Do You Remember?
p. 22 · Read in the full issue
From RIM of 20 Years ago
THE year 1937 was a fairly busy one in the Pacific, but by year’s end things seemed to be running down, and December trailed off quietly as far as news was con cerned.
Yet there were pressures building up, and PIM in an editorial that month was warning that the Japs “will turn to the Pacific after China, and there must be a cruel and bitter Pacific war, in due season.”
But Pearl Harbour was still four years away.
Here are some items from our issue of December, 1937: The big news for New Guinea was the re port of the Commonwealth committee of ex perts set up to inquire into the site of New Guinea administrative headquarters. The gist of the 30 foolscap pages was that Rabaul should be abandoned "early", for there was serious danger of future eruptions. Australian newspapers, which splashed the story, began picking new sites—both Madang and Salamaua were suggested, and somebody even mentioned Wau.
In Port Moresby, people were being issued with "water ration cards", entitling them to
four gallons a person a day (Sunday ra for the houseboy was half a gallon).' sjs ' ' ' A conference of weather experts from over the Pacific was being held in Auck: to co-ordinate requirements on weather infoi tion for Pacific airline services, when ' started. Only one service was already operation, PAA across the North Pacific Hongkong. There was still uncertainty al the starting date for the long-awaited Sd Pacific PAA service between Hawaii and A i land.
The Fiji Legislative Council voted to s|. £50,000 for a motor vessel to replace Government yacht "Pioneer". But this would be different. It would have two i and a stern designed for minesweeping. * =!: * William Morris Hughes, Australia's war Prime Minister, was appointed Minister External Affairs, in control of Austrs territories—and there was enthusiasm for i appointment in the islands. * * * There were also cheers because the Toi budget had at last shown a surplus, and Til was in the healthiest financial state for s years. The depression had finally passed fa