All Of New Guinea

Meets In London

By Gilbert Renton

Browsing through the library of the Royal Commonwealth Society, I came across the article in the October issue of the Pacific Islands Monthly about the “51-million-to-one chance” of meeting a particular somebody from New Guinea in a door way in England. But as a man who has travelled to England six times since the war (and twice before the war) I want to say that the estimate is very much out.

BEFORE the war the chance of meeting a New Guinea planter in London was remote. For one thing, the planter’s finances were well below zero. But not today. These days most of New Guinea’s tycoons hibernate in London, Paris, New York and in Estoril, a lovely watering place on the Portuguese coast 20 miles from Lisbon, where one can live for £Stg.l a day. Maybe you can even meet more Territorians in London than Sydney!

Do you want some facts?

I remember one trip I made in 1956 when I met no fewer than 13 New Guinea people in the streets of London just by chance!

One day coming from Berkley Square I ran into Ann Page and Una

Adams; a day or two later I wjv ambling down Oxford Street and ra into Captain Jimmy Duncan and hi wife.

Travelling home one night at 12 o the London underground I was cor scious that the fellow opposite w; studying me minutely, and thei finally he came over and said: “P Peter Livingstone, from Port Moresbl I remember you at one of Peg£ Byron’s parties when you sang an gave a few monologues”. I repliee “Who doesn’t? I have had many thick head after one of her parties”'' A year or two later, walking alor Upper Regent Street, someoo touched me on the shoulder. It w a charming widow who had beenjj my table aboard the Bulolo en rob to New Guinea only a few montr before. But the real surprise car when the very next day I met] Piccadilly a married couple namr Galbraith who had also been at til

table! . I

Several days later I went into coffee bar off the Strand, and ttt sitting at a table were Dr. Salacft and his wife Jackie Sedgers. We mained at that table for three hoiti Shortly before she died in Swift; land I met old Mrs. Rundnaglei her daughter and husband mafcl down Fleet Street to have a driiw the “Cheshire Cheese”. A few® later I met Eddie Frame, very mi: a sick man, making for Auslß House. And on yet another dajf was on top of a bus passing throw Hyde Park gate when I saw Les Cl walking on the pavement.

Territory people in London are bees around a honey-pot, and can never be short of friends. Peo: from the Territory I see very ole are those anchored there permanei; —such as William Bruce Ball, > Holmes, June Uwen and Mrs. Boh Cruikshank. B In my experience, the odds couHli be 51-million-to-one.