Strange Request

Hair Of

The Dog ...

Of Samoan Fono

mHE Fono of Faipule (Samoan JL Parliament), which was in session in Apia in December, recommended that the chairman of the Fono, Fa’avala’au, should be appointed Samoan Judge of the High Court of Apia.

Only some weeks ago Fa’avala’au, who is employed as a trader by an Apia firm, was convicted and sentenced to a term of imprison ment by the Apia High Court for the theft of a large amount of cash entrusted to him. The sentence was later changed to a fine on payment by him of the amount of money missing.

To recommend a man with such a record for appointment as Judge shows lack of judgment, or ignorance, on the part of the members of the Fono. The High Commissioner (Mr. G. R. Powles) rightly vetoed the appointment. —Apia Correspondent. t Mr. Charles H. Cornish has been appointed Fiji manager of the United Insurance Co. Ltd., and with his wife and son will proceed there from Sydney on the Orsova to take up his new duties on February 1.

Mr. Cornish is a New South Welsh man and since joining the company in 1949 he has worked in branches in Sydney and Melbourne. He is a keen sportsman. t A native student, Titus Tiso, aged 16, who had just returned from Geelong Grammar School to spend his holidays in his village near

Samarai, Papua, was fatally me by a shark whilst swimming friends at the beach on Dece] 20. The boy, a brilliant stu and the only Papuan ever to s at the school, was to retur: February to begin working matriculation. A week later am native boy was taken by a £ in the same locality.