Customs Dept.
pp. 128-129 · Read in the full issue
Howls at the Fiji Customs Dept.
Big and little liners berth freji quently in Suva, capital and chiea port of Fiji.
Every so often, there are out* bursts of anger, directed again* the Deparment of Customs, becaua of inadequate, or muddled —or botj —arrangements for the handlirl of passengers, and especially ox those who are disembarking, aril in a hurry for clearance.
In June, 98 passengers walked 0$ the Orsova into confused condition in the Customs shed. No arrangl ments had been made to hand! them.
The Controller of Customs (Ml R. A. Emery) said he did not haw sufficient notice of the large nurri ber who would require attention Actually, he was advised two daw previously but the sacrosanl weekend had intervened, and nc| thing was done. Critics had muc! to say. They reminded the Gow eminent that Fiji is trying veif hard to encourage tourists to brini. their money and goodwill into Fiji per medium of ships and plane!
A sin of omission was failure 1 provide distinguishing letters, t( guide the 98 passengers to the! luggage. A sin of commission wa the arrangement under which tty stevedores were breakfasting in tla corridor through which the luggaa had to be carried.
The plain fact is that the chit blame goes back beyond the Cui toms Controller.
Fiji should have had a Po| Authority, long since, to providj suitable wharf accommodatioi
Miss Betty Liu, of Sydney, who has bee revisiting Rabaul, her birthplace, and stayin with her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Chi H. Meen. She was a small child in 1942 who she left Rabaul just before the Japanes[?] invasion.
•ein Customs could function erly. Instead, there is no Port lority, and wharf accommoda in Suva is gravely inadequate, )oth passengers and cargo; and responsibility for handling both rown wholly upon the Customs ials. ie gets the impression that oms are sour and unco-opera- In the circumstances, one can ly blame them. tybe, if conditions continue ening, and the public howls y enough, the move to provide Drt Authority and better ac nodation, will be accelerated due, and overdue. Meanwhile, mne seems to be having a : at the resentful Customs.
and Mrs. George A. Haines, after [?]heir age recently in the Methodist Church, [?] I. The bride, formerly Miss Elizabeth ard, is a daughter of well-known Terri s, Mr. and Mrs. T. G. Kenward, of [?] I. The Rev. B. Chenoweth, a friend of Family, made a special trip from Kavieng [?]iform the ceremony. A reception for 100 [?] was held at the New Guinea Club.