Madang Dc

Papuan Man As

Mr. S. Elliot-Smith Has Re

placed Mr. Charles Bates, who has been ill for some time, as District Commissioner, Madang, New Guinea.

Mr. Elliot-Smith is well-known in Papua but has not previously had an appointment on the “other side.” He retired from the Service some years ago and went to Western Australia, but returned at the time of the Mt. Lamington eruption and did a fine job of re habilitation in that district.

Earlier this year, when there was considerable public agitation about the increase of native offences against European women and chil dren in the Moresby area, he was placed in charge of the District Office, Port Moresby, with con siderable success. Mr. Elliot-Smith, who trained under the late Sir Hubert Murray, is credited with knowing his Papua better than most officers in the present District Services Department.

Mr. F. N. Bensted, Acting District Commissioner, Daru, has replaced Mr. Elliot-Smith at Moresby.

The planned tour of British Columbia by a Fiji Rugby team in this Southern summer has been postponed for a year. A New Zea land Rugby team will tour British Columbia this season.

A Mr. S. Fish, assistant Director of Education in W. Samoa, together with Mrs. Fish and their son, re turned to Apia in mid-October after leave in New Zealand.

If Mr. S. J. Mann. LLB., arrived in Suva with his wife and family early in October from Christchurch, New Zealand, to join the legal firm of Ellis, Munro, Warren and Leys.

For remaining at their posts dur ing the earthquake and tidal wave, the Governor of Fiji has sent letters of commendation to a num ber of persons. They include six telephone exchange operators, and an Indian employee of the CSR mill at Nausori, Rasul Bux, who re mained at his post when steam pipes burst.