Ralph Ormsby : A most solid magistrate

SINCE the time in 1913 when Ralph Ormsby was born at Randwick, NSW, the bulk of his Mfe. his career and his figure have

been developed in the Territory of New Guinea.

He first landed at Salamaua in 1935, going to the Upper Ramu patrol post, since better known as Kainantu. He was also at Bulolo and Gasmata and spent six years in the Sepik River district, and Morobe.

With the advent of the Pacific war, Ralph was on leave in Australia. The Government released him to join ANGAU, in which he reached the rank of Acting-Major, after serv ing at Lae, Bougainville and Nissan. He was appointed District Officer for the Sepik at the end of the war. After his discharge he re verted to Civil Administration and was ap pointed ADO at Angoram, where he served until 1951.

Soon after being appeinted District Com missioner of Bougainville, he was taken seriously ill and spent some time in hospital. Ralph was then made a District Officer Magistrate, serving first at Lae, and then at Madang, the position which he still holds.

Ralph is a massive man and a very solid Magistrate. During the last six years his weight has varied from a moderate 13 stone to a colossal maximum of 32 stone 7 pounds.

He is now down to the comparatively miserable figure of 21 stone, and efforts are being made to reduce this still further. Friends who have known Ralph's former capacity for liquid fuel are warned that his present limited beverage is ginger-beer and bitters, or alternatively, tomato juice!—BßETT HILDER.