[?]Ewspaper War

Samoa's Doctor Crisis

[?]Elings Boil In

IDENTS of Western Samoa *re waiting with keen an 'Xpation for the next shots in mrnalistic hot-war that de d between an ex-editor of a Bulletin” and the ‘‘Bulletin” ns in August. The trouble to a head over local criticism < shortage of doctors in the rry—but now appears over. r two imported editors of the Bulletin, published weekly in bad left within a short time h other, the newspaper was ted by a local schoolteacher, Rankin, and Mr. James y, headmaster of the London lary Society’s Maluafou , acted as its editor.

Apia Chamber of Commerce y took up the serious threat blic Health caused by the je of senior medical staff, in July led to only one senior 1 practitioner being available from the Director of Health, ras occupied with adminis work, and the 40 Samoan 1 practitioners who, in spite r very good work, cannot fully qualified doctors.

Chamber of Commerce had led an enquiry into the cir nces in the public interest.

Gregory interviewed the ir of Health, Dr. Maxwell, the ;r of Health, the Hon. nuvae, and Dr. J. C. Thieme, itendent of Apia Hospital in ;o obtain their views on the >n. ;ver, when he tried to make pointment with the Public i Commissioner, Mr. C. A. who had been severely sd as being mainly responsible i critical situation, Mr. Brew, phone, stated that he was too 0 meet Mr. Gregory and in [ that he was amazed over »nt page prominence given to sis in the NZ Press. n Mr. Gregory wanted to 1 the result of his interviews he medical authorities, and iticism of what he believed ie unco-operative attitude of irew, the Directors of the an Bulletin”, Mr. E. F. Paul fr. G. T. Jackson, according version, refused to allow the 5 to be printed and Mr. y resigned from the editor f the Bulletin. hen took the unusual step of ling for private circulation, a let entitled “Samoan Truth”, August 13, in which he gave xsion of the events leading resignation.

In the issue of September 21, the owners of the Bulletin, in a state ment set out why they would not allow Mr. Gregory’s criticism of the Pubic Service Commissioner to be pubished.

New Editor, New Doctors Mr. Garth Mead, a New Zealand journalist of 20 years’ experience, arrived in Apia in August to take over the editorship of the Bulletin.

Western Samoa’s real doctor short age, bad enough previously, became acute with the accidental death on July 21 of Dr. W. P. Williams. But measures were then taken to cope with the situation, through the South Pacific Health Service, to which W. Samoa is a party.

It was arranged for a recently retired surgeon-specialist, M. H.

Heycock, to go temporarily to Apia pending the arrival of a permanent surgeon from the United Kingdom, in September. Dr. M. A. R. Eslick, of the Fiji Medical Department, was also made available.

Nature note from Nether lands New Guinea: This is the local brand of cus cus, attempting to act like an Aus tralian koala hear. One of the things it has in common with the Australian New Guinea cus cus pictured on the front cover of the August issue is that both are regarded as delicacies by the natives.