Late News and Items from P-NG

See Pages 97-9.

P MORESBY, March 5.

Mr Tom Grahamshaw becomes rhipf Collector for Customs, follow- Sithp return of Mr F. Lee to the rommonwealth Customs service, after two years here. Mr.

Grahamshaw has been with the Administration here since 1916, and for 28 years a Ksistant mainly with customs—Assistant H?p 7 isrpw Guinea with distinction m the campaign, bec ami ei L e Colonel, and was awarded t e .

War Service Homes

A senior" War Service Homes official, Mr. M. C. McTaggitt, has arrived to establish a branch here.

He will stay three to six months, to train an Administration officer to carry out the scheme. He is empowered to deal with applications and advances for War Service Homes and those eligible will be able to borrow up to £2,750.

Plenty Of Highlands

Labour

Applications for Highland labour by coastal employers have shown a marked increase. During January and February, 1,081 Highlands natives left for coastal centres—all but 100 of them for private employers.

A PIM correspondent at Goroka reports that many natives offering for work were rejected for the pre sent as it is thought that the num bers already absent would make re cruiting unwise.

Technical Help For Coffee

Technical assistance for the coffee industry in the Highlands is again be in S sought by the Eastern Highlands Advisory Council. It is asking the Administration to either recruit a co ff ee expert from overseas, or send an Administration officer abroad for experience Particularly in Brazil and Hawair At a meeting, Mr. George Great head said coffee-growers knew the industry was still in its infancy, and an expert would be of tremendous help. This proposal had been made to the Commonwealth Bank Board, which had a fund to assist different types of activity, and the proposal was referred to the P-NG Depart ment of Agriculture. However, it appeared that nothing was being done about it. aoatm upiUi hai actAijn A native custom which lapsed during the war years has been re vived in the mountain districts of Northern Bougainville. The custom

centres around adolescent boys, has as its most colourful sign a large round pumpkin hat, known as a Upie hat.

One of the main reasons for revival of the custom appare is that local natives have t flattered into wearing the hats a? after seeing their portrait on Te tory penny stamps.

The Upie custom could not carried on during the war years cause natives could not move al Bougainville to attend the ne sary ceremonies connected witl The custom has an elaborate sys of tambus where women are ( cerned. Boys of about eight the hats and wear them cont ously until an initiation ceren some years later.

Native School Teachei

The first teacher-training co for native girls in the Territory started at the Popendetta Educa Centre. The trainees are from Ireland, New Britain, Boi Misima, Daru and Hanoabada; on completion of the course, will return to their own district assistant teachers.

The 12 girls at Popendetta take the same course of stud: male teacher trainees, and in a tion will attend classes on h cooking, mothercraft, sewing, t nursing, and handicrafts.