 1883 W, GPO, Brisbane.

Houses and Hospitality

in Kavieng

Mr. G. F. Clark, proprietor of the Kavieng Hotel, says that the house whose portrait we published in the July PIM is not the only post-war building in Kavieng—and sends along a photograph of his hotel to prove it.

He is, of course, right when he says a number of buildings have gone up in Kavieng since 1946—the Club, the hotel, one or two stores, the new hospital, a new Education Department cottage some miles out of the town—and doubtless a few more elsewhere. How e v er, we specifically said “house” and the one that was shown in July stands out in its magnificence against the native-material houses of the rest of the Administration officials.

As far as livability is concerned, there is nothing wrong with a native-material house. Although those in Kavieng are “temporary,” and although the use of native materials does entail more mainten ance, considerable ingenuity has been employed in their construction and their chatelaines have certainly spared no effort and trouble to make them attractive—even to the extent of drawing issues of govern ment paint and putting it on with their own hands.

Hospitality counts more than sawn-timber houses round those

parts, anyway; and in that depart ment Kavieng comes out with top

marks.-

JT.

New Era in NI

Norfolk Island residents seem pleased with their new Administra tor, Brigadier C. H. B. Norman and his wife. In their praise, one of them writes (under the title “Happy Days are Here Again"): Since the arrival of Brigadier and Mrs. Norman, life in general has taken a turn for the better.

Both Islanders and Mainlanders appreciate their friendly manner and kindly hospitality. Mrs. Nor man is often seen riding round on horseback, occasionally dropping in for a chat and a cup of tea with one of the more isolated Island families. She has excellent taste and has already improved the in terior of Government, House with carefully selected curtains and carpets, and her keen interest in gardening should give the exterior also a gayer aspect. Many happy parties have already been held at Government House.

Both the Brigadier and Mrs.

Norman are good mixers and obviously enjoy the dances which they often attend at Rawson Hall.

Recently a new Council was in stalled in office and we feel sure that our Administrator will work with them towards a new era for Norfolk Island. (Brigadier Norman’s appointment to the Norfolk Is. vacancy at the end of last year was re garded by many people as just another political hand-out. But he seems to be making NI residents happy.)

Brisbane-Suva Phone

“I used the new radiophone from Brisbane to Suva to congratulate Jocelyn on her 21st birthday. The thing was clearer than a trunkline call within the State. The thrill of being able to sit at home in Aus tralia and hear the voices of one’s family in Fiji!” —A young matron’s reaction to the new Australia-Fiji radiophone service, which has just opened, and is very popular.

A Bit of Pidgin

Whenever I read in PIM the word “Kavieng” (a place where I lived and worked about 40 years ago) it reminds me of the following episode: After a hot day I took, before sunset, a stroll along the water front towards the village of Bagail.

Passing the then German police station, I noticed four black boys standing at the roadside. Approach ing them I asked: “What name you

boys linlimboo long this place?”

Whereon one boy answered, point ing his hand towards the house of the then German Amtmann, Herr Boluminski, from which piano playing and singing were heard.

“Missis ’e got big feller bockis.

Now he fight ’im bockis. Bockis he cry. Misses ’e cry, too.” —Hermann Kirmis, Methler, Ger many.

The modern Pidgin description of a piano is: “Big fella Bokis (box) you fight ’im ’e sing out.”