Yesterday
p. 78 · Read in the full issue
What was happening in the
South Pacific 20 years ago this
month? Here are some extracts
from “PIM” of May, 1942:
The New Caledonian Chamber of Agriculture was discussing repatriation of Tonkinese (now Vietnamese) working as labourers, and adopted a resolution calling on the Government to pass a law to allow them to remain in employment “for the duration of the war”. Most Vietnamese in New Caledonia were finally re patriated only at the end of last year. * ♦ ♦ The "Western Samoa Mall”, a weekly newspaper established in Apia in 1901, suspended publica tion on March 28. Owner editor J. W. Liston said the suspension was caused by circumstances over which he had no control—the war.
There was a growing paper short age and skilled men were going to the war. * ♦ * At a public meeting in Sydney on May 14 the Pacific Territories Association was formed. It was a mutual-help organisation of evacuees of Pacific Territories. The chair was taken temporarily on behalf of the convenors by Mr.
R. W. Robson, who said that the Association would help evacuees obtain the assistance and con sideration that was due to them in Australia, and help with such matters as war damage, and, eventually, re-establishment of the population after the war. • • • Coconut planters throughout what was left of the South Seas were reported to be "doing their utmost to produce every possible bag of copra, to take advantage of the exceptional price”. But the increase in output was very far behind the demands of the united nations and that position "is likely to remain”^ * * * Among the escape stories was an account by Capt. T. C. Doughty who was on auxiliary ketch "Helena A” in the lagoon at Tarawa when the Japanese machine-gunned it. Two natives dived overboard but Capt.
Doughty lay flat on the deck till the firing ceased. He and 24 other Europeans escaped in a motor launch and a life boat. * » • Squadron Leader Raymond Gurney, formally chief pilot in New Guinea for Guinea Air ways Ltd., and who had flown more than one million miles with that firm and with Qantas, was killed while serving with the