Malaria Suppressives Weather Unkind

[?]ua-New Guinea Diary

To Airways And Ministerial Tours

Asian Flu Is Expected

Territorians were reminded, during the month, that Papua-New uinea is still a malarial country—with only modern drugs standing jtween them and the old order when fever was inevitable. During the ;riod —it being Winter down South—there have been many visitors, IP and otherwise.

You Take Your Malaria

Suppressive?

le death from cerebral malaria 4ay, of a man in Port Moresby ted most Territorians thinking it their malaria suppressives, own private investigations seem how that about 75 per cent, of >le living in New Guinea take autions against malaria. , most of the big messes, anti irial drugs are part of the ng-table setting, and new ers acquire the habit of the far dose. There is always a 11 percentage of scoffers; and 3 old-timers feel they have built i resistance to fever, or believe, Dite of statistics to the contrary, old-fashioned quinine, taken

when they have an attack, is still the best remedy.

On the whole, however, the aver age Territorian takes his modern suppress! ve, and consequently malaria is not the bogey it once was. It would be interesting to know the incidence of malaria in P-NG to-day in comparison with the pre-war incidence.

It was revealed that the man who died in Moresby, Mr. Noel Oxlade, 41, an employee of Steam ships Trading Company Ltd., though living in the Port Moresby area which is supposed to be free of malaria, has regularly visited the Sapphire Creek district, about 14 miles out of Port Moresby. His was the first European death from malaria in many years.

Malaria—And The Wewak

Swamp

Malaria control was the subject on which Dr. Peters, Administra tion Malarial Control Officer, addressed the Wewak Town Advisory Council meeting in mid-May.

Dr. Peters said: “The main area that the Malarial Control Unit is going to work in is Maprik, How ever, measures will also be taken in Wewak and will begin by spray ing all the inner walls of houses with a water emulsion insecticide preparation which is effective for about six months. It is essential, for the success of the campaign, that all houses should be sprayed, this includes European, native and business houses.”

So far, so good—then Dr. Peters went on to bring up one of those matters —and there are many in this fair Territory of ours—about which the various Departments are NOT in agreement.

In this case it was the Wewak swamp—and Dr. Peters said that reclamation of the swamp near the township “should be pressed.” The most common mosquito in the area was the swamp-type mosquito and though reclamation was going to be costly, it would be economical in the long run.

The Town Advisory Council agreed with the Doctor. They had passed resolutions previously in connection with the Wewak swamp and no

longer ago than March 23 this year had received a letter from the Ad ministrator to the effect that re clamation “is not considered essential at the present time.”

However, undaunted, and urged by Dr. Peters, the TAG passed another resolution on the subject and asked that the former decision be reviewed.

Dr. Peters had something to say about old bomb craters in the vicinity of Wewak airport. He said that they were a breeding ground for mosquitos and in view of the fact that Wewak was designed as an international airport it would be

much beter if it could be considered malaria-free.

Home For The Week-End

Even the indigenes are air-minded —and some employers of labour could wish it were not so.

A native Papuan Rugby team arranged a charter trip to Lae for the Queen’s Birthday week-end,

where they played matches aga Lae football teams and stayeo the Papuan Compound where * were entertained by their fe Papuans. To defray expenses, ■ sent out an invitation to Papv living in Lae, to visit Port Mof for the week-end, at a cost of The expatriates responded n nificently, but also, many faile«

Mr. Bill O'Brien of Eriamissa Coffee Planta tion, Goroka, and Miss Marie Khyat were married at the Roman Catholic Church, Port Moresby, on June 5.

Photo: Papuan Prints.

ike the return trip from Moresby the following Monday.

Death Sentence

The first death sentence pro unced in Papua for years—which ;ans there is no recommendation • mercy—was made by Mr. Acting stice O’Loghlen in his first preme Court criminal hearing at pondetta, Papua, on June 1.

Before the court were two ithers, Gera, of Boidoima, and riviki of the same village. They re charged with the murder of a 1. Noki, who refused to marry 3 of them. Evidence was given it Gera hit the girl on the back the neck with an axe, and :ivaki struck her again later en he saw her legs moving.

New Native Schools

tfine new schools for native Idren have been opened in the ►robe District, New Guinea, this ir, and a site has been selected the Markham Road, Lae, New inea, for the erection of the ;t Intermediate School in Lae. ?he new schools are constructed bamboo and built by natives h some assistance from the Ad listration. Each school has an (rage of 50 pupils, with two

native teachers who are trained at Administration training centres.

The schools are designated as “Village Higher Schools” and pupils who have already attended Mission schools and whose age averages 10 years are generally accepted. How ever, as no suitable enrolments could be made at the required standard, pupils from 3-8 years have been accepted.

The new Intermediate School at Lae will be a boarding school for both boys and girls and is expected to accommodate 200 pupils. This school will be staffed by European teachers. Intermediate schools will be established throughout the Terri tory, as demand requires.

Goroka Assists Families Of

Airmen

Residents of Goroka launched a Territory-wide appeal early June for the wives and families of J. A. W.

Gray and J. Smith, of Goroka, who were killed in a Tiger Moth crash on June 1. (PIM, June, p. 25). By early July about £l,OOO had been raised.

Mr. Gray, owner of Territory Air Lines, was born in Rabaul, and his mother was associated with Guinea Airways, pioneer pre-war airline.

Mr. Smith was an engineer with TAL, and in between times worked on the company’s coffee area in the Highlands.

The men were flying to Lae to at tend an auction sale at the De

[?]e Boroko School, Port Moresby, on June [?]had a Fancy Dress Ball which was a [?]lete success. One of the best costumes worn by seven-years-old Christopher Pear (pictured).

Photo: Papuan Prints.

rtment of Works store in Lae. irty minutes after the plane was sorted overdue five aircraft were it out to search for it. They rched all airstrips between roka and Lae and all clear ground, e search was then concentrated nnd the Karanka and Arona ps near the lower Markham ?es. it 1.30 p.m., on Sunday, when searchers were out again, they v natives pointing up at the >na Gap. The planes searched area but could find nothing.

L t 3 p.m., on June 2, a native tacted a ground party and told m that the aircraft had crashed heavily wooded foothills at the t of the Arona Gap. They said t both men were dead. The und party from Gusap rode and ked to the scene of the crash four hours and found the bodies, j bodies of the two men were en to Goroka, where a funeral i held on June 3.

Vote—Or Else!

he elected members of the P-NG islative Council have been fight for more elected representatives :e the Council began operating years ago, but the Administrator, jadier D. M. Cleland, said in a ss conference early in June that ritory people had no hope of

more say in their country’s affairs for at least another three years if they did not return a high percentage vote for the coming elections on August 31.

He also admitted that, on two previous occasions, he had recom mended to the Minister that the people were not yet ready for in creased representation on the Council.

The complaint by both Admin istrator and Minister concerning enrolments could perhaps be at tributable to the fact that about 75 per cent, of the population are public servants who couldn’t care less.

The man with a stake in the country is the one who cares about its future, and it is this small minority who, too, will have to shoulder the responsibility of local government, of which the Minister says: “For the immediate present, the Government believes that the most fruitful efforts for the political advancement of the indigenous people can be made in the field of local government and it is an in struction on policy that increasing

Maloney's Building, one of the most up to-date establishments in P-NG, was opened by the Administrator on June 12. (See story page 117). Shown in the photograph (left to right): Peter Maloney, who handed the key to the Administrator; Mrs.

Maloney; Brigadier D.

M. Cleland and Mrs.

Cleland; Mr. N.

Maloney.

Photo: Papuan Prints.

efforts shall be devoted to this work.”

Mr. Craig Kirke, Port Moresby solicitor, who announced his inten tion of standing against the sitting member, Mr. E. A. James, at the forthcoming elections, had some strong words to say about the Min ister’s statement.

“Why should we have to take this kind of decision from a spokesman for a system which is no closer to democracy than Moscow,” he asked.

In June PIM, p. 30, me said Mr.

Clem Kirke was to oppose Mr. James.

It should, of course, been Mr. Craig Kirke. Our apologies.

An editorial in the South Pacific Post on June 5 said: “By being here, by working here, by suffering the political dictatorship of a naive, little boy, and the theories which spring from his mind; by being sub jected to any piece of monstrous legislation that this mind conceives, without the right to reject it; by suffering these injustices and a thousand more, the people of this Territory have the unassailable right to a greater say in their own affairs.

“There are two alternatives. The people can either get out of the Territory and leave its development to the official ‘yes’ men, or they can fight.

“And there is the rub. As the Territory is constituted at the moment, there is nothing—absolutely

nothing—to fight with. But it’s still worth the try.”

Gaol Without The Option

Robert Clark, foreman plumber, employed by the Administration Works Department, pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing two sheets of copper in Port Moresby early in

June. The Magistrate sent hit gaol for two months. He haj previous convictions.

This Way To The Zo(

A 5-ft crocodile, which thoug had found a “better ’ole” whu fell into a septic tank in Kalii Madang, early in June, will sh

i itself in a zoo. ’he crocodile had fallen into a t deep hole on the edge of a imp and apparently the steep sides the pit prevented it from escap- It was found by the con ctors for the Bank of New South les residence, Albert Brothers, o will send the crocodile to an itralian zoo.

Calling Mr. Eddie Ward

’he Port Moresby Chamber of nmerce has proposed that a del native village be erected in •t Moresby as an attraction for rists. Most of the nearby native ages were bombed out during the r. t is suggested that three or four ts of native material be built ich can also serve as a market natives from which to sell their idicrafts and souvenirs. • Well, now, that’s incredible! nuabada, Port Moresby’s own ive village, was destroyed during ’ war, and when it was rebuilt er the war, Mr. Ward, then Terri y’s Minister, specified that that mid be a “model village ” Built galvanised iron and sawn timber, ryone predicted what would open. The area now, of course, ks about as picturesque as a igapore slum. It is an excellent a that a few native-style houses built in Moresby. But not for irists: in order that sophisticated m Papuans may see what a native use looked like.

New Bank Building For Lae

Smu

Lae was celebrated recently in the usual Territory fashion when the local manager Mr. Keith Bryant, invited the builders, emyloyees and others concerned in the construction to an on-the-spot christening party.

The building is expected to be year P fnd w°lTbe the largest and most modern bank in Lae.

The Commonwealth Savings Bank has recently produced a new leaflet, “Hints to Treasurers of lodges, unions, societies and similar local organisations” — Who, pretty Often,

don’t know much about book-keep feature Is a suggested la y-out for a simple cash book and state merit of receipts P ay f Available free at any branch of the Commonwealth Savings Bank and its size makes tt “itebie for keeping in a cash box for re f®^"

who ha^l

thelr a “ ounts in a mess ■raatt tt? aiming

Kaa * 7* „+ . „

Son ? eo 2£. mus £ s^ ( -' an " decided that RAAF crews should learn something

(Continued on Page 117)

[?]w Buildings for Lae: Top, the air [?]itioned building which houses the new [?]matic telephone exchange; and below, the [?]monwealth Bank's new premises which [?]ld be completed before the end of this

ut the Territory, where they flit have to fly if war came. )e a month, for the last three iths, a RAAF aircraft has visited Territory from Canberra, where f do a navigation and survey rse. The plane leaves Canberra Wednesday night, and the week’s takes in Townsville, Port esby, Lae, the Highlands, Manus, back to Canberra.

L In Gazelle Peninsula?

ell known geologist, Mr. G. A. V. iley, who has been visiting aul recently, said that it was e reasonable, on surface evid , to believe that oil could exist he Gazelle Peninsula, r. Stanley said that although oil ’ests were now centred in la, the possibility that oil exists le Gazelle Peninsula could not yerlooked. *• Stanley was speaking at a ing of the Methodist Men’s fly at Rabaul.

Ingest Awnings In The

Commonwealth”

spite harsh words about Terri contractors by the Adminis m Director of Works, Mr. Glen, severe criticism of the Admin ion by the contractors (see r) some very fine buildings are erected in the Territory, imed to be the most modern ing in the Territory, Mr. N. ney’s motor showrooms and block, costing £43,000, was :d in June by the Administrator, dier D. M. Cleland, at Port sby, ' new building, built by John is & Sons, comprises show -5 and 11 offices with the sst aluminium awning in the lonwealth”, sun resistant •ws and a combined ceiling and Maloney has suggested that Administration remove an old , now being used by the ury, and repaint the Post Then, he said, Cuthbertson ; would become the most at ve shopping centre in the ory.

Fd This Is What Was

Said

May, the Administration or of Works, Mr. Glen, claimed territory contractors had been ig the Administration by iricing. He said that as far as as concerned he would “get Territory contractors as they

ten robbing the Administration

?ars,” iking in Port Moresby on LB, the Director of Hornibrooks mzie Clark, Sydney, and Man-

aging Director of Hornibrooks Con structions in the Territory, Mr. G.

Noe, said that the Administration would be well advised to set up a committee of private and govern ment experts to examine plans and specifications for large government contracts before tenders were called for the work. Examination of plans and specifications by a panel of trained men before they were let out for tender would do away with many of the unnecessary delays and the inevitable arguments which followed later.

Mr. Noe said that recently he had examined plans and specifications

for a Government job, pare of which he could not understand. He made enquiries from the people who drew up the plans and found that they didn’t understand them either. ‘’They had merely taken some specification details from another plan in Australia and included them in the belief that they had to be right,” Mr. Noe said. (Over)

The Morris Minor car worth £820 which was raffled (1,000 tickets at £1 each) by the Parents and Citizens' Association, Lae. It was won by Mr. Fred Stevens of the New Guinea Company, who has been having a run of luck. A few weeks earlier he had had a southern lottery win.

Administration Takes Ove

Electricity Undertaking

Heads have already rolled wi the transfer of electrical undertal ings from the Commonwealth D partment of Works to Administr tion on July 1.

When announcing the chang over, on June 18, Mr. Haslu said that “associated with the esta lishment of the Electrical Und€ takings Branch is the determinate of conditions of service for staff be transferred from the Commo wealth to the Administration, a] this matter is under examinatioi However, he didn’t mention a sackings; although this has occurn

Well-Known Identity

Retires

A living monument to a ma: kindness to and consideration i the sick will remain in Port Mores after Mr. Max Roth, Department Public Works section supervisor, 1 gone. He left the Territory in Ju for retirement in Queensland.

Mr. Roth started Hospital Ame ities Commitee in 1947. It arrans for local clubs to take turns visiting the European Hospital ev( Sunday morning and to take ale newspapers, sweets and smokes the inmates.

Mr. Roth first went to the Ter tory in 1939 with the Departmt of External Territories. After 1 outbreak of war he became ill a was evacuated on the last t south of the ill-fated Macdhui.

Bad Weather Delays Ah

Craft And Mr. Hasluck

Mostly due to bad weather con tions in Papua-New Guinea, Qan had a period of minor troubles d ing June.

On June 14, the scheduled SI master from South was delayed Cairns. The Minister for Tei tories, Mr. Paul Hasluck, was board, but a charter DC3 fr Townsville picked him up and arrived in Port Moresby only 1 hours late.

After circling Lae airstrip some hours on June 16, that d< Skymaster returned to Port More; Mr. Hasluck was on board this c too, but was brought across to : by DC3 the following morning. r late, however, to open the Gor Show, for which he was schedi: cn June 16.

As a result of widespread weather over the Queen’s birth week-end, several services were layed. The 24-hour delay on Honiara, BSIP service caused southbound DC4, on June 19, to delayed 24 hours.

Bad weather held up the schedi Catalina from Rabaul to I Moresby, on June 13, and this not leave until June 15. The CataJ

led at Kandrian but could not ? off again. The stranded ;engers, Including a six-weeks baby, were accommodated in the 11 community and two food drops e made from Lae. Engineers Lae by boat with a replacement ne, and after working on a plat ri of native canoes lashed to ler, installed the engine and the ilina took off at 9.30 a.m., on June for Port Moresby.

P Missing In New Ireland

Area

len an SOS went out for a 40-ft eh adrift in the Ysabel Channel een Emirau Island and New over for some days with two ves on board. A DCS took off i Lae at first light on June 20 jin in the search. After search without result she landed at us Island for refuelling, stayed night and set out again on morning of June 21. lortly afterwards the crew of DC3 saw the missing launch be towed by another ship, and re ed to Lae to set off on a duled flight to Rabaul.

Projector For Gemo

Island

out the time that Territorians digging in their pockets for the Parian Relief Fund, the inmates remo Island Isolation Hospital, Moresby, made a contribution h brought praise from everyone.

Public Service Association was loved that they talked about ng money and supplying the

hospital with a movie projector.

However, nothing has been done.

Now the Apex Club of Port Moresby is making a move towards obtaining the projector, and is ?7n Übl r a P pea i S? r £3OO There are 270 patients at Gemo. astrav Tivr a mm mm

Astray In A Cold, Cold

world The newly formed Life Saving Club at Port Moresby was presented with a reel by the Bank of NSW in June and was eagerly awaiting its arrival for the first Surf Carnival. However, it did not arrive and the club was later advised that the reel had been loaded by mistake on to a plane to America.

The reel, painted in the Club’s colours, cost £75.

Education For Asians

During his visit to thp Territnrv in June, the Minister for Terri tories, Mr. Paul Hasluck, com mented on higher education of Asian students from the Territory.

Asian students, like all other students from Papua-New Guinea, are eligible for Commonwealth scholarships for tertiary education on the same terms as Australian students.

Mr. Hasluck said that two Asian students from Rabaul, Mr. Stephen Cheong and Miss Ellen Tsa, had completed teacher training courses

[?]lvira"—in real life, Norma Collis—in the [?]rd play "Blithe Spirit" which was pre [?]d by the Lae Musical and Dramatic Society [?]ae in May, and at Bulolo in June.

the aid of Government scholar s. Mr. Hasluck also referred lr. Paul Mow, of Rabaul, who uated as a Bachelor of Lomics from the University of icy in 1956, and who was sub ently awarded a special post date scholarship by the United >s Government. r family reasons, Mr. Mow was id to interrupt his studies in York, but the Administrator now considering means of ting Mr. Mow to spend some in Australia so he could com the requirements for a higher ;e.

Native Students In

Australia

. Hasluck also commented on scheme for educating selected iv e students at Australian idary schools, and on the wide d public interest which the ne has evoked ever since its in mi. iafs what you might call grand rstatement, Mr. Hasluck!) der the scheme, 75 native nts are being educated at Gov ent expense at secondary •Is in Australia. One scholar holder, Dalai Maniana, of o Mission, has already gained Victorian Leaving Certificate »one on to nursing training at ipworth Hospital, in Melbourne, though the students may be with problems of re-adjust on their return to the Terri the Administration is making s to overcome this problem, led guidance is being arranged le students, and they are kept ntact with Territory develop 3, and particularly with the ional opportunities which will ailable when they return. The nistrator has been asked to into the question of providing )le training for the students ley complete their secondary ling so they will be ready to jobs according to their ability.”

Hasluck said that secondary

education in Aus tralia is not re garded as being necessarily the sole and final answer to the problem of higher education. As soon as possible, the Territory educa tion system must develop its own high schools, technical schools,

and other training institutions. At present, however, the most urgent need is to extend and improve primary education, which was the foundation on which all further progress rested.

You Name It—They’Ll Think

About It!

It was announced in Port Moresby in late June that the Minis er had given approval to the inauguration of a staff’s “suggestions scheme” within the Public Service.

The Minister said, “Following the receipt of a recommendation from the Public Service Commissioner,

Mr. Leo Byrne was married to Miss Win some Murphy at the Roman Catholic Church, Port Moresby, on June 17. Mr. Byrne is a Public Servant.

Photo: Papuan Prints.

I have approv recently the i aUguration of staff suggestic scheme within t Public Service, is proposed tl the scheme v

be given wide publicity among c partments, and suggestions will invited from all officers. Suggestic will be examined closely by a coi mittee comprising representatives the Public Service Commissioner, t Department of the Treasury, a the Department in which the offi( making the suggestion is locat The Public Service Association v be invited to nominate a foui member of the committee.

“On completion of examinat of a suggestion by the committ it will report to the Public Serv Commissioner on the merits a practicability of the suggestion, a monetary awards will be made hs ing regard to the value of a si gestion to the Service.”

Plaque To Szarka And

Harris

During his recent tour of ' Territory, the Minister for Tei tpries unveiled a plaque to memory of L. Szarka and G.

Harris at Telefomin. (Szarka a Harris were patrol officers who w massacred by natives during an i rising in the Telefomin area November, 1953.)

Land Planes Nearer Foi

Daru

Airfield construction teams v are working on the Daru (West Papua) airfield, expect to have field ready for operation ab August.

The airfield will enable land-ba planes to replace the old Catalii now on the service.

Asian Flu Inevitable

The Acting Director of Hea!

Dr. R. Scragg, said in F Moresby on July 1 that there 1 nothing more sure than that As flu would come to the Territ( but there was no point in worry about it.

“In fact, flu is here now, it is always, but it is not u: we receive reports of mass infect that we know there’s an epidei on. Scattered incidents of it, at present, are not very worryir he said.

“However, to give the natives \ have no immunity some protect

Mr. K. G. McCrack of the University Tasmania, who was Lae, New Guinea, June, installing eqi ment for the continu recording of cosi rays for the IGY (P June, page 117).

have closed outlying islands to tors. rhat means that no one will allowed into the Mortlocks, the mans, the Feads or the Western nds off Manus. }nly those people who have been sulated with the new vaccine be permitted to enter the ids until we can inoculate the nders”, Dr. Scragg said.

Sseman Down Near Lake

Kopiago

)me fears were held for the v of the Norseman aircraft 3h crash-landed in a swamp it two miles east of Lake lago on June 29, in an un rolled area. An Administration :esman said in Port Moresby he time that “the natives have* only one patrol through there listory, and they are notorious ters”.

Dwever, the rescued men said natives could not do enough them and were the best they ever seen, pitching camp and ing them over the long walk ; to Lake Kopiago. le aircraft, piloted by Captain mchnigg, and with three engers aboard, was dropping lies in the Duna area when the engine of the Norseman gave om an altitude of 500 feet the e landed in a pit-pit swamp, d about 30 yards and then ed over on its back.

David McLoughlin, a senior enter with Administration ks Department, was in the rear he aircraft with Cadet Patrol er R. Hill, when the plane hit they were thrown about the i. McLoughlin and Hill were itted to Port Moresby European lital when they returned by ;as Beaver aircraft on July 2 treated for injuries,

ptain Tschuchnigg and*Mr. J.

[adden, Mendi education officer, were both in the pilot’s cabin, uninjured, sistant District Officer J. air played a prominent part in rescue. He made a 12-hours to cover the 36 miles of razor -5 between his station and where )lane had crashed.

His Should Make Mr.

Hasluck Happy

Administration spokesman unced in Fort Moresby on 2 that enrolments for the coming Legislative Council .ons in August had been a d throughout the Territory, people had enrolled compared r?l people at the last elections, rolls closed on July 1. . E. K. Laws, formerly Corn oner of Police in Fiji, has been ned as a Deacon in Salisbury sdral, England. He will serve ie parish of Shaftesbury, in