Territories Talk-Talk

By Tolala

/ see where the New Guinea Times Courier has sent wut an S.O.S. for the “derivations of the mountains” known on \the official maps as the Whiteman Range. They lie between [Talasea and Kandrian areas on the Isle of New Britain.

T will be interesting to see whether any old-time carto i graphers will come forward with explanation. &s a stab in the dark, without supporting evidence, I would offer the suggestion that the range [named after Steve Whiteman —a se-time well known Rabaul resident id an all-high host.

“U one time he was engaged by ieen Emma as an accountant; he xrted his own trading emporium Rabaul and was fairly successful 7 a time. His assistant was T. C. see. During the First World War, Eeve was instrumental in captur g one of the German vessels (could r ve been Komet ) down Talasea xy, which was recorded by First 0r 1 d War historian Seaforth Eackenzie or Capt. Lyng.

Steve (known as the best-dressed tan in the Pacific—principally be juse he wore Saigon linen suits in ead of the orthodox white drill) Id open house for visitors to abaul. Everything was laid on —resat everything. Nothing could have ien simpler than that surveyors, ateful for hospitality, bound for >e south coast of New Britain, :reed to perpetuate the name of reir host in some appropriate anner.

Steve married an Australian lass — [leen Deering, whose father was mnected with the turf in some ay. She made an ideal partner tr Steve, and after his death in ustralia (the date I forget) she ill carried on the traditions of the Whiteman hospitality in her home 1 the east side of Casuarina venue.

In the Thirties, Eileen retired to ;r Kokola plantation over on New teland and later married a sea plain by the name of Ovie Hertz, fith other Territorial women she ns evacuated in December, ’4l, took on board the Neptuna, was put hore at Townsville, where she led a few days later.

'Townsville is a long way from the "hiteman Range in New Britain I now, but it is a link in memory’s lain when one starts recalling the ,ist.

And talking of naming mountain ;aks and ranges after local entities, I saw once a map (I think was displayed in the old Macdhui )

which contained the names of nearly every pilot in Guinea Air ways, at the time, for the many peaks and ranges in the Morobe dis trict. I do not recall seeing these names on modern maps. I wonder why?

POSTCRIPT ; In a subsequent issue of Times Courier I note where the indefatigable Mr. A. Richards, Rabaul, has a similar idea as to the origin of the name. Richie should know.

A Silver Jubilee

Another New Guinea news item gives one food for thought. At a meeting of the Rabaul TAC, Rev.

Wesley Lutton suggested that some effort be made to mark Rabaul’s 50th anniversary as “the seat of Government”.

In 1910, the German Government transferred the capital of the colony from Herbertshohe (Kokopo) to Simpsonshaven (Rabaul), a township carefully planned with a wharf suit able for overseas vessels in the heart of the town and constructed by the Nord-Deutsch Lloyd Company, which owned practically all the townsite,

with the exception of Government allotments.

In 1941, “the seat of Government” was in the process of being trans ferred from Rabaul to Lae when the kite went up. The post-war seat of Government was selected as Port Moresby after the amalgamation of the two territories.

Not wanting to split hairs, but just the same Rabaul has not been a seat of Government for 50 years.

However. . . . There is no reason in the world why Rabaul’s jubilee as a town should not be commemorated.

In fact there is every reason, for few Pacific towns have experienced the vicissitudes which have assailed this port, and these are too well known to be enumerated here.

If the people of Rabaul can stage a Celebration half as good for Rabaul’s Jubilee as it did for the Coronation Ceremony of George VI, in 1937, it will do well. Let’s hope the modern trend to neglect the commemoration of historical events does not prevail in this instance.

Panoramic

Views Apexians in Rabaul have been doing a good job of work in clear ing the site of the old Government House on Namanula, which is un doubtedly the best spot from which to view the town, harbour and sur rounding scenery. And what a panorama!

I recall standing on the Govern ment House verandah one day after one of these delightful luncheon parties the McNicolls used to stage for touring VlP’s, and talking to J. H. Curie, the author-cum-Mining Engineer (The Shadow Show, To day and Tomorrow ) a man who

This aerial photograph shows what it looks like to peer down into Vulcan, in Rabaul Harbour. It was an island in 1937 but is now joined to the mainland and there is a dispute over the new land. This is discussed by "Tolala" on page 61.

1 travelled most extensively. >[e waved his hand at the vista core us: “The finest panorama ■* seen in the Pacific,” he said. 0 you really mean that? ’ I cried, thinking of his travels and mte powers of observation. /Most emphatically,” he replied 1 I felt he was being quite sincere, turned to Essington Lewis, who s accompanying him on a trip to Morobe goldfields, who supported n in his opinion, tjid it was a lovely view; The blue l-bour, the varied greens of the eeground with the long lines of inues and the splashes of coloured ngalows beneath the trees. That s before the eruption in ’37. res; Apexian Darcey has the right ea to build a Look-out Hut on s fine site for tourists —especially *se eager to take colour films, jt doesn’t take much to imagine the years to come some pro ?ssive person starting a night :b there with a shuttle service to foot of Mount Mother, connrct with a funicular railway taking ntors to the top of the mountain : moonlight nights ! mcidentally, I’m a bit puzzled why ! old Government House is re- Ted to as “the old German Resid :«y”.

Certainly it was erected during the :rman regime, but was only rupied by the German Governor about four years, while Aus- Ilian Administrators were domi ed there for 27 years, and for s last few months before the Japs ilved was used as a hospital, dis cing a large Red Cross on its :»f. ft was the last building in Rabaul be destroyed by Allied bombing : 1944.

I Missing

icle

Elave any of our readers met up Lh an Edward Clarke at any time?

A. niece of his, Mrs. Edith Kane, ;50 Bickerton Street, Christchurch, w Zealand, is making enquiries 3 thinks he may have been around £ in 1943, after the Japs had left ire. He would now be about 87 irs of age, and hailed originally im Birmingham England. Drop ;s. Kane a line if you know any mg about him.

Old

rande

The par. in my February Talk \lk mentioning the old Penduffryn :erande) plantation has brought nostalgic screed from Roy Mac jgor, of Madang, who was off ler and book-keeper to Phil :elley there in late 1914, before :Dving off in August, 1915, for ir I. ile recalls the days spent “with über tappers out before daylight; ora making; banana culture com led with the cutting and grading

cf same and shipments on the Mindini and Kulambangra and the clearing gangs in the rear, the rest of the day was your own. One had no time for verandah overseering.”

It was from Berande, writes Roy, that Jack Laycock left to go re cruiting on Makira and got killed by the natives.

Yes, Roy, they were the good old days and there were some sturdy characters in the old Sorrowfuls at that time.

I held the fort a year later (1916) at Faisi, where such old-timers as Julius Oien, Sam Atkinson, “Long Jack,” Dick Havener, Jack Cruik shank, Tommie Mason and Hughie Scott used to foregather, waiting several days at times for the old Mindini (with old Voy and Corrigan

aboard) to arrive. ... I wonder if Dick Havener’s ghost still haunts the Lofung inlet? ... Whp is the friendly host in the Faisi store, where once Phil Coote presided?

Coffee

Promotion

It is good to know that lan Downs, the very capable president of the Highlands Farmers and Settlers’

Association, is satisfied with the arrangements made this year for coffee sales in Australia. Let’s hope that sales promotion is stepped up as a consequence.

I live in an average NSW country town and find it impossible to obtain New Guinea coffee. A recent survey I made of local super

tfkets, delicatessens and common 3 garden grocers showed their >iks consisted of American coffee 9/6 lb; Continental (9/-), iTess-o (12/6), Mocha (9/6), Kenya < ) and Caramel (9/-). “No New nnea coffee?” I enquired. “Never iTd of it,” answered the majority the salesmen with a puzzled air. is no small task to place a new on the shelves of shops tied rwith chain stores, cartels and n-like modern ramifications of ; Business. » r ell, here’s hoping the NG pro :t every luck. md while on the subject of coffee that wide-awake Highlands F l Assn., I’d like to mention the lands Quarterly Bulletin which made its initial bow as the As sation’s official journal.

"is a tidy, well-printed magazine, ked with useful information on > [cultural matters of interest to ihlands settlers and seems well ported by local and Australian Bertisers.

Man's id jack in 1937, when Vulcan spewed of the sea and rose to a height • over 600 feet, nobody gave a jught to laying claim to this mass ugly volcanic ash and boulders. was nothing but a pain-in-the -k for everyone: a mass of un i.ile-looking brown earthy vomit. :i 1945, however, after the slopes I turned to green from bushes rn, presumably, by winds and Jls, the mountain lost its stark mess and a great deal of its ght as well. And now. . . Reports m to indicate that litigation is the offing between the Tolai truants and the local Turf Club [Rabaul, which leased the land m the Administration. note that the newspaper report is: “. . .. a volcano burst out of centre of the island. . . .” Actu r, the eruption originally broke just off the north shore of Vulcan md, on which was located a PHD .rantine station. .t the time I remember dis cing the matter of future owner :p, in the Tolai dialect, with a ravia native who was an ardent usion lad. “It was an act of God,” said. “Therefore the land be gs to God.” . few days later I asked another iive. “Who knows?” he remarked, ;cidly. “The quria was the work tambarans. It is something which ;Dngs to them. We don’t want any ng to do with it.”

Jut in these modern days when i ibarans have lost much of their irsomeness in the native mind II God has become the god of immon to others. . . . Well, I ask i. Have they not become well iculated members of the Welfare vte, dependent upon the fatherly

Government in every emergency, with faith that their colour will en sure ultimate satisfaction to them?

Methinks it will take a Solomon to sit in judgment on such a com plex matter. Our legislators, it would seem, will have to make provision in their Land Ordinances for such contingencies as land created since the days of Genesis.

No Colour

Discrimination

Without apology, but with acknow ledgement to Peter England and the Times Courier, I lift the following

paragraph:

At Moem Army Depot, Wewak, Australian Army Engineers and native members of the Pacific

Islands Regiment are working side by side.

In order to demonstrate this beautiful mateship and equality that is spreading over the world, the CO ordered a squad of Australians to empty the pans and clean the latrines of the native troops.

They did it.

The CO has demonstrated his point all right—and quite a few other points that I don’t suppose he would know anything about.

This must come as a reassuring gesture to those University students and others who demonstrated re cently in Sydney’s Martin Place against apartheid tactics of the South African government and the distressing riots in that country.

But. . . . (Over)

.} it not bending over backwards cttle too much in an endeavour to sw that colour discrimination is its way out? I feel quite sure native troops did not genuinely nreciate the gesture. When I was [;he Army— back in the dark days ,;he First World War—it was in i.ed in me that an officer would ier give an order which he, him would not be prepared to carry . Would that apply in this case? jeter England was most circum rct in his remarks. I will go ;ther and say that I think it was jery poor show on the CO’s part, 1 I’ll leave it at that.

Ih or Ihiro? must buy into the divergence opinion regarding the identity of Japanese who met up with hop Wade in 1942 ( Editors’ Mail , March, p. 27), although Alf jig’s comments must be treated h the greatest respect, owing to long (no pun meant there) as iation with the Numa Numa upany and Tosh being employed Ithat same concern, hiring the early days of my in ament with the Japs in Rabaul ieard that Tosh had visited Kieta a senior naval officer on one of Jap ships. Later I heard he had m killed in the British Solomons wuadalcanar, I expect.

"ashiro (who was a nasty piece of •k so far as we prisoners were icerned) was in and around aaul for some time and his rank 15 that of a Warrant Officer of Civilian-Naval type, lefore the War, Tashiro was con ted (ostensibly) with the local anch of Japanese merchants Dwn as the Nanyo Boyeki Kaisha. :5 little Jap steamer Takachicka \ru, with a base in the Carolines, d to service the company’s stores oughout the South Pacific, which wrongly suspect were nothing less n espionage centres.

One of the first Japanese interpreters I met when the Japs came in was the supercargo of the vessel, a congenial sort of a bloke to all appearances. Anyway he did us no particular harm.

Ito, the barber, long domiciled in Rabaul, also arrived as an interpreter with the Nip forces. I believe he was killed in the Solomons.

All the Japs kept their ears to the ground before the war. Many of them thought they were getting away with quite a bit. I remember hearing of one such, living in an isolated area, who regularly sent to Japan charts with soundings and so forth, of outlying islands, which were duly picked up in Rabaul by

Security, opened, soundings altered and then sent on to Japan. And everyone was happy. This particular Jap was promptly grabbed when the kite went up.

But as for Tosh (Yatoshi), who was a fine tennis player, he was the most popular of them all. He bore the hall-mark of good breeding and was accepted everywhere as a wel come guest. He may have done a good job for the war lords In Japan, but he certainly also did a good job for his employers at Numa Numa.

The best adjudicator in this argu ment is the Bishop himself. Come in Bishop Wade! He probably will reads the PIM, even if he is in the States.