What is the Future

of N. Guinea Shows?

From a Staff Correspondent Nobody doubted that New Guinea’s fabled Western Highlands could do it, although few could have believed they would do it with such fantastic success.

But having done it, they have now precipitated a crisis of sorts: How can P-NG’s growing programme of agri cultural shows be brought under con trol?

TERRITORIANS now organise agricul tural shows as often as Cook Islanders organise packing shed dances. There are agricultural shows from Wewak to Popon detta, from Kokopo to Sogeri, from Dam to Manus. The Morobe and Goroka shows especially have been turning into “musts” on the sightseeing calendars, and now that Mt. Hagen has added all the colour and weight at its command, the problem is to arrange some kind of rationalisation.

The Administrator, Sir Donald Cleland, and the tourist and travel organisations, both would like to see changes in show dates, but for different reasons.

To Sir Donald it’s a matter of maintain ing enthusiasm—of encouraging the natives in genuine displays, instead of their turning up with coloured beach towels around their waists and beer labels stuck on their fore heads. Too many shows reduce enthusiasm and spontaneity, apart from making great inroads into their time and lots of other people’s.

The comment of a TAA official I spoke to in Port Moresby is typical of the tourist agency view.

They like shows —but they would like to see the districts confine themselves to hold ing them on firm dates so that the publicity and tourist machinery can get moving ahead of time. Overseas tourists, especially Ameri cans, plan their schedules a long way ahead —often two years. (Over)

AT THE SHOW. Among the many eating al fresco lunches from cardboard boxes at the Hagen show grounds was Lady Cleland (seated left), wife of P-NG Administrator Sir Donald Cleland. Dozens of tables and seats were especially built for the show crowds and two show rings provided a continuous spectacle of horse riding, cattle drafting, polocrosse, go karting. Five of P-NG's six elected European members were at the show (centre). From left: Messrs. Lloyd Hurrell, John Stuntz, Ron Slaughter, John Chipper and lan Downs, represent the entire Territory except the New Guinea Islands, whose member, Mr. Paul Mason, remained in Port Moresby. Neighbouring Wahgi, township of Mini tweaked Hagen's nose with its slogan (bottom), for Hagen claims it's a pretty good coffee town, too.

The Hibiscus Festival orgam Suva have found that their September date each year is ; off. Shipping companies uoti special cruises to coincide wiii If Goroka and Mt. Hagen ing to be Highlands show comr it’s probably best to start some 3 alisation there.

Said Sir Donald to me at tho “It shouldn’t worry Tom Fill he’s had his crack at putting bigger and better show thas body!”

Popular Western Highland trict Commissioner Tom Ell man who always manages toe unhappy, although its probatcl a trick of his facial expressio

MODERN DRESS. A necktie—not in slender style, either —and a bath to[?] the waist, are sing-sing dress for tl[?] in September, not at Hagen but ate Britain Agricultural Show at Kokoo kind of thing upsets Sir Donald C[?] many others. —Photo: M. R. H

In Sydney the Reception House was place where people of unsound mil taken, as the wag who placed this: the reception officer's grass hut at at airstrip well knew. Mr. Frank H[?] Wau, stands by.

he certainly should have noth be unhappy about at his organ i of the Western Highlands’ first iltural Show in September. It all records.

I town of only 39 permanent [ 1,500 Europeans turned up, t least 50,000 natives! Every and private building was d to the plimsoll, with bales mkets distributed army style, s of new round houses were Steak barbecues blazed the en :ekend to feed the mob—many >m didn’t go to bed anyhow— i natives were reported to have ough at least 200 tons of kau n astonishing demonstration of ing, reception officer Mike Cook, ticked off names from card index as tourists poured aircraft arriving with the regu of Bondi buses. Sixty-nine in ; day is an unbelievable record 'Jew Guinea airstrip. )1 Officer Barry Griffin, in of the native sing-sing s, shouted above the din that as he could tell 20,000 to natives were putting on their :h day in a weaving medley of rease, spears and birds-of e feathers. Many of them me from a week’s walk away, yere real primitives, many of ind they put on displays that l-timers had not seen before, body is likely to see again.

Showgrounds Built

showgrcrunds appeared from e after months of work.

Danny Leahy, who was show pointed me out a nearby hill grounds at one stage and com , “Funny to think that that /here we had the big fight with Ives when we first reached Mt. before the war!” anybody ever know how many s and stayers” attended the Country Club for the Show lir Donald and Lady Cleland lome at 1.30 a.m.—nobody ever remember them being t a function—and Senior In- Dave Crawley’s Police Band 1 itself with further glory by eed instruments for the first • produce dance music. 5 was formal—so the invita d, and there was certainly one of tails in the hall. But there Iso monkey jackets, business horts, white-drill outfits, ber jackets and Lloyd Hurrell, was in a polo-necked sweater, ong as there is a Mt. Hagen never forget the first Big Show at anything that was ever done