Hands Off Pidgin!

New Book by Professor Hall

A Comprehensive Book On

Pidgin English has been written by Professor Robert A. Hall, Jun., Professor of Linguistics at Cornell University, USA, and it will be published about the end of this year by Pacific Publications Pty.

Ltd., of Sydney. Professor Hall is residing in Australia at present.

The book, entitled Hands Off Pidgin English! is a vigorous defence of the language which has been evolved, in the past 70 years, to meet the needs of New Guinea, where there are scores —if not hundreds* —of native languages, but where the average native tribe can communicate neither w!ith Euro peans nor with its native neigh bours.

Professor Hall contends that there is no need to devise and introduce a lingua franca, but that all needs can be met, through Pidgin English, in the fields of administration and education, as well as in commerce and industry; and he pleads that Pidgin be officially accepted, regularised and made orderly. In the course of his interesting argu ment, he gives a comprehensive history and description of Pidgin, and thus provides a useful book that is long overdue.

Hands Off Pidgin! will be on sale in Australia and Islands bookstores about December next. * It is noted that the Assistant Director of Education in New Guinea, Mr. J. T.

Roscoe, in a recent statement said: “There are approximately 700 district languages, not counting dialects, in Papua and New Guinea.’’

Australia and the Territory, a: blamed.

Charges on some special iten such as rubber, rice, flour ar wheatmeal, and matches, have m been increased.

Other items have increased I more than 15/- a ton. Most notab instances are beer, with 55/- a tc increase (which should be goo news for the Port Moresby brewer; and cocoa, 50/-.

Freight on copra has increased 1 another 10/- a ton.

Five-days Week Claim

The Public Service Association Papua-New Guinea has announc* that it has accepted the offer the Minister for Territories, to coi ciliate on its claims for a five-da. week and an increase in cost

living payments.

A Conciliation Commissioner shortly expected to be sent to tl Territory, to hear the case au report back to the Minister.