yesterday

Twenty years ago this month it was difficult to find in “PIM” a news item which did not refer in some way to the Pacifism war, which was then in its

third month.

Here are some extracts from that issue of February, 1942; The evacuation of practically all women and children from Papua and New Guinea was completed in .

January. Martial law was declared, j with Major-General B. Morris in j complete control. ♦ * * “PIM” published page after page : of names and addresses of Islands i people evacuated to Australia and 1 invited them to get in touch with i “PIM” if they needed any help..

Each evacuee was also offered a j six months subscription for the $ nominal sum of 2/- (not enough! to cover costs) in the hope, “PIM”,, said, that the magazine would helpc keep them in touch. Added!

“PIM”: “These are tough times fon Islands folk, and “PIM”, too, is? feeling the cold breeze severelm Much of our distribution and busi ness has been dislocated by thes Jap. invasion”. * * * “PIM” reported the death of NGE airman Kevin Parer, who was; killed by Japanese bullets at( Salamaua. Stories of dramatis escapes were continuing to come im from all parts of New Guinea and) the Solomons, as the Japanese con tinued their southward advance* There was no news of what had happened to the European com-j munities on Nauru and Oceant Island. * * * Sir Maynard Hedstrom, of Fiji! was recovering from a serioiai operation in America, during which his condition had been report* grave.

News sources were slow sn “PIM” was under censorship, but t finally caught up with the death ® Prince Tungi, consort of Quefli Salote and Premier of the Kingdonir Tungi was born on November 1 1887, married Crown Princess SaloW in September, 1917, and beca* Premier in 1923. “Despite social rank, his political positio* and the great influence he wielded in the affairs of the country, h remained simple, modest and um affected”, said “PIM”. ♦ * * A drought in Port Moresby which had been only temporarily had set in once more, and thl native food question in mam districts was becoming critical. 1 ♦ * * In January, Mr. Joseph Mitchea became general manager of BP’i' 1 succeeding Mr. Lewis Armstrong who had been appointed to thl post in 1928.