Pacific Report.

The month’s round-up of news and pictures of people and events, from PIM correspondents in the South Pacific.

yere Jolf From

Sugar Cut

he Fiji economy received a severe late in October when the CSR ipany announced that the nated sugar production for 1961 expected to reach only 145,000 . This was the fourth estimate i the company this season, i the early part of the season the pany announced that it expected :rush 195,000 tons, only a few isands short of what Fiji may sell sr her quotas. he next estimate dropped the re 10,000 tons, and hopes for a i year in 1962 dropped accord y. ftiile business was adjusting itself the prospect of a quarter of a ion or more less in circulation, e came another blow in September ic estimate was down to 165,000 This represented a cut of at t £780,000 in sugar earnings on most conservative of prices, tow the figure is 145,000 tons, and sems to be firm this time for at time of writing three mills had ;ed crushing and Rarawai mill ) was to close about November 17.

'he figure of 145,000 tons is a e less than the total crush for 1960 :n farmers went on strike and >hing was seriously delayed at all is. ugar is spoken of in Fiji as an ,000,000 a year industry, on about ,000 tons of sugar. With the figure m to 145,000 tons the loss would about £2,000,000 on pre-Sep ber-October Geneva conference :es. ’he company has advanced a num of reasons for the drastic re tion, among them the late start the crush in 1960 and the con aent delay in the ratoon (second wth) crops. lecause of the late harvest the )on cane missed the benefit of spring growth. The lack of fer ;er on the farmers’ ratoon was a jor factor, for the ratoons in the

company’s estates, properly treated, produced excellent results. The ratoon cane which did reach the mills was of excellent quality, but there was not enough of it.

Fiji under her quota could have exported this year from the 1961 harvest (in long tons): British Commonwealth Sugar Agreement, negotiated price, 126,000 tons; British Commonwealth Sugar Agreement, free market quota, 44,000 tons; International Sugar Agreement, free market quota, 14,367 tons; locally and in neighbouring islands, 15,000 tons; total, 199,367 tons.

TAA Loses Money In

Papua-New Guinea

Trans Australia Airlines showed a trading loss of £45,166 on opera tions in Papua-New Guinea during the year to June 30.

If the dividend commitment of 5i per cent, on capital employed in P NG is included, the cost of opera tions in the Territory rises to £75,000.

But the profits on the Australia- P-NG service support most of these losses.

The figures are given in the annual report of the Australian National Airlines Commission, tabled in Fed eral Parliament. (See “Canberra Commentary”, P. 59.) The report contains thinly-veiled criticism of the way in which the Government’s two-airline policy is favouring Ansett-ANA.

It points out that TAA took over the Qantas internal P-NG services

WEWAK DECORATIONS. Sepik District Commissioner R. R. Cole at Boram in late September presented two Papua-New Guinea policemen with long service medals at this pa Mr.

Cole is in white P and standing in front, of him waiting to receive their medals are Cpl- Langa Arum, who has been with the service since 1948, and S/ Corp. Palitak Sanusama, who was with the police from 1950 until last y ear and is now , with Corrective Institutions.

Cpl. Langa's record includes "exemplary patrol duties in the Uncontrolled area of Telefomin.

Photo: D. W. Hawksley

iptember, 1960, “in conformity the Government’s wishes”. 2 report adds: “The Port sby-Lae service, previously ted by Qantas, and which was nly internal sector operating at sonable profit, became part of mainland route and so was 1 with our competitor, ith the take-over of Mandated es by Ansett Transport In es Ltd., the company obtained nee to operate direct flights be- Lae and Rabaul. us meant that the two routes of ;st traffic density in P-NG were d to our competitor. Our jes were reduced accordingly, le internal P-NG network, was operated at break-even s by Qantas, has thus become ng proposition to the Commis i a number of P-NG routes je falls far short of cost of ■ion, and they offer little pros )f attaining a break-even figure, lese routes, however, provide transport facilities for small s of people and the Commis iccepts them as part of its obli i as a national airline.” the much-discussed reduced ids enforced last February by epartment of Civil Aviation, the ■fission says that the runway im ment programme will reduce Tects of the new limitations, addition, TAA planned to in :e jet-assisted take-off equip for its DC3’s and to operate 1 Freighter aircraft. :se steps would provide more nt operations to offset the mic disabilities caused by the tions.

k of Interest"

jva Elections

: Mayor of Suva, Cr. Charles n, voiced the views of think ;ople in the capital of Fiji when plored the lack of interest in ctober council elections, had a tilt at the Fijian com y when he mentioned that in uva Ward only 29 Fijians had :red as voters to elect three illors (only three nominated so ection was unnecessary). : Fijians this year have the lise in the city council elections le first time. The Mayor was ;d to be kind to them when jgested, after criticising the poor ise, that as it was the first time would have the vote they were bly feeling their way. o Fijian political parties, which ored candidates did not appear

iake any effort to rouse interest e poll, apparently regarding their as finished when they announced lames of their candidates. icy had previously come to an ;ment that they would not set up idates in opposition to each other h, in retrospect, was a bad move, would have been much better they nominated one or two more required in each ward just to them experience in electioneering. l they should have made a deter d effort to ensure that those >le to vote were on the rolls, ley missed a golden opportunity learn something early about ioneering in a local body poll, thing which would have stood i well if they ever aspired to national body—the Legislative icil. Local government often ss an excellent stepping stone to nal politics, le Mayor did not spare the peans or Indians, either. He )red their apathy and mentioned even though he was entering his year as a councillor he had to the electors once only. Too Y elections have gone by default this year was no exception, le Indians did force a three 2red election in one ward, but in tier the sitting councillor was re :d unopposed. The last time i was an election for a Euro councillor was in 1959, and : had not been an election for last three years before that.

Fiji Crime Figures:

Drunkenness Increases

There was again a substantial in crease in the total number of offences against the person and offences against property in 1960, according to the annual report of the Fiji Com missioner of Police, Mr. R. H. T.

Beaumont.

There was an appreciable number of offences against property in the Western District (of Viti Levu) dur ing the cane dispute and in particular, the figures for arson, setting fire to crops and malicious damage showed a sharp increase in the period of the dispute.

“There has been a marked increase

in cases of drunkenness,” Mr. Beau mont said.

In the Suva area the figures were more than double those of the previ ous year. The Colony total of con victions for drunkenness was 1,131.

“Cases of murder have increased by one, and there were three at tempted murders,” Mr. Beaumont said.

“This figure is still far too large for a Colony of this size. Most of the murders occurred in country dis tricts.”

The police investigated 13 cases of murder and nine of attempted murder. Four persons were convicted for murder and one for attempted murder. (Over)

A. Stinson (see story below) in October [?]lected Mayor of Suva for his third term.

Mr. Beaumont said that the notice le unrest among farmers in the gar industry, starting in May, in isified and increased to the stage len the police were gradually )bilised and fully deployed in riot its.

The Special Constabulary, which is below establishment, was mobil d as fully as possible. The Fiji ilitary Forces became fully de }yed, and later it became necessary enlist more than 900 emergency lec i a 1 constables to guard lines communication and to patrol ocated areas in the cane fields of ti Levu.

In the event, security forces, work g from 18 to 20 hours a day, were le to contain the situation to the d of the dispute. All security forces ;re stood down by October 15.

artime Echo in

ibaul Tragedy

Three young native children were led when a wartime Japanese inel near Rabaul collapsed while ;y were playing in it on their way me from school in October.

The children’s parents dug out 2- bodies after a night-long search r the missing children.

They said they had repeatedly irned the children not to play in 2 tunnel, one of several hundred 2 Japanese built 19 years ago as )re rooms and quarters during the 2w Guinea occupation.

Clever Be Asked To

‘ave New Guinea"

New Guinea matters were among e most important discussed by the ith annual congress of the Aus dian Returned Servicemen’s League Canberra in early November.

The congress carried a motion seeking from the Federal Parliament a clear statement of policy on the welfare of ex-service residents of P-NG before the granting of self determination.

The P-NG delegate, Mr. R. F, Bunting, warned the congress that there would be great slaughter in the Territory if the natives were left un controlled.

“Should independence come to P-NG too soon, the great danger would not be for Australians,” he said.

“But there would be great blood shed among natives themselves.

“Our biggest problem is to get the

many tribes to weld into one race.

There is hatred among them.”

Mr. Bunting said that Russian talk in UN made the natives nervous that a UN resolution might request Aus tralia to leave the Territory and give the natives independence immediately.

“The natives look to us for guidance and we believe they will do so for a long time,” he added. “We believe we will never be asked to leave the Territory.”

Mr. Bunting said that the soldier settlement scheme had done a great deal to bring natives to a realisation that Australia was there to help them.

Mr. Bunting said that he preached

to all natives “pride of race”.

Therefore he could not subscrh to a Victorian resolution urging t RSL to work towards having Nit Guinea admitted as the seventh sW of Australia. (The resolution was later wii drawn.) “Even though I was born in P-M I feel too much for Australia suggest that we take two milliJ native people into this country wW we have only 10 million of our owi\ he said.

“We have to be careful that we not find ourselves facing the problet which America has with the Negro and Britain has with the West Indiar “Most of all, we would be < grading the native to suggest that come here and tag along as the © part of Australia.”

The P-NG State Secretary of t RSL, Mr. J. V. Knight, told t congress that mixed-bloods were t Cinderellas of the Territory.

Recent legislation which enabx Territory Chinese to becoK naturalised Australians allowed th«x to come to Australia.

But mixed-bloods could not co;c without a permit.

Congress decided to ask 1 Federal Government to ext© citizenship rights to ex-servicemen j mixed-blood.

Congress also reaffirmed its suppc of Dutch sovereignty over West Nt- Guinea and endorsed a policy eventual self-determination for 1 native population.

A Different Fish

Story from Fiji

It’s 80 years since the tH Governor of Fiji, Sir William ♦ Voeux, pledged on behalf of Quo Victoria that Fijians would not deprived of any fishing rights becau of cession of the Islands to Britai i In October this year, the Natl Lands and Fisheries Commission ; busy in the Nadi area to determr the ownership of native fishing rigH; This will just about complete i work so far as the main island Viti Levu is concerned—although nard to imagine what the local Fij;j fishermen have been doing in i interval since Great-Great-Gr© Grandfather’s time.

Record Low on

The Copra Market

As a result of lower than avers rainfall earlier this year, Philippic copra exports have dropped and litti improvement is expected right ini

t. However, although this should ;ood news to South Pacific copra ucers, the position will be offset larger supplies coming from on and the abundant production ilternative oils and fats, notably :an groundnuts and American beans. lis is the position as seen by the rman of the Papua-New Guinea •a Marketing Board, Mr, lan lonald, in his monthly report d from Port Moresby on Nov jr 1. le c.i.f. UK/Continental copra : averaged out at £Stg.s7/10/- for ber and it is on this price that j November shipments will be i. At one period during the ;h prices touched a new record of £Stg. 56/16/3.

I Where Do Those

;ans Want to Go?

iere appears to be exasperation most every word of this message shed in an October issue of the ightly Niue Newsletter, over name of Mr. H. A. Coleman, jrnment Transport Officer; LAFFIC SAFETY; There seems : a lot of people on this island want to die quickly! If they vould they please jump into the rom the top of a cliff instead of ing on to moving trucks. Nearly r day we see someone doing this. are often people who should r better—school teachers, village rs and other responsible folk, makes no difference whether it Government truck or a private . When it is moving it is dan is. The driver is usually looking i and cannot see if anyone slips

and falls under the back wheels of his truck. Those who sit on the edge or sides of a moving vehicle are also looking for certain death.

Those of you who insist on sitting on the sides of a moving truck had better stop to think why we bother to advise you not to do this. We are not writing this because we like to read what we write. We are only try ing to show you that it is not a safe practice and that it can be fatal.

Already one person has been killed and if you continue to jump on to moving vehicles or sit on the sides, then I have no sympathy for you.

It is better to have a slow walk home or sit in a safe position than a quick ride to heaven (or wherever else you want to go).

Nadi Is Tops

With Them

About the same time in October that the International Air Transport Association, which represents the major airlines of the world, was meeting in Sydney, a smaller body, the South Pacific Air Transport Council, was meeting at Korolevu Beach Hotel in Fiji.

The Council consists of repre sentatives of Australia, Britain, Canada, Fiji and New Zealand. It was its 15th meeting.

One question that concerned all delegates, was the continuing impor tance of Nadi as an international air port. It had been suggested at the time that jets were being introduced to the world’s air services, that bigger, longer-range aircraft would cut out intermediate stops like Nadi.

The Governor of Fiji, Sir Kenneth Maddocks, who opened the meeting, said that Nadi was increasingly important to Fiji and its growing tourist industry and he thanked the other Commonwealth countries who

had made possiblex the development of a first class modern airport and terminal building there.

Dr. K. N. E. Bradfield, leader of Australia’s delegation, said that so far as Qantas, Australia’s international airline, was concerned Nadi would continue as a stopping place both eastbound and westbound. Extension work planned at Kingsford-Smith airport at Sydney was based on the assumption that Nadi would continue to be used as an intermediate stop.

He was supported by Mr. B. R.

Rae, leader of the delegation from New Zealand where jets don’t yet operate because of runway in adequacies, who said that he shuddered to think where NZ would get the money to build the kind of runway necessary to get a jet off the ground with sufficient fuel to over-fly Nadi in a non-stop Auckland- Honolulu flight.

Steam Ship Scholarship

For West Samoa

The managing director and chair man of directors of the Union Steam Ship Company, Mr. H, Dobie, at a special ceremony in October at Avele Agricultural College, Apia, announced that to mark the occasion of Samoa’s coming independence and as a goodwill gesture resulting from long association between the Union Company and the South Pacific, the company was awarding two scholar ships annually to Avele students.

One scholarship would be to a Samoan, the other to another islander to study horticulture in a New Zealand agricultural college.

League Tour of

New Guinea Planned

The NSW Country Rugfby League plans a comprehensive tour of

Golf is popular through out the South Pacific, and everywhere women are prominent, with their interest in the game increasing each year. This is especially so in Papua-New Guinea, one of whose women players—Mrs. Florence Wilkinson, of Goroka— recently won the 1961 Lux Pacific Islands Golf Trophy, which was played for among 14 clubs of associates in the Pacific. These cheerful women are Port Moresby golfers— the retiring committee of the associates.

Papuan Prints

them Queensland and New nea for the 1962 season.

Tie League in October authorised etary, Mr. John O’Toole, to imence negotiating with New nea for the tour, he tour will be the most jitious ever undertaken by a com ;d country team. cague in New Guinea attracts the >est following of any sport and ling Sydney referee, Darcy Lawler, sed the play when he visited there ier this year to officiate at the r-territorial grand final.

riga Gets Australian

lined Police Dogs

dsatian police dogs now being ned in South Australia will soon active members of the Tongan ice Force. he dogs are undergoing training Weapons Research Establishment, sbury.

'wo Tongan police officers, Sgt. >rge A’Kauola and Constable Paul ili, in late October had corn ed the first half of a six weeks’ rse with the dogs, hey will take home four dogs, fully trained, two semi-trained, a puppy. 0 far the course has covered dience, patrol and attack work. final three weeks will be devoted nly to tracking work.

1 Corporation Sale

le Extended

dosing date for purchase of assets goodwill of the British Solomon nds Trading Corporation, the Gov

ernment-sponsored instrumentality that conducts the majority of trade in the Protectorate has been extended from October 31 to November 30.

Considerable interest has been shown by various organisations and the decision to extend tendering date was made early in October to give longer time for tenderers’ repre sentatives to examine the Corpora tion’s stock, small craft, plant, and land and buildings at Honiara and Gizo.

After World War 11, the big private commercial firms operating there before 1941, did not re establish. The BSI Government formed a Trade Scheme, virtually a department of the Government and, later, as the scheme grew, it was made a separate entity with the name of the British Solomon Islands Trad ing Corporation.

The Corporation became the principal retail store in Honiara, with a branch at Gizo (where it is agent of the Copra Board, handling the purchase, storage and shipping of some 7,000 tons of copra per annum). It has a number of profit able agencies and acts as distributor for well known overseas manufac turers. Last year, gross sales were £340,000, plus gross commissions of £45,000 including stevedoring and lighterage.

The Corporation at present is con trolled by a chairman and four members (equivalent to company directors), with a manager and nine European male staff and a number of European female office and store employees.

Earlier this year, the BSI Govern ment decided that the Corporation’s operations and the Protectorate’s economy had developed to the stage when it was possible—and desirable —to allow private enterprise to take over and run the expanding business.

No Imported Chops

For New Caledonia

Imports of lamb and mutton will be prohibited in New Caledonia from January, 1962. This follows com plaints made recently by sheep farmers of the French territory that they were being driven out of the local market.

Tourists in Rabaul

Rabaul, New Britain, saw an influx of tourists in late October when the "Himalaya", seen in the background, called in on a voyage between Sydney and Japan. Most of the passengers were elderly. Here is a boatload disembarking at the wharf.

Photo: M. R. Hayes

G&EIC Wholesale Soc.

Has a Share Issue

Native-run co-operative societies the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colon are to receive a share in the prosperir of the Wholesale Society under a n© scheme announced in early Octobeir The societies will be given a fn issue of non-redeemable and no: transferable shares according to tU business each does with the WhoI( sale Society. Interest will be pas annually at a rate to be fixed by fit board of directors. Initially a shas issue of £30,000 will be issued.

Before the war, Burns Philp au Co. and W. R. Carpenter and C (trading as On Chong & Co. Ltd,! had branches throughout the G&EK but they did not re-establish thei; selves after the war.

The whole of the commerce the group is now in the hands local co-operatives which are uncb the supervision of a European At ministration officer. The wholess trade of the Colony is handled by ti Wholesale Society which buys cor from co-operatives and ships it, a;i imports merchandise which the o operatives in turn distribute throut retail outlets.

Questions Asked on

Norfolk Tourist Service

More frequent air services to No! folk Island would involve a larg subsidy, the Australian Minister f Civil Aviation, Senator Paltrid|J told the Senate in October.

Senator Paltridge was replying Senator Nancy Buttfield (Liben SA) who asked for a weekly instes of a fortnightly air service to hei to develop the tourist trade. (Qamr will begin a weekly service in D cember, for the duration of the ho day season.) A subsidy had been paid untill few years ago to Qantas to provr a fortnightly service, which had volved a substantial loss, Senati Paltridge said.

The Administration was keen develop tourist traffic, because t island’s economy was not ve' soundly based.

In exploring ways of developic tourism, the Administration had n overlooked the aid that would given by more regular air service but no decision had yet been mas on providing a subsidy.

Senator Buttfield was the secoo Parliamentarian in a few weeks sing the praises of Norfolk.

Earlier, in the House of Repress tatives, Mr. Clyde Cameron (Laboc SA), noted for his biting condemn

of the Administration of P-NG, Dositively lyrical in his references orfolk. lator Buttfield asked for more 1 on the island. 2 also suggested that the Govern should approach the Australian mal Travel Association to see ier a small branch could be set i the island to encourage tourists Australia and abroad, lator Paltridge said that the l’s economy presented “some ' acute problems”, d there was a note of criticism e islanders on the question of production. idly enough, the islanders have nport foodstuffs—eggs, for in ;—which one would expect to oduced on the island,” he said.

Will Strike

)wn Matches

ne time early in 1962 it is ted that Fiji residents will be to strike matches made in Fiji, Fiji timber by Fiji workers, company which will make them new factory in Suva is Pacific facturers Ltd. and their sales or is Mr. M. H. Akbar who ;ly returned to Suva after ning match industries in Aus- Hongkong, Formosa, Japan tie Philippines.

Akbar took with him to Japan all log of local kavula wood a firm turned into 100 match and reported that kavula was to work with than the Russian r currently used in Japan, s expected that the new factory va will initially employ about ople. ne years ago the big Islands nf W. R. Carpenter & Co. ex -1 the possibilities of a brewery match factory in Suva. They launched the brewery, in ;rship with Carlton United

Englishe" scenes like these make Norfolk Island, 900 miles north-east of Sydney, a fascinatingly different South Seas island At left convict built Bloody Bridge, centre, historic St. Barnabas' Memorial Chapel to the murdered Bishop Patteson, and at right the seat of Government at Kingston.

Breweries of Victoria, but they ( not go ahead with the maix factory.

Increased Interest

In Hovercraft

Australia’s cattlemen are viewv the development of hovercraft asj potential new means of transp} for their cattle, says the firm Vickers Armstrong South Marsh a member of the Vickers Groc which will have a 24-seater co mercial hovercraft in production m year.

These are the aircraft which hx also interested some South Pao islands which have no airstrips, hovercraft travel on a cushion air.

A Vickers Armstrong official sa “We have received several enquii about our hovercraft from Austral] cattle-owners, who think their U cattle would arrive at market in bee shape if alternative transport, se as hovercraft, was available, have also been told that in Austrs hovercraft could be used for Im porting men and materials for fo repairs. It would enable themx cover greater distance in less tinui Vickers Armstrong expect tU craft will be ready for demonse tions by next (European) spn when they will be in a position] invite orders.

Niue To Be Photographed

From the Air

The little 100 square mile isl; of Niue, east of Tonga, is han trouble getting itself photograph!

In September for the second t this year a New Zealand Civil Af tion Administration aircraft had) postpone taking aerial photogrs because of clouds over the tarn They’ll try again in a month or i

Race Discrimination

Discussed in Rabaul

A native alleged price discrirm tion against his people in some RaU shops and a Chinese attacked thee white policy of Rabaul Swimm Club at a meeting in RabauEi October.

White and non-white speakers v addressing a symposium on race e crimination convened by the T Britain Council of Social Servioi The council is a non-statutfi Government-sponsored organises which surveys social problems.

Ephraim Jubilee, a Tolai schl

t and a Government-nominated er of the Papua-New Guinea ative Council, said some store 's charged one price for natives lower price for non-natives, le stores will not allow trade nts to small native storekeepers, ive passengers in New Guinea got sub-standard accommoda id food. lee added: “Without necessarily ding that a native should drink, believe that he should have ght to make the choice. At the right to drink should be sal”. y Kwan, a New Guinea-born ie, who is a commercial artist, labaul Swimming Club opened )1 to people of European racial ion only. is attitude is a strong one of discrimination and is causing ’ he said.

Rev. Father Albert Haley, of Rabaul Church of England, iscrimination based on racial Is alone was bad, but when it to protect a group on r evolutionary scale of society different. •tective discrimination is for od of the people it concerns ust be considered in this light,” led.

The Rev. Wesley Lutton, chairman of the Methodist Overseas Mission at Rabaul, said discrimination worked against the non-native in many ways as well as against the native.

The Rev. lan Pardon, minister of Rabaul Memorial Church, said the present system smacked somewhat of paternalism, where the non-native was the top dog and decreed what should be done for the good of the native.

He added, “If we really want to help the natives, we will have to get in the position where he is the employer, dictating policy and we will stand or fall by our own skills and training .

K| Oia/ /V.

NeW Guinea Warning

On Srantv flnthinn

" LIOTIimg

Rabaul, NG, magistrate in H^ n ° be . r Au^trali^ n . women g °l v ! sltmg New Guinea not We f ar shorts or sunsuits in front xu „ T „ 7 . be ma B lstr ? te > MrF. J Winkle, Court^^ 1118 RabaU Dlstnct He' said that the innocent action of a young married woman in wear ing a brief sunsuit in front of her native house servant had been a factor in the native’s assault on her.

Sem Warak, 30, a native domestic

servant, pleaded guility to assaulting the woman by placing his hands around her waist.

Mr, Winkle sentenced Sem to two months’ jail.

But Sem was released on a 12 months’ good behaviour bond be cause of what Mr. Winkle described as “innocent, but mitigating circum stances” on the part of the woman.

Sem told the Court that the woman always wore “very short trousers” around the house.

One day she sat on the floor ex posing her thighs, he said.

Sem had grabbed the woman’s waist in his excitement.

Sem said that as soon as he be came aware the woman objected, he had run from the house and confessed his action to police at Rabaul.

Mr. Winkle said the factors in the case were the coming together of two different types of social culture.

In Sem’s society, a woman who revealed her thighs was a wanton or at the best was throwing out en couragement.

Sem had reacted in this way with the white woman who employed him and had freely admitted so.

The woman’s manner of dress had been in ignorance because she

was a comparative newcomer to N© Guinea.

Mr. Winkle said: “The facts this case compel me to again issi? a warning against womenfolk weariii scanty clothing if they come to Hi in this country”. (See also Tolala’s “Talk-Talk”, p. «

Mission Conference Sees

Problems, Few Solutions

The seventh conference betw© members of the Christian missio operating in Papua-New Guinea a£ officers of the Administration opem in Port Moresby on October 16.

Discussions were interesting 1 cause delegates got right down to t grass-roots of the problems that feet a changing primitive society; as important because this is the or sound way in which the sort society everyone hopes for in P-M will ultimately evolve.

In his opening address the A ministrator. Sir Donald Cleland, iterated Administration policy mission co-operation, and handed ♦ some good advice—some of whi the Administration itself has i always adhered to in the past.

He said that in the last finano year, the Administration had pc vided £405,200 in grants-in-aid educational supplies and support mission schools, which now numi 3,116. In the same period the A ministration provided £305,264 mission medical institutions.

Later in his opening speech said “One of the great truths the natii have to learn is the Biblical les:< that As Ye Sow, So Shall Ye Rea In other words, the rewards peo: receive reflect the efforts they mu to achieve their aims. Mostly, to s tain a primitive standard of livi' natives do not work very hard. I hi heard it said that few native men,i their villages, average more than eii hours of work per week—rated J terms of actual work.

“But Australians, who prow almost all the money needed to the Territory, do that much workd a day, at least five days a we from youth to old age.

“Now, we must be fair to Papuans and New Guineans. It cm be easy for them to believe tr European civilisation —as they sett operate—provides all kinds of goc and services for them free of chaii They could easily believe that,, their needs increase, so these n© will be satisfied free of charge, as “Of course, we do provide 1 assistance. ... But surely we sis defeat our own purpose if we do (

e it clear, all the time, that they progress faster, not by accepting and doing nothing, but by learn to help themselves. A great part le work of educating natives and ing natives to help themselves, with missionaries.” ission delegates then got down liscussing specific problems and ugh in too many cases, officials able to offer only the old stock that the matter was “under deration”, bringing the problems the open possibly achieved thing. shop Leo Arkfeld, of the Catho [ission, Wewak, and the Rev. W. m, of the Methodist Mission, ul, both had something to say on lesire of the Territory’s mixed community to acquire Austra citizenship. present, although Asians are ile for this, people of part-native nt are not and it is a matter of derable heart burning. Leaders her communities in the Territory been urging the extension of nship to these people for years— have got nowhere. All that Mr.

Vatkins, Secretary for Law and man of the conference, was able

to say was that the question “was under consideration at top level”.

A great deal was said by mission delegates about various practical as pects of education. This was a mixed bag of complaints and observations covering grants-in-aid, absenteeism of native pupils, transportation and ac commodation, etc. But probably the most significant observation made on education generally was from Dr. J.

Kudger, of the Lutheran Mission, Lae, who said he was concerned about thousands of native pupils who would soon complete their education and probably not be able to find em ployment commensurate with their educational level. He said that not only would there be a host of children leaving school soon but the amount of money required to achieve the pro fessed aims of universal education seemed at this stage of P-NG de velopment, prohibitive.

Another subject that took up a lot of time and produced a frank ex change of views on both sides—with out reaching any conclusion at all— was the subject of the drift of native people to the towns. This was raised by the Rev. P. Chatterton, of the London Missionary Society, Port Moresby.

The drift itself created a dual prob lem—it created shanty areas in the towns and, back in the village, it re sulted in a loss of the more vigorous younger people and the consequent disheartening effect on those remain ing.

Suggestions made to remedy the situation included taxing those who left village for town or making village life more attractive. The Rev. D. E.

Ure, of the LMS, said that one reason for the drift was the emphasis placed on the academic side of edu cation instead of tackling the prob lem of the basic economy of the

Territory’s people who would have to live out their days in a village com munity.

Most other delegates also felt that the problem should be tackled from the village end and that nothing would be achieved by prohibiting the movement of people to the towns.

Mr. D. Marsh, District Officer, Central District, said the heaviest drift to the towns had occurred in Port Moresby, largely because of the poor economic prospects in districts to the west. But the same lack of economic potential would bring about movement of village popula tions to other towns. It was inevitable that this trend would continue, and the very movement of population in tensified the desire to get away from village life as those who remained had to carry increasingly heavy com munity responsibilities.

Experience had shown that build ing houses in the towns for the new population from the villages did not solve the shanty area problem, for once provided with a house, the oc cupants immediately invited others from the villages to share it. Thus, instead of having 4.8 people to the house, as should be the average, Port Moresby had 10.1. And when new houses were built to replace shanty shelters, other new families occupied the shanties before they could be pulled down!

Fiji is Closer to

Being in the Black

Fiji in 1960 was able to get her unfavourable trade balance down to more reasonable proportions— £FBBB,6l3 compared with £F3,033,- 865 in 1959.

But while this pleased local econo

mists it did not please

Mr. A. R.

NG. When 17-year-old Jenny Morgan [?]ae, NG, in October to begin training [?]urse at Royal Melbourne Hospital, there [?]crowds of young people at the airport [?]h her luck—including a queue of young [?]ll anxious for a goodbye kiss. The [?]t got off just in time —the queue had [?]icgun to double up. Jenny's parents been in the Territory since 1935. [?]s brother John, now at Melbourne Uni [?], was carried out of Wau in a basket the war, just one step ahead of the Japanese.—Photo: Pat Robertson.

Bruce, British Trade Commissioner in Australia, who was visiting Fiji in October in the course of his duties.

Mr. Bruce said that Fiji’s imports from Britain were about £300,000 lower in 1960 than in 1956 while the UK’s percentage of total Fiji imports had dropped from 30 per cent, to 25 per cent. He wanted to look into it.

However, in spite of Mr. Bruce’s complaints, the UK did twice as much trade (imports and exports) with Fiji as anyone else; Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Japan came next in order of importance.

Over 17,000 passengers arrived in Fiji by air in 1960, and transit pas sengers reached the highest total ever —41,000. The number of ships that visited Colony ports was 343—a150 a record.

Greasy Poles and Objets

d'Art at Wau and Wewak

Although some people think there should be a bit more rationalisation in agricultural shows in Papua-New Guinea ( PIM, October, p. 25), two more were held in the last week of October. Both were regarded as re sounding successes.

The Thirteenth Wau District Show was held on October 22 and was at tended by an estimated 6,000 natives and 1.000 Europeans, some of the latter including overseas visitors.

Wau is deficient in indigenous in habitants —except for the nomadic Kukukukus —but about 4,000 natives from other districts who are em ployed locally, made up the defi ciency. Half the showground was re served for their sing-sings which pro vided a non-stop variety show—and a field-day for European visitors who shot off thousands of feet of colour film.

As usual, half a dozen charter air craft took visitors on day trips from Lae and Port Moresby.

Over 2,000 exhibits were entered

in the vegetable, fruits, farm produi live-stock, flowers and cooking sc tions. Most of the prizes went to b; prominent local citizens—the Hum brothers. Lloyd, who is the Europe MLC for the New Guinea Mainlac electorate, took five prizes and 1 brother Frank six. To keep the ffl flying on the distaff side of t family, Mrs. Frank Hurrell took t prize for the best garden.

The event that caused the most fi and at times something like a rit was the greasy pole climb. The pt was 30 feet high and three feet rout and coated with a thick layer heavy grease. There were a lai number of prizes at the top for t first native who could climb it.

The event started at 2 p.m., aE natives were soon climbing and sll ping back continuously, at tinr forming human pyramids and scali over one another. After the first ho the crowd of natives and Europes watching the event resembled an A. tralian football crowd and after t: hours of unsuccessful effort, ws competitors heavily covered in greaE the crowd was urging the climbers i greater and greater efforts.

Excitement was electric at 4. p.m. when one competitor got witH inches of the top and wild cheeri greeted another climber when ffi minutes later he at last made it. far as the Wau crowd was concern*! it was far more exciting than i Edmund Hillary’s conquest Everest.

The Sepik District’s Second Sho] held a week later at Wewak, was a little quieter than Wau’s being farther away, did not attrs so many European visitors. The. were, however, about 8,000 nativ there and 300 Europeans and Mr.

H. Reeve, Assistant Administrah

(Economic Affairs) officially opem

it.

What this Show lacked in exhibd from European producers (there a

At the Wau Show in October, the cross-cut saw competition created some hard barrackin[?] and even harder work.— P-NG Official Photo.

few in this large district), it up for in the displays of native igs and other artifacts—the sort ings that, as primitive art, sell ibulous prices in places like New The Show was a collectors’ ise—if the collectors had been contrast between the old and ew was the Australian Army’s ition of heavy equipment and mbunti natives’ rival attraction, onial skin cutting, ny Sepik River natives have a onial pattern of weals on their approximately in the place a soldier wears a uniform --patch. This is done by cutting ;sh with a sharp instrument and ig in some foreign material— is ashes. When the wound heals /es a raised pattern on the skin, unteers for the skin-cutting young men who were ready for ion as full members of the clan.

ilar Air Services

i Fiji to Samoa, BSIP

Airways, jointly owned by n, NZ and Australia and ted by Qantas, is developing vigorous international operator.

November 9 it added another ;as route to its timetables with rst scheduled flight to Fale’olo, rn Samoa. s restores Western Samoa’s link with Fiji, which has been ig since the TEAL flying-boats withdrawn.

Heron aircraft will be used on :rvice, which will be fortnightly, light from Fiji to Samoa takes 4i hours and the return flight the following day. The Inter lal dateline will be crossed— is, the flight leaves Suva on ;day and 4i hours later arrives

i n s amoa on a Wednesday. The fare j s £ 25 single In October, training flights were made to Hihifo, Wall! Is, 470 miles from Fiji> which wj „ be one of (he cutting a terna ti ve airstrips on the service, Xafu American P Sa moa, will be the other Fij j Ai jn Novemb er was also sche i ul e d to run its first regular ser vices to Honiara, BSIP, via the New Hebrid a nd to Tonga. The regular service h ’ as been de|a B yed for a B , ong time because of various difficulties, mostly political ones (PIM, October, p. 20). Charter services have been operating at the request of the Wes tern Pacific High Commission, , T t he f ™ ce . using Herons, will £ e fortnightly from Sunday, Novem -19, flying from Nauson (near Suva) to Nadi, Vila (overnight), Santo, Honiara (overnight) and re turn with another overnight stop at Vila. are f rom Nauson-Homara is BSIP people will receive the regu ar service Wlt h mixed feelings, The Government sees it as an im portant link with the main Pacific traffic stream, as do most private 2S,xTi^ sl - ness P eo P^ e ’ f? rsee BSIP being put on the tourist routes at l ast - However, many Government em ployees realise the more direct route will mean a cut in their leave en

titlements. Because of the present indirect route through Sydney, they are given liberal travelling time, which is regarded as part of the holiday.

The Herons take only seven pas sengers and obviously Fiji Airways will have to select a bigger aircraft eventually.

The service is subsidised by the British Government.

The French have been showing in terest in running a parallel route in competition.

Already Fiji Airways maintains fortnightly flights to Fua’amotu Air port, Nukualofa, Tonga. This service will soon be changed to weekly.

Noumea's Racing Season

Ends with Fatality

The racing season in Noumea, New Caledonia, ended on October 15 on a tragic note when a jockey was killed in the first race. He was Pierre Gaze, a tiler by trade, who arrived from France about 10 years ago. He had been a jockey in his youth and took up riding again in Noumea.

He was in demand in New Cale donia where there is a shortage of good jockeys, especially since owners now no longer bring riders from Aus tralia.

Duty Increase Sought to

Save P-NG Coffee Industry

P-NG Highlands coffee growers’ president, Mr. lan Downs, told a hearing of the Tariff Board in Syd ney on October 23 that their industry was threatened with collapse unless it was placed on a sound basis and allowed to develop.

Growers are seeking an increase of 1/- lb. in the duty on imported green coffee beans from all sources other than P-NG.

They ask that the duty be remitted if Australian manufacturers buy 35 per cent, of their coffee bean require ments from the Territory at a mini mum price of 4/- lb.

At present, P-NG coffee enters Australia duty-free, while other coffee-imports pay 3d lb (British pre

At Apia's Fale'olo air

port, a Fiji Airways' Heron on the new regular service and a Polynesian Airlines' Percival Prince. Poly nesian Airlines operates between Western and American Samoa with two aircraft. The air craft in the picture was recently damaged and flew to Auckland for repairs. See below.

Photo: S. A. Whippy

Mission Head

In Ng

In Papua-New Guinea in October, where he paid a visit to the 210 Divine Word Mission aries scattered over four dioceses, was Very Rev. John Schuette, SVD, the Superior General of the order.

He did a lot of flying so as to meet every body in the three weeks he had in the Territory. He made at least two dozen flights in mission aircraft.

ferential and most-favoured-nation rates) and 4d lb general rate.

Under a stop-gap measure last August, following the Australian coffee users’ decision to purchase only between 1,650 and 2,050 tons of P-NG’s available 3,300 tons 1961 crop, the Federal Government agreed that the duty on overseas coffee would be remitted when 28 per cent, of the processor’s total re quirements were purchased from P NG. This operates until April next.

Evidence against the new tariff proposals was given by major Aus tralian coffee manufacturers, who claimed such a duty would put “im possible limitations” on their busi ness, and that 35 per cent, was too high a percentage for acceptance.

All the roasters, however, sup ported a proposal to increase the duty on imported packaged and roasted and ground coffee. One manu facturer asked for a 2/- duty on im ported instant (soluble) coffee, point ing out that 1 lb of instant coffee is equal to 4 lb of raw coffee beans.

The inquiry was adjourned to November 13, in Melbourne. Later, Tariff Board members will visit some of the major coffee-growing centres in the Territory and will hear evi dence in Port Moresby early in De cember.

Tin Can Mail

Is Back in Business

The Tin Can Mail to Niuafo’ou, one of the Tongan Group, will begin again in January—but the only people who will benefit will be philatelists and passengers on the Matson ships who will make the call. Some unkind people might call it a gimmick.

Matson vessels Monterey and Mariposa, from January 17 onwards, will stand off Niuafo’ou for one hour on the day after they leave Suva northbound and mail will be dis-

patched from the ship to the island.

It will be taken off by Tongans in canoes. The mail will be taken ashore and franked and then picked up by the next Matson vessel that comes along and delivered to the ad dresses.

For the moment, anyway, only pas sengers on Matson ships will be able to dispatch letters to Niuafo’ou in this way. If you post a letter to the island, from anywhere else in the world, it will go to Nukualofa, Tonga’s capital in the usual way, and when there is a local vessel to Niuafo’ou, it will go forward to its destination.

The Tin Can Mail was originated by a man called Charles Ramsay sometime after the First World War.

He used to swim out to passing vessels with the local mail tied to a pole and bring incoming mail off in a sealed can. With variations, the sys tem continued right up to 1946 although at the end it was collected by canoes and not swimmers. The letters franked on Niuafo’ou—or Tin Can Island as it came to be called— were valued by stamp collectors.

In 1946 the island was devastated by a tremendous volcanic eruption and the entire population was evacu ated to another part of the Kingdom of Tonga. Parties sometimes went back there to cut a little copra, and in the last year or so permission has been given to go back there and live permanently. About 200 Tongans currently live on Niuafo’ou.

Tonga's Planned Deficit

Brings Criticism

Queen Salote Tupou closed the sixty-first session of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga on September 28.

In her speech she praised the way Tongans had shouldered the burdens of rehabilitating the areas of Vavau and Haapai that had been badly hit

by hurricanes earlier this year.

The Queen expressed general sai faction of the progress being made; Tonga—although some residents the Kingdom had not been so ho]< ful earlier in the session when 1 budget was presented.

The next year’s Estimates for an expenditure of £815,000 as revenue of £697,000, the deficit to paid for out of Government surp> funds.

Some critics described Public s* vants’ salaries as “staggering” and F moaned the £15,000 per year that tr new broadcasting station is costing..; The ever downward trend of cofj —which is Tonga’s biggest incom earner—is not making the amato economists feel happier, either.

AAadang Now Has

Industrial Agreement

The industrial agreement tH originally affected only the natii: workers in the three towns of Po

The Tin Can Mail is to go back in business —but not in the same way as it has been operated in the past. This pre-war photograph shows the mailman swimming—the mail in a waterproof container and a stick in his hand to help keep him afloat.

by, Rabaul and Lae, New i, has now been extended to ig cement has been reached be the Madang Chamber of Com the Madang Workers’ Assn, her native workers in the town Lhe agreement provides for a am cash wage of £2/15/- per :or unskilled workers who will ave to provide their own ac xiation and food—or, if it is id for them, have a stipulated educted from their wages, agreement does not apply to engaged in stevedoring, planta r domestic service, who are 1 by other regulations.

Have Baliem

f Down on Film

American film expedition has been six months in NNG’s Valley finished its work in her. member of it, Mr. M. Rocke -23-year-old son of the Gov- Df New York, who made the recordings, will stay another tionths in NNG to gather d of the primitive art of the people. An anthropologist, . Heider, of Harvard Univer ill remain another year in the to gather material for a thesis, expedition was financed by the y Museum, the American al Science Foundation and the Government. It was lead by Gardner, anthropologist of the y Museum. Much of the film il will be conserved in the n for scientific purposes, but it so be the basis of a docu y.

First Manganese

From Hebrides

The New Hebrides mining venture, the Forari manganese mine, on Efate Island, had produced over 600 tons of exportable ore by the end of Octo ber.

It is hoped to have 5,000 tons ready for the first shipment from Vila, in mid-January, 1962. (See PIM, October, p. 116.) The road-improvement scheme between Vila and Forari, which was financed by British and French grants, is now almost completed and will greatly facilitate the project.

Infested by Bureaucrats,

They Claim

The wrath of the New Zealand Government came down on the col lective heads of the NZ Constitutional Society in October for an article in the society’s official organ, Liberator.

According to Liberator, the Cook Islands are “infested with bureau crats” who haven’t anything better to do than spend taxpayers’ (NZ as well as Cl) money and make Cook Islanders “wait around for permission to plant oranges”.

Also, according to Liberator, the NZ subsidy for the Cooks, which was only £19,000 in 1942-43 has risen to £575,971 in 1960-61. Other complaints were that internal taxation in the Cooks has risen in the past 10 years from £156,913 to £509,041; and that the population of just over 18.000 requires 896 officials—lo 4 of them imported from NZ—to look after them.

The inference of the article was that the Cook Islands were better off 20 years ago before any of this happened.

Replying in the NZ House of Rep resentatives, the Minister for Island Territories, Mr. Gotz, said that the article was “a very unfair attack on very worthy people” and that the Government was having very good results in its efforts to catch up on 50 years of arrears in development of the Cook Islands.

Cook Islands Population

Is Exploding

The Cook Islands are having a population explosion that could soon be an embarrassment to the New Zealand Government.

Biggest factor in the population in crease is the decline in the infant mortality rate—it has taken a pheno menal nose-dive from 262.29 per 1.000 live births in 1948 to 34.33 last

[?]AEN. Back in Lae from Port Moresby [?]lar Territory cricketer Fred Seymour. [?]ls expect he will rejoin his old team, [?]ependents, and take a few wickets [?]f of sports-minded Lae. Fred Seymour the Shell company, which will have sporting identity with it in the Terri- November —Olympic quarter-miler Kevan who will be Rabaul manager. Shortly, Territory will get a brief visit from john Landy (who isn't employed by however). Photo: Pat Robertson.

year. This, in turn, is attributable better health services and the effd of the Government in helping people improve their hygiene living conditions.

The boost in natural increase more than compensated for loss population by migration to New 2 land.

A census taken in September year shows the total population of] Group as 18,369 —an increase about 10 per cent over the last cen in 1956. One of the problems at ciated with the natural increase that more than half the popular is of school-age or less—which me that it is largely unproductive but! quires more in educational and pm health facilities than an adult popt tion.

The population of Rarotcr showed a population increase ofl per cent, since 1956 and this era ing into the main island from more remote islands of the Groujj in itself, a serious problem. Most; the people from the outer isls crowd into the narrow strip of II between Avarua, the administrai centre, and Avatiu, one of the sn harbours.

In comparison with the Co»( Niue Island shows only a 3.6 cent, increase in population si; 1956. Population is 4,868 —668 m than when New Zealand took ove; 1901. As in most Polynesian cc munities, the population declined contact with Europeans increased it was not until 1928 that V reached its lowest point (3,7* After remaining static for some y 1 population then began to rise.

There is a considerable amoum migration from Niue to New 2 land.

Dollar Windfall

For American Samoa

The Congress of the US granted American Samoa an at tional s4t million to bring its ro< power facilities and educatio programme up to date. $H mill will be used to pave the dusty\ pot-holed roads, build five junior H schools and two other high sell buildings. Results will permit students who complete junior H school to enter the local second or high school, whereas only 25 cent, manage to do so now bees of limited facilities.

All Public Works roofing will! replaced, the marine railway vamped, power facilities improri and some pay adjustment in Education and Hospital staff scheduled.

Governor Lee and the chiefs <

a thanked Congressman Michael irwan, who visited American a with his staff on October 10- «■ their aid in getting this special priation approved. Governor ;aid that Congressman Kirwan, verful figure in Washington, is a for his aid to worthy causes hat Samoa was most fortunate ;eive his co-operation. Congress- Kirwan in a brief speech to the hlouse and Senate of the Samoan ature, told the members to use new funds wisely and make it good to their islands.

Weather Fatalities

merican Samoa

sty winds and rain on October used the hood of a government e to fly up and strike Mau a, general foreman at Tafuna rt, American Samoa, so hard le died three days later. The fractured four or five vertebrae 5 spine when the worker re- I the full force of the hood. No tiield was on the truck at the :ew days earlier a woman and ge youth lost their lives when ing boat sank between Aunu’u and Tutuila, The weather was y and the boat filled with water mk just off the reef of the main . Over a dozen people were in oat and in the confusion Mrs. a Lutali, 53, and Misi Tui, 16, beneath the waves. The body rs. Lutali was recovered a few later.

lush To

British Army

ny hundreds of Fijians offered elves to the British Army re ig team that was in Fiji in Oc —but only 200 were chosen. Re included Fijians, Indians and -race. : 200 that will be taken from eems a drop in the bucket of n’s total Army requirements, whole idea behind recruiting ial troops is to avoid conscrip it home—Britain plans an army 0,000 by 1963 and experts are i that she hasn’t a hope of dng this number by voluntary War Office spokesman said in in in October that they would all the recruits they could get the Colonies; were particularly as to have them from the West ; and that Ghurkas from Nepal being considered, netheless, in spite of this an :ement, recruitment from the

Seychelles and Fiji—the only two colonies where recruiting teams have yet been—has been restricted.

The numbers in which the Fijians were volunteering in October makes it obvious that many times the number stipulated could be recruited without difficulty—although whether this would be a good thing for Fiji is another matter.

The recruitment of Indians had the blessing of Mr. J. Madhaven, elected Indian member of the Legislatiye Council, who made a speech urging young Indians to enlist.

The chosen recruits will be ab-

sorbed into the regular British Army and will not serve in special units, Service in the British forces has always been open to non-European colonials but this is the first time there has been an active campaign to recruit them, At the same time that the recruit ing team was in Fiji, the Colony had a visit from Lieutenant-Colonel Hen derson, WRAC, from the General Headquarters of the British Far East Land Forces, Singapore. She was investigating the possibilities of re cruiting local girls for overseas ser vice with the Corps. She signed 12.