On The Job

This is Norman Mullins, of the F-NG Administration, stationed at Goroka, where I met him. He and District Officer lan Holmes had just paid a visit to Omkolai, and while there they saw a native woman who was due to give birth, but couldn’t.

They decided to take her out with them in the next plane—a three passenger Cessna—for hospital at tention. But the plane was late.

When it finally turned up, they left the patient for a minute to speak to the pilot. When they re turned, the woman was giving birth to a son.

They were, to say the least of it, very relieved, because it’s diffi cult to deliver a baby in a three passenger Cessna. But they weren’t embarrassed.

“After all,” explained Norman Mullins, poker-faced. “This is up my alley. I’m a Native Labour In spector. aren’t I?”—S.I.