Territories Talk-Talk

By Tolala

Some months ago I bewailed the fact that the gentle art of philately was receiving a severe body blow as a result of the automatic franking of mail matter, more especially in the remote parts of the world, whence collectors in the past dearly loved to receive artistically-designed stamps.

)-NG can now be added to the countries where the office-boy is no longer employed in stamp iig huge stacks of outward corre xmdence and the recipients no mger have the pleasant experience t seeing gay tropic scenes and pupations, gaily-plumaged birds nd dignified police-boys displayed mongst the morning mail.

Recently I received examples of ne Territory’s bulk postage frank iig machines. Admittedly there ppeared the generally-accepted ird-of-paradise in the design, but ne overall impression is one of lediocrity and as a small-time col ctor, it left me cold.

Collectors of franked envelopes ill in future no doubt concentrate n pithy slogans. One of my P-NG imples bore the tag: “Safe Appli nces Mean Safe Homes”.

'of!

0 Chips?

A postscript to last month’s “Cry ig Poor?” par. in Talk-Talk : Thus Sydney columnist last month in immenting on a letter from a New •uinea native to a Sydney jeweller, rdering a ring: “The Fuzzy sent 1 10/- in cancelled 3d. stamps! ! ! t said; T could send money, but amps are easier”. Looks, Joe, as if du’ll have to do it the hard way nd send a bit of loot.”

Several Sydney mail order houses, ho look forward to a remunerative •ade with native coffee and cocoa lanters, have been disillusioned.

Goods sent COD to Rabaul and loresby were seldom collected as ie would-be purchasers only under cod the wording in advertise icnts: “No Cash with Order,” and ffused to conform with the system T Cash on Delivery. They thought ley were for free. ie Tax uestion Native reaction to the introduc on of the £2 head tax is by no leans as favourable as some De artmental Spokesmen would have l believe.

Only recently I heard of a Buka ukurai, who had advised his people I ante up. Their reaction was a esire to do him over with toma

hawks. At least that is the report which reached the local government headquarters.

Other areas in that district were also averse to making donations to the Administration treasury (tax department), despite the fact they had assured the Ack-Ack on his visit there that their liabilities would be met.

And what, I wonder, will the native reaction be when the literates read of the concerted stand by the Europeans against the possible in troduction of income tax? Will they, in their wisdom, differentiate between the finer definition of “head” and “income” tax? And let there be no doubt but that publicity in the Press will be of a high order. (See page 14).

Time:

The Healer

It was somewhat of a coincidence this year that while New Guinea “Befores” were tenderly remember ing Friday. January 23, 1942—the day on which the Japs landed in Rabaul—the official opening of the Japan Trade Fair was taking place in Sydney; same day of the week and month, only 17 years later.

Time certainly alters the channel of our thinking and public pro nouncements. That is Time and Trade. Little did we dream in those grim days that the erst-while victors in the Pacific would one day be called “one of our most-valued customers”.

Bound By

Mutual Sorrow

And speaking of this sacred an niversary recalls a letter received last month from the President of the NG Women’s Association in Melbourne (Mrs. Linda Pratt) who wrote: “Last Saturday we had Mrs.

Foxcroft as our guest-of -honour ax a NG Women’s Association luncheon at the Windsor Hotel, and we did enjoy having her and hearing about former Territorians now resident m Sydney. This Sunday is our memorial service at the JJ? which we join the 2 / 22 nd Battahon.

I am laying our wreath on me Stone of Remembrance.”

Down through the years these

brave women in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane—many of them widowed through the War —have welded themselves into a strong band to maintain the friendships and personal relationships first created in the Territory, and which proved so valuable in the dark days of the war years—the silent years when no word came of their loved ones. And much material benefit have they given to deserving cases.

I often wonder why similar bonds have not welded together the male Befores into a composite friendly Unit of Remembrance; other, of course, than the clubs and pubs where such men meet.

Their number is growing each year in Australia as old-timers retire.

United, they could be a useful force for good in the Territory’s future.

Comparisons Can

Be Helpful

It is always interesting and in structive to read how other Trust Territories in other parts of the world have operated under the UN Trusteeship Council.

I was particularly impressed by this fact whilst reading an address given last year in London by Lord Twining, Governor of Tanganyika, 1949-58 (which is also a Trust Terri tory) and his references to the set up there resemble, in great part, the problems which face Australia in its responsibilities in NG. Said he: "It was agreed that under the Trustee ship Agreement. the Administratis power, which is the United Kingdom, was ultimately responsible and that the Trusteeship Council could debate our affairs, could call for an annual report, could send a visiting mission every three years and could receive petitions. But if we did not agree with their views and their resolutions, it was our responsi bility to decide what was best for Tanganyika.”

He refers to the visits of the Trusteeship mission, one of which became “notorious because of its re port which contained a very large number of errors of fact and made recommendations quite unaccept able to the administering authority.”

Referring to constitutional matters he admitted an error was made in omitting the elders of the villages from the Councils.

He said: “Whatever a Council might have decided in its delibera tions, the members eventually went to the elders of the tribe and sought their views. The elders did not always agree with the decisions that had been made and so the delibera tions of the Councils did not always become effective.”

An error to be avoided in the formation of our NG Councils.

The Wringing

Of Withers To Mr. Evan R. Gill (Editors’

Mailbag, Jan. PIM) I extend thanks for his comments on the “Historic ally Casual” par. (Oct. PIM)

He has cleared up the spelling of MacGregor, which had me puzzled after seeing so many variations of the name in authoritative tomes.

My own casualness in referring to the “Papuan Act” is, of course, un forgivable. My only consolation is that I was in good company; for my reference, in this instance, was Stewart’s Handbook (1918 edition, p. 5).

The kernal of my critical nut was really the mis-spelling of the names of three Administrators, which I suggested parenthetically could have been the error of the official handout to the Press, plus a peg on which to hang the remarks in the subsequent par on “Founders or Guiders?”

As for Mr. Gill’s aversion to the name of the capital being contracted to Moresby, that is another story and one which is guided by common usage to which even Fowler bows, with some diffidence, certainly.

Port Moresby is decidedly an un wieldy name for modern journalism: yet I must admit the local Terri torial papers seem to have adopted a "House style” giving the full name.

Come in ERG whenever you feel like it (so far as I’m concerned).

The critic is your friend. I have no false ideas of being infallible and I’d sooner have my whithers wrung to my face than behind my back!

Moving the

Clock Back

To hand from Germany recently a well-travelled copy of The Rabaul Times of March 8, 1935, of the Bad Old Days when BP was selling “Gents Fawn Two-piece Washing Suits” for 22/6 (original price 40/-), Fuji pyjamas at 7/11, and Bleached Fuji Silk at 1/6 a yard. WRC had week-end specials oi tennis shirts for 8/11 and Ladies’ frocks from 12/6 to six guineas, with 20 per cent, discount. . . A round trip by E & A line to Japan, via Sydney from Rabaul cost £9O first class and £56/15/- second, and the single fare to Brisbane from Rabaul was £l6.

An obituary recorded the death of John Bruce, a one-time Lik-lik doctor and plantation manager.

Some time ago in Rabaul there was a controversy as to the pioneer of baseball in the TNG. This from the Bruce obituary: “Deceased will be remembered by old-timers as the originator in Rabaul of the popular game of base ball, when during the visit of the United States cruiser Milwaukee, in 1923, the late John Bruce, ever a popular and energetic organiser, col lected a team of players to compete against the American sailors. This was Rabaul’s initiation into base ball.”

That might settle an argument Three weddings were recordec lan Cartledge, a Commonwealt Auditor, to Muriel Marshall, ♦ Hobart; Tom Goss to popular Nun Mary Elizabeth Margery, of Nam anula. And in Kavieng there ws much rejoicing over the marriage ♦ Bernard Chan to Anna Sui Fong.

Arthur Cresswell was globe-trottir even in those days, and a long traw article on Harbin and Korea appea:. under the initials “AHC”, and is fu of good meat. . . London copi prices were quoted at £l2/2/6 sun dried; 5/- more smoked and anoth». 7/6 more for Rabaul hot air. A item, culled from the officii Gazette, stated there were in all 1* registered ministers of religion ; TNG: 87 RC, 40 Lutheran, .

Methodists, five C of E and on Seven Day. . .

A lengthy editorial centres aroun the need for good Territorii publicity and the establishment of: tourist trade. . . Editor E. A. Jame of The Papuan Courier appears : the Social column as proceeding Sydney on the Van Rees after ss years in Port Moresby without holiday. . . Portable wireless sea had recently been installed at Gox eminent stations at Wanimo, Wewas Marienberg and Ambunti; and o February 26, at 5.40 p.m., the Ao ministrator was present whee Ambunti sent out its first radfc message to the world. . . Shippin. news mentioned sailings of suoj old-timers as Macdhui, Monton < Maiwara, Tanda, Van Rees, Duraw hah, Drina, John Bolton, Friderv and Bremerhaven.

Leisurely living in those days, Ml Masters; no air service acceleratiii the local tempo. There was not much to worry about even if copq in London was only £l2 a to:c Hitler was entertaining Sir Job!

Simon; the King of Siam had jm abdicated and the £ “stands wess against the dollar at 4.85”.

They were really not such bad cd days, at least the atom was m split, nor guided missiles hurtliii through space.

The Soft

Answer It’s going to be a hard task change the ideas of Prof. Blanor Canberra despots regarding tae, ation in P-NG, unless I am muu mistaken. Minister Hasluck, aftll two and a half hours of dealiii with the Anti-Tax deputation froi the Territory, could give them ; definite undertaking on the mattJ: The objections would be “carefun considered”, and so forth.

If past events in the NT may \ taken as a guide it would not surprising to hear that Port Merest had been declared a city as a sale to wounded feelings of Territorial