Association

[?]o Keep Their Memories Green

Apua-New Guinea

Ormed In Aust.

A big group of former Papua ew Guinea residents now living i Australia has formed a new

rganisation called the Papua

ew Guinea Association.

IHE organisation will have its . initial general meeting in Mel bourne late in January, when it >pes to work out a constitution id put itself on an official footing.

Interest already shown in the sociation indicates that it will get [ to a fast start —which is not sur ging, because no other associa m with a similar membership :ists.

It has been proposed that full embership will be open to men who ive lived for a reasonable period Papua or New Guinea, and that eir wives or women residents of

the Territory be given associate membership.

Idea for the association started 12 months ago, when Tom Drury and Gene Mann, both formerly with DCA in the Territory, and now working in Melbourne, discussed it over a few drinks.

Quickly Spread

They spread the idea around, and later about 30 men interested met in a Melbourne hotel and decided to take the scheme further by arranging an official function.

The function —a smoko —eventually took place at the Sabloniere Hotel, where it was decided to see how a club would progress for six to 12 months or so.

The last few months have seen the idea snow-ball, which is why a general meeting to properly con stitute the club has now been arranged. A Buffet Tea, held at the Hotel Cecil, Melbourne, on No vember 29, was attended by more than 70 people, and the investigat ing i committee for the pilot asso ciation has a mailing list of 150 people, all of whom are interested.

Objects

< Some of these include a former director of DCA in P-NG, John Arthur; Don Williams, of Vacuum Oil; Colonel Bill Young, Colonel Bert Sabin, Major Laurie Sheedy,

and a wide representation of the business world.

The aims and objects of the new association will be: 1. To further in terest in the Territory of P-NG. 2.

To maintain good fellowship with present and past residents of the Territory. 3. To, when practical, assist any worthy cause in the Terri tory.

The organisers have already had several talks with members of the New Guinea Women’s Association, which has done a tremendous lot of work for the Territory in the last few years, and has been promised support.

Anyone wanting to get on the mailing list of the new Association should contact Gene Mann, at 382 Latrobe St., Melbourne, CL