Big Uprising ?

Crop of Rabaul Rumours [?] eard About The Big Uprising ?

m a Rabaul Correspondent

5 word quickly went round

jl and district about the

e of October watch out

l big native uprising in

nber.

E of the stories carried with em a specific date for the rising, but in most cases the did not tally. November 10, one story; November 15, ;r. One wag suggested that iber 5 would be more >riate. i the local Press was all set 1 with an account of the when two Rabaul business suggested that the matter be far too damaging and was j the sphere of local respon ournalism. r arguments prevailed, and Dry did not see the light of But as one Rabaul man i out later: “The more we bout it and talk about it, the cely it is to happen”.

Nothing New

fact is, as borne out by a , that there is basically g new in the rumors. Stories r type have been coming and for at least 15 years, and ily longer. Neither is there ng new in the current crop nors that could make the lity of an uprising any r than it was years ago. present collection of “talk” ily first reached the semi stage at a meeting late in iber of Rabaul sub-branch of 3L. ember said that he had heard circulating about the lity of an uprising, and he ted RSL action, or at least sion, in the matter. The t was ruled out of order, and ropped immediately. Never ; the mere mention of it had sufficient to add fuel to the md so the story went the >. its more popular form, the tipped November 10 for the b day and said that the main s would be between native hinese elements. Knives were issued, together with instruc tor their use. man who has lived at Rabaul

for nearly 30 years even claimed to have knowledge of how the natives were going to divide up the land which they would obtain.

"Sleeping With Gun"

Another responsible planter who lives on the North Coast and who has been in the Rabaul district for many years admitted that he was sleeping with a gun nearby for the first time in his life.

It is significant, however, that almost identical stories went the rounds after the double murder at Rabaul nearly three years ago of a young couple, and on another occasion three years earlier follow ing a land dispute; and in the week-end following the first sitting

of Mr. Justice Mann’s inquiry at Navuneram, in 1958.

Police and district services men nave checked, and their findings are reassuring.

It is not denied that discontent and rebellious feelings are prone to settle at times on certain native elements in New Britain. This however, is a by-product which cannot be avoided while the present policy of pouring money, time and services into the native community is continued.

A new radio telephone service was introduced between Suva and Savusavu, Fiji Group, recently. It is also now possible to obtain a direct radio telephone connection between Savusavu and Labasa.