The Editors' Mailbag

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hope you can do something it,” Mr. George Adams wrote Noumea, New Caledonia, on iber 20, after tearing strips .adio Australia for what he :d was “playing Soekarno’s game m.” What he took exception to news item that Indonesia was ng the airspace over the cas; that Western nations were Indonesia to settle the West Guinea dispute by peaceful , and that the Dutch were pre to evacuate civilians from NG gs got worse, lat sort of a nation is Australia y,” asks Mr. Adams, “to let a spate of pure propaganda ver her overseas transmissions icr eventual grave detriment.” didn’t hear the broadcast from Australia but we imagine it “actual enough. Australian il radio takes the impersonal, i o ti o n a 1, disembodied BBC ch to news broadcasting— is better than the ranting, one ariety employed by most other countries, if it comforts Mr. Adams any, he ABC “voice” seems to im i what Australians really think two different things, and Aus ; are reacting to this particular as they haven’t reacted in a ion. Traditionally, they are ) international situations blow on the other side of the world is the first time since the Jap invasion of New Britain that happened so close to home. 942, the invasion of Rabaul garded as small beer by the wers; they regard Indonesia’s to West New Guinea in the ight in 1962. But the average ian is hopping mad about it ever the Voice of Australia night sound like to a listener imea.

nation Wanted

)urd Growing

any old gourd seeds about? If 'Jew Zealand artist, Mr. Theo > 12 Home Street, Grey Lynn, id, NZ, would like to hear au. kind of gourds Mr. Schoon is arly interested in are the large s of the Lagenaria family, and

although these appear to be extinct in New Zealand he thinks that they may still be grown in the Islands.

You may be surprised to know that there is, in America, a Gourd Society, of which our correspondent is a member. Members are interested in them as an artistic medium—some gourds such as those in the picture have intricate designs on them; and others are used as vehicles for dried flower arrangements. Some American enthusiasts grow gourds in plaster moulds so they will assume even more peculiar shapes than they do natur ally. Any information about gourds or availability of their seeds will be welcomed by Mr. Schoon and the American society. (The only enthusiastic gourd users

that we know are in New Guinea, where they are made into containers for the lime that betel chewers mix with the nut. These are small gourds but some are decoiated.)

Decorated gourds.