High Court Protects

P-Ng Land Titles

By a Staff Writer

Natives who claim that their ancestors sold :heir land at a “give away” price, or sold it without authority, or allowed it to be confiscated, lave not much chance in New Guinea of taking iver the title at this stage. If the land was iroperly registered on behalf of new owners then lid history can’t be dug up again.

This is the effect of a decision of the High Court Df Australia, handed down in Sydney on November 30.

It’s of general interest to plantation owners everywhere, but of special significance in P-NG because of fears that land titles were open to challenge on the ground of dative custom, despite the granting of Torrens titles, which have always been held to be safe.

The High Court decision concerned Varzin, a planta tion near Rabaul. It ended a series of legal challenges igainst the plantation which were begun in 1958. The natter had been complicated by the loss of documents luring the war, Varzin has been operated since 1928 by Tom Garrett, dr by his widow, now Mrs. Norah Richards, of Rabaul.

The land title had been registered in the New Guinea titles register, but the register was destroyed by the lapanese when they occupied Rabaul in 1942, and also lestroyed was a duplicate original copy of the title, which happened to be in the registrar’s office at the ime.

After the war a new title and duplicate were issued mder the provisions of the NG Land Titles Restoration Ordinance.

He Looks Sweet, High on the Seat, Of a Bicycle Built From Two!

Feaomoeata Penitani, of Pea, Tonga, is up in the world on this unusual bicycle, built from two different bodies by the engineering staff of Liahona High School.

What its advantages are, apart from the rider's ability to see over the car in front, we are not too clear.

Photo: Tulua Bros.