Their Spending Power Was in Doubt

Vwo New Guinea towns which played hosts to 300 tourists Uly were left with mixed feelings—and mixed reasons— *ding the spending power of the visitors. r he tourists returned home to Australia about the middle of ber in the 11,000-ton steamship “Kanimbla” after a cruise to n which included Madang and Rabaul thrown in for good ure. kanimbla called at Madang on the northbound leg, and spent y at Rabaul on the cruise home. r he general opinion expressed in Madang and Rabaul was the visitors did not appear to have spent much during their stay. v he reason for this, as advanced at Madang, was: “They’re ing on to their money to spend in Japan”. And of course •eason advanced at Rabaul was that the visitors had no money because they had spent it all in Japan.

But none the less, there were brighter spots, including a fairly sale for native-made baskets, carvings and other souvenirs. °erhaps one of the most concrete disappointments was the lack iterest in conducted car tours of the Rabaul district. Five ' were planned. Four received moderate attendances, and the —an all-day picnic—was cancelled because of lack of numbers ?. r axis did well out of wharf-to-town trade, and in small omptu tours.

One woman called for a taxi so that she could see “the ificent hospital at Nonga which the generous Australians had i to the native people”.

'Lady, you don’t know how right you are,” muttered a bystander.