Drom the Islands Press

Resentment would be headed off, and some of the •bvious dislike with which some aspects of the tourist trade are >egarded in Fiji might be diluted, f the proper authorities would damp down on the stupid theory lhat Fijian villages, whether well lept or otherwise, are free side- Ihows for tourists.

Complaints about insolent aliens oushing into Fijian houses crop up rom time to time, and sometimes the evidence suggests that ignorant tourists are encouraged by taxi llrivers to behave with stupid effrontery.

It will have to be hammered into unreceptive heads that no tourist nas any more right to enter a rijian house uninvited or to be an impertinent nuisance in a village han he or she would have to do ;uch things in New Zealand or Britain or America.— Editorial in “The Fiji Times”.

EACH week the mosquito popu lation of Rabaul, despite the ong spell of dry weather, seems o swell in numbers.

I get bitten through the net at lights, eaten alive in the evenings luring dinner, and savaged around ny legs even during the day while [ am at work.

I arranged to have my house prayed by the PHD. I couldn’t ;et back into it for over an hour, md was attacked by mosquitoes igain the moment I set foot in ;ide.

Is there anything the Admin. :an do about this plague?— Letter rom “Thin-Skinned” in the “New juinea Times-Courier”. * * ❖

Congratulations To The

Traffic Section of the Police Department for the recently established pedestrian crossings in he streets of Apia.

Pedestrians, among whom are elderly people and many young school children, used to scurry ; or their very lives when crossing iur streets from the reckless and iiscourteous motorists, especially axi drivers.

A great deal of improvement n traffic cotrol and some re

assurance of safety has now been given to pedestrians with the advent of these crossings.

Motorists, however, still im patiently drive to within a few inches of pedestrians, blowing their horns indignantly.— Letter from “loane” in “Samoana” .

THE markings (on the roads in Apia) are a hazard because they give pedestrians the idea that it is safe to dawdle across the road without any thought for the con venience and safety of approach ing traffic.

A few days ago on my way home to lunch I heard a screech of brakes and looked round to see a motor vehicle stop suddenly only a few feet from a crossing while a man calmly sauntered across. A policeman stood at the crossing and did nothing.

He must have seen that the vehicle would arrive at the cross ing first and he should have stopped the man from stepping off the footpath. If the vehicle had not stopped, the policeman would have pounced on it like a hungry dog and the driver would have got it where the chicken got the axe (excuse the mixed metaphors but we are dealing with a mixed up subject). Letter from “Pons Assinorum” in “Samoa Bulletin”. ❖ ❖ ❖ IHAVE received a number of complaints in the last few weeks about wandering dogs.

These dogs are especially a nuisance in and around Alofi. Dog owners please remember that non owners do not care to have their sleep disturbed.

I must also remind owners that under the Ordinance covering dogs any seen without a collar may be shot or destroyed on sight. All dog owners are asked to keep their dogs under control, especially at night.

If this warning is ignored some drastic action will have to be taken. This applies in every village, and not just in Alofi.— Public notice signed by Niue's Chief Officer of Police in “Niue Newsletter”.