Current News Items From Our Correspondents

In Papua-New Guinea

Modern Department Store

For Rabaul

The new Rabaul premises of Colyer Watson (NG) Ltd., one of the most nodern departmental stores in the rerritory of Papua and New Guinea, vas officially opened in Rabaul on December 10.

Mr. R. A. Colyer, governing iirector of the firm, flew from Syd ney for the. occasion. The store, phich is situated in the main msiness section of Rabaul, is an mpressive, two-s t o r i e d building ?hich has been designed especially or tropical conditions.

The opening is a milestone in the jommercial post-war history of labaul after the long period of in lecision as to the future site of the own.

Features of the building are nodern lighting arrangements, lative trading department, the luge space for deep frozen foods, ,nd the cool and pleasant sur oundings for office staff. The build ing has been designed for maximum ir circulation and painted through ut in shades of green, to elimin ,te all glare.

Gifts of propelling pencils and ens were given to all customers on pening day, and complimentary

refreshments were served at all hotels and clubs between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Dec. 10. The gov erning director, local manager aAd staff later entertained 300 of Rabaul’s prominent citizens at a cocktail party at the Cosmopolitan Hotel.

The Place Of Kenaf In

Australia’S Economy

In his speech at the opening of the new store in Rabaul, Mr. R. A.

Colyer spoke of his and his busi ness associates’ interest in P-NG’s new kenaf industry.

He said that some years ago he had been approached by leading wool interests in Australia and asked if a fibre could be produced in Papua-New Guinea which could, if necessary, make Australia in dependent of jute for wool-packs.

He decided to concentrate on kenaf, and he invited his listeners to ex amine a piece of material woven from Papuan kenaf from the 1952- 53 crop.

He said that a large decorticator with an output of U tons of dry fibre per hour was then being in stalled at Eriama, near Moresby; with this will be follow-on washing and squeezing equipment. He said

that his job had been to prove that fcenaf could be grown successfully n the Territory, and that another *roup which included some famous Australian commercial institutions, )lus Colyer Watson (NG) Ltd., vould carry on from there. “It is i national undertaking,” he said, ‘not influenced by the thought of jain but for the specified purpose )f ensuring that Australia’s wool ;rop, in case of need, can be pack iged.”

Mr. Colyer said that at that noment, Mr. P. D. Forrest, a well mown West Australian agriculturist yho was responsible for the suc icssful pioneering of the flax in lustry in that State, was at Eriama a an honorary capacity, supervising he work currently being carried ut there.

Rabaul Children Win

Scholarships

The New Guinea Club’s scholar bips, which are awarded each year nd are open to children in the 'erritory, have been won this year y two Rabaul children, Hilary lahon, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.

V. C. Mahon; and Marcia Searle, aughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Searle.

Both children have been attend ig the European school, Rabaul.

The scholarship provides them Ith £5O a year for 5 years. It is

the first time the scholarships have been won by two children from the same school.

Rabaul Has Native Co-Ops

The New Britain Societies’ Asso ciation has been formed and 19 new co-operative societies have been started in the Rabaul-Kokopo area.

Mr. Claude Smith is the new Assistant Registrar for the district, and Mr. Harry Thomas has been appointed Co-operative Officer.

Two new retail stores have recently been opened by the Co-ops., one at Matupit and one at Vunumbau. Two native girls have been trained to run the store at Matupit and several others for the Vunum bau store. Both stores carry a wide range of all goods, attrac tively arranged and with prices shown. On opening day the build ings were packed with customers.

Cash sales for the first day at Vunumbau amounted to almost

£L,Ooo.

Another co-operative store is be ing opened at Toleap.

New Commonwealth Bank

Quarters

About 300 guests were entertained by the Manager and staff of the Commonwealth Bank, Rabaul, on December 12, when the new staff quarters were officially opened. Much

Interest was displayed in the new building which provides modern and attractive quarters for staff.

Remains Of War-Time Plane

Discovered

There are still many unsolved, war-time mysteries in the jungles of Papua and New Guinea, but one of them looks as if it will be solved, following the discovery of the wreckage of an American aircraft in the Warangoi River area of New Britain, not far from Kokopo.

The wreckage was first seen by

Mr. Frank Holland, and just before Christmas, District Services, rep resented by Patrol Officer J. D.

Martin, went in to have a look.

He reported that the aircraft was apparently a US Navy torpedo bomber with a crew of two, and possibly three. It burnt-out after crashing.

Martin found two lots of bones at the site, but couldn’t find the third, and it is assumed that if there were a third he could have parachuted out. One of the sets of bones had an identification disc, reading;

Kenneth

None

Gundlach

Ist Lt. Tll/43 USMCR-A The Identification disc has been forwarded on to Australia, where, no doubt, the Americans will check it with their files.

New School Teachers

Nine new school teachers arrived in the Territory in January.

They will teach in various centres throughout P-NG, in European, Asiatic and native schools. The centres include Lae, Madang, Rabaul, Goroka and Mount Hagen.

Before Arriving at Port Moresby, the teachers underwent a 4-months’ special course at the School of Pacific Administration in Mosman.

Another party of teachers will arrive from Australia about June.

Customs Summonses

In January, the Customs Depart ment in Papua-New Guinea was considering issuing summonses against people who had failed to register as Aliens.

Registration is compulsory under

the Aliens Registration Ordinances which was put into effect on No vember 1. Aliens anywhere in thes Territory had to register within 3(K days, but apparently some of thenn haven’t done so.

New 9Pa Manager

The Australian Broadcasting Commission has a new manager for *apua and New Guinea. He is Mr.

I. S. Sibary, who for some time las been the ABC’s Federal Pro :ramme Executive in Sydney.

Mr. Sibary said on arrival in Port doresby that there were plans afoot or developing local ABC pro :rammes, and there was also a pos ibility of sending more Territory aaterial to Australia for use there.

Sth. Pacific Commission

An officer with the South Pacific Commission secretariat completed a nonth’s tour of New Guinea in anuary.

He is Mr. R. S. Hancock; his job ras to collect information on the ’erritory’s economic progress to be eported in the Commission’s uarterly Bulletin.

There are plans in hand, he said, a increase the circulation of the bulletin and widen its interest mong peoples of the Pacific.

During his tour of the Territory e had been impressed by the ad ancement of the native co-oper tive movement.

Bulolo Plywood Factory

Commonwealth New Guinea 'imbers big plywood factory at lulolo will be officially opened on anuary 26. Defence Minister, Sir 'hilip Mcßride, and the Minister )r Territories, Mr. Hasluck, will y from Australia for it.

They will be accompanied by Ter itories Department officials.

New Banks

There is plenty of activity in ianking circles in Papua and New Guinea these days.

One of the latest is a new branch f the Bank of New South Wales t Samarai, opening early in Janu ry, and there will be a new branch f the Australia & New Zealand ank at Rabaul early in New Year, 'he ANZ’s first branch at Port [oresby was opened only a few tenths ago,

South To See The Queen

Territory people, like everyone se, are anxious to see the Queen mng her Australian visit. Qantas as already felt the effect of it, ith heavy bookings south-bound tiring late January and February.

There are also heavy bookings a the Sandringham service, which ills at Cairns. The Royal party ill visit Cairns on March 13.

The Territory will be represented ficially at Cairns by a party of )out 30 selected natives and Asians, hey will be led by the Director District Services, Mr. A. A. oberts, accompanied by Mr. R. B. rennan, president of the Territory üblic Service Association.

The party will stay several days l Cairns, travelling by special air aft from Port Moresby. The Mayor : Cairns has arranged for their itertainment.

Madang’S Successful

Agricultural Show

Reflecting the trend of presentday and future economy of the Territory are the Agricultural Shows that have been held in various centres in P-NG. Shows at Sogeri (Papua) and Wau (NG), have been followed by a vary successful effort at Madang at the end of November.

Entries totalled over 1,400 and exhibits came also from the Morobe District, the Highlands and New Ireland. The diversity of the competitive and non-competitive exhibits illustrated how far NG has progressed from its gold-and-copra economy of the post-war period.

Garden, farm and plantation produce was shown as well as handi-

crafts, cattle, poultry, pigs; there were exhibitions of pottery and sago making from local natives and full evidenceMadang District’s pre sent £BOO,OOO income from copra shortly be augmented by revenue from cocoa, peanuts and coffee. There was ample evidence also, that the District s natives are staking their economic future in cash returns from rice and peanuts, Samples of kapok, cotton and fibre were also shown, and Saidor Sub district had a display of high-quality English potatoes, It was estimated that Madang District’s entire European popula tion of 600 and 5,000 natives—some of whom walked 14 days to be there —attended the show. (Over)

Officer-bearers of the Society are; President, Mr. J. R. Vicary; Vice; President, Mr. K, W. Burstom Secretary, Mrs. T. Ellis; Treasure!

Mr. A. Hansen; with Mrs. C. Bates Mrs. G. Clarke, Mr. L. Winters, Mu W. Giles, Mr. R. Bentinck, the Rev Father W. Saiko, Mr. T. Stanley Mr. G. Munckley, Mr. W. CahillJ Mr. A. Reynolds and Mr. T. War' burton, on the committee.

Cash prizes of 10/-, 5/-, and 2/6 wen awarded with Certificates for all classes and trophies were given to the moss successful exhibitor In each section. Thu trophy winners were: Livestock (New Guinea Co. Trophy), Mr, W. Cahill; Farm and Plantation produce (H. Longmon Trophy), Mr. K. Burston; Vegetables anti Fruit (Qantas Empire Airways TrophyX Highland Vegetable Growers; Flowen (Burns Philp Trophy), Mrs. R.

Children (Commonwealth Bank TrophiesX Girl, Miss Beverley Vicary; Boy, Mastes Rodney Brunton; Women (Colyer Watson Trophy), Mrs. W. Cahill; Native group exhibit (Commonwealth Bank TrophyX Pau Rural Progress Society; District am. sub-district group exhibit, Bogia Subc district; Arts and Crafts (J. Browr Trophy), Mr. D. Wirtz; 100 yards Opel- Championship of Papua-New Guine:: (New Guinea Estates Perpetual TrophyX Mr. J. Grieves; the most successful exhibitor in the Show (C. Bates TrophyX Mrs. W. Cahill.

Scrap From Rabaul

Harbour

The Australian diver, Mr. John Johnstone, who worked on the re; covery of gold from the Niagara j spent a short time at Rabaul ir.

December, investigating the pose sibility of salvaging wartime wrecka in Blanche Bay. It is believed thai there are over 200 wrecked ships ill. the harbour.

Johnstone will go to Fiji to picK; up a salvage ship for the Rabaul job, returning to Rabaul in January or February.

Some of the underwater salvage rights in Rabaul Harbour whiclf were previously sold by the Com-i monwealth Disposals Commission! have been acquired by Gilberts Aus-c tralian Agency, which has its head! quarters in London. Mr, Johnstonu and J. L. Chipper, of Rabaul, have, an interest in this company. Thu company will spend £50,000 on< salvage ship and equipment, anoi expects to get 100,000 tons of scraps

Mount Lamington Memoriae.

Plaque

The permanent bronze memoriae plaque is now installed at the Mtt; Lamington cemetery at the Popon r detta Government Station. Th(u bronze plaque replaces the tem-r porary one which was unveiled bje the Minister for Territories, Mri Paul Hasluck, on November 24& 1952, in memory of those who losta their lives in the Mt. Lamingtom eruption on January 21, 1951.

More Whisky, More

Cigarettes

The Commonwealth Government?:! decision, at the end of Novembers to relax import restrictions intof

*apua and New Guinea imme liately, means a big increase in rade within the Territory.

And it means more Scotch, more igarettes and more luxury items enerally, for the Ordinary Type, t now looks as if there will be a eturn of the kind of pre-restriction rade in main Territory centres— bat is, there will be a wide choice f footwear, glassware and crockery, ontinental radios, fancy foodstuffs nd cheaper Swiss watches.

Best news for smokers is that the gpeated Territory cigarette short ges will end just as soon as first rders can be placed for English igarettes.

Beer supplies will not be affected, ecause the Port Moresby brewery as been the means, directly and in irectly, of a plentiful supply of eer in most centres —the big stores rere forced to bring in large quan ities of Australian interstate beer 3 withstand the competition. The 'erritory had plenty of beer for Christmas —and in that it was

ickier than Sydneysiders.

The relaxing of the restrictions ill also affect import of cars into le Territory. Small English cars, hich are cheaper in the Territory lan in Australia, have been hard ) get. Now they will be unlimited. : you want one, just order it.

There will also be a flood of goods

from Hong Kong, according to the traders. There has always been a good range in the Chinese stores at Rabaul, but in Port Moresby any shipment of Hong Kong goods is rushed within minutes of being put on sale.

The restrictions were imposed in March, 1952. The decision to relax them is understood to have been because Territory trade is hardly large enough to affect Australia’s economic situation; and the in-

crease in trade would help the P NG Customs revenue, Whatever the reason, nobody in the Territory, for once, has any complaint,

No Dc6 Service Ykt

Qantas Empire Airways planned a regular DC6 service between Sydney-Port Moresby-Lae starting from November, but the scheme was short-lived. The DC6 was to re place the regular Wednesday Sky

master, cutting an hour and a half each way off the timetable.

Only one DC6 made the trip.

Then the tragic BCPA crash of a DC6 at San Francisco a few days later caused BCPA, which w T as chartering the aircraft to Qantas, to withdraw its aircraft to keep the Pacific service operating.

Police Officers On Perjury

Charge

In the Supreme Court at Port Moresby on December 21, two senior police officers were committed for trial on charges of perjury.

Their cases are expected to be dealt with at the end of January.

The officers are Inspector Colin Evans, and Sub-Inspector Ernest Young. Both are members of the CIB in the Territory where Evans was acting officer-iri-charge.

The unexpected charges arose from a case in which John Theo dore Mumford, 38, was charged with indecent assault on a native woman.

Mumford was to come up for judg ment on December 21. He had said earlier, in evidence, that both offi cers had beaten him until he signed a confession.

The police denied this.

On December 21, the Crown Pro secutor, Sir Coleman O’Loghlan, asked the trial judge, Mr. Justice Bignold, for leave to re-open the trial.

He said he had been instructed that additional information which was favourable to the accused had been brought to the attention of the Crown Law Officer and the Acting Police Commissioner.

The court then heard evidence of two native constables, one of whom

alleged he had seen the two officers assaulting a man.

After hearing the evidence, Mr.

Justice Bignold acquitted Mumford! of the charge. He committed bothi officers for trial, allowing them bail.

Mr. Justice Bignold said that as feature of the allegations was that!

the additional evidence had been put before the court through the diligence of the Acting Police Com missioner, Superintendent C. Nor moyle and the Crown Law Officer.

Evans and Young were later sus pended from the Police Force pend ing the result of the trial.

Scout Leaders Visit

Townsville

Two native scout leaders—the irst to receive Scout training in Australia —flew to Townsville from Port Moresby on Christmas Day.

They did a ten-days’ course at he scouts’ training camp on Mag letic Island. The scouters are ■’rancis Hau, of Yule Island, and *eter Pako of Porebada, both of idiom speak fluent English.

The idea is for the scouters to as ist Territory scout commissioners ti advanced training when they re urn.

New Air-Navigation Aid

A new navigational aid for Papua nd New Guinea will be installed arly in 1954. It is DME (Distance leasuring Equipment) and will be istalled at Port Moresby, and later ae.

The equipment arrived from Aus-. :alia at the end of December.

The new aid enables a pilot to sad, off a dial, the number of flies he is from a point on the round. It will be a second naviga onal aid for Territory pilots.

Some Ideas On P-Ng Legco.

The committee formed at the bvember session of the Legislative ouncil, to investigate and report a the composition of the Council as been busily gathering informa on.

Its report is due to be placed in le hands of the Administrator, rigadier D. M. Cleland, by muary 31, although what happens i it then is not clear as Brigadier leland goes on leave in early Feb lary and will not return until ister.

The committee made it known iroughout the Territory in De imber that it wanted views of in viduals and organisations on the sxt Council’s composition. It met - Rabaul on December 30 to give ie Rabaul people a first-hand op )rtunity to put their views. Ad sory Councils at most centres have ready stated their opinions and icy appear to follow a surprising ie of uniformity. Many would ie to see one native from each jrntory district placed on the uncil as an observer. The natives )t to have a vote, the idea being give them a chance to see how Council is run.

Another suggestion which has en popular is that the Council °uld comprise 50 per cent official embers and 50 per cent elected non-official members, the Ad mistrator, as the President, to ive the casting vote.

New C.O. For Pir

Lieutenant-Colonel A. O. Baldwin, a veteran of the New Guinea campaign, in which he won a Mili tary Cross, became Commanding Officer of the Pacific Islands Regi-

from* ta Li?uten”n!fbolonel to0 H °T

Sabin, who is to go to London for two years with the Australian General Staff.

The official handing over ceremony was at the Taurana Barracks, Port Moresby, on December 16. The full PIR strength at Taurana—4so men at that time—was on parade as Colonel Sabin passed over the ceremonial sword to Colonel Baldwin.

Colonel Sabin has done fine work with the PIR during his two years

as CO. Its strength increased from 12 0 to 600—about 150 of whom are stationed at Vanimo.

Not So Much Fuss With

Peanuts

There will be less offlclal delay in Sydne ; v wlth shipments of Territory P ean uts as a result of a new quarantine procedure which began operating ° n January X.

The Commonwealth Health De partment in Sydney, from that date, was given authority to pass peanuts entering the port, without having to go the roundabout way of re ferring shipments to Canberra.

According to P-NG growers, they

(Continued on Page 40)

previously became entangled in a lengthy amount of red tape at the capital.

Christmas Cheer By

Parachute

At Kerema, in the Gulf District of Papua, Christmas dinner was re ceived by parachute this year.

About 300-lbs of Christmas cheer was dropped in a storepedo from a Qantas Catalina under charter to the Australasian Petroleum Com pany on Christmas Eve. The goods should have arrived on the regular Qantas Sandringham doing the Gulf run, but one of the markei buoys on the landing area was washed away, and Qantas decided not to risk putting the Sandring ham down.

Australasian Petroleum Company then agreed to take over the job of delivering Kerema’s Christmas dinner.

Pre-School Committee

Set Up

A committee has been set up in the Territory to advise the Ad ministrator—Brigadier D. M. Cle land—on the welfare of pre-school children. The move follows a meet ing of pre-school experts held in

Port Moresby in November prior to the appointment of a pre-school officer to the Territory.

The new committee comprises Mrs. D. M. Cleland, Dr. J. Refshauge, Miss B. McLachlan, Mrs. J.

K. McCarthy, Mr. T. J. Arthur, Mr.

Orme Denny, and the pre-school officer—when she is appointed.

Dr. Mead’S Second

Generation Survey

The noted anthropo i 0 . gist, Doctor Margaret Mead, whcc wrote Growing Up in New Guineas 25 years ago, has just left the Admiralty Islands where she has, been living for seven months among the natives in a small village named:

Peri, on Manus. This is the same village in which she lived for six months in 1928 and which she used as a basis for her book.

The children she wrote about 25 years ago are now adults, but they recognised Dr. Mead immediately and gave her a warm welcome, call ing her by her native name of “Piap”—“Woman of the West.”

Dr. Mead said a sequel to the book would follow in about 18 months. Her recent trip was the most successful in her long ex perience as an anthropologist.

The population of the village had Increased from 210 to 360; much progress had been made and big social changes had taken place.

Ihese included the abolition of nany old tabus. The fact that the ijirls were now allowed to marry for fove showed that the village now re garded the individual and his hap pier home life a more important factor than trade.

Twenty-five years ago the village Df Peri was a primitive Venice, its streets were waterways, and its people went everywhere in canoes, fo-day, the village has moved from stilts above the sea to dry land.

Dr. Mead said the war was res ponsible for accelerating changes vhich would have been slower. She said that what had happened to J eri in 25 years was an indication of he advancement among many Pacific peoples, and proved the im jortance of her recent studies.

While in Port Moresby, en route o Sydney, Dr. Mead addressed the J apua-New Guinea Scientific So iety, and recorded a 15-minute talk n Pidgin which was later broadcast »ver the Native Peoples’ Session rom 9PA.

Growing Up in New Guinea has old more than a million copies and las been translated into many anguages.

Jew Guinea Student Meets

Queen In Suva

The distinction of being the first Jew Guinea native to be presented o the Queen and the Duke of Edin lurgh goes to Kahu Sugaho, . native from Lae.

Kahu Sugaho is a second-year aedical student attending the Suva Central Medical School and was se ected to represent the Territory.

Frank Nohi Aisi, a graduating tudent from the school who re urned to Fort Moresby on Decem >er 21, also witnessed the celebra ions at Suva. He said: “I shall lever forget the sight, nor the big rowd of enthusiastic people.”

Juring The Wily

Professional To F-Ng

Under a scheme to obtain much leeded professional staff, the *apua-New Guinea Agricultural >epartment will commence train- Qg cadets in Australia this year.

The plan, which is already being >perated by seme departments in Australia, involves the Government

paying the fees and expenses of students attending Australian uni versities on condition that graduates go to the Territory, when they have completed their courses, and work for the Department for a spe cified period.

It appears that under normal cir cumstances New Guinea does not hold out sufficient inducements to the young men of 1954.

It will be a few years yet before the first of the graduates are ready for work in the Territory.

Harbourmasters

Madang has a Harbourmaster at last; and Port Moresby has a new one.

In Port Moresby, Captain Steve

O’Donoghue, formerly Chief Officer with the Australian Shipping Board, takes over from Captain G.

Hawley, the OIC Marine Branch, who has been doing the dual-job of OIC and Harbourmaster for about ten months.

At Madang, the new man is Cap tain Stan Aldridge, a war-time Merchant Navy officer with plenty of experience along the China coast.

Although he will be stationed at Madang, he will also be responsible for Wewak and Lae.

It’s getting to the point where children may have to be educated to realise that “damn” and “taxes” are two words.