From the Islands Press

IF FIJI were subject to the dreadful plague of malaria, people might be more easily made aware of the dangers of mosquito borne disease.

Filariasis, dengue and other afflictions are spread by the mosquito, and the same inde fatigable little brute is under suspicion of spreading the in fluenza-type illness that has per sisted at epidemic level in many parts of Fiji for many months.

The pest could be drastically reduced if everybody set about a drastic clean-up. Surely that is a very low price to pay?— Editorial in “The Fiji Times”, Suva.

IN these days of baton charges, tear gas, fire hoses, occasional fusillades of shots over and into the crowd, and sundry brutality by protectors of the peace in many of the so-called advanced countries of the world, the spectacle of the leader of a demonstration against unpopular legislation congratulating the police [as happened in Apia on March 2] for their contribution to the success of a peaceable and enjoyable demonstration must be unique to Samoa.

Indeed, the whole cordial atmosphere of the parade, start ing from the music of a brass band and culminating in the good humoured conciliatory remarks by the Prime Minister, reflects a political maturity far beyond that expected from so young a country. —Editorial in “Samoana”, Apia.

WE welcome letters which convey the merits or demerits of any proposal or subject of interest to the island.

However, we will not publish any letter which indulges in person alities.—Public notice in “Norfolk News”.

MANY inquiries have been received following an article in a recent issue of the Nauru News concerning repayment for lost and broken dentures.

The Administration Dental Officer says that where dentures are fractured or broken ac cidentally, they will be repaired

as a normal part of the free service provided by the Admini stration Hospital. However, the new arrangements (recently pub lished in the Government Gazette ), which require payment for new replacement dentures, will apply in all cases where dentures are lost or wilfully destroyed.— Public notice in the “Nauru News”.

ON a recent Saturday afternoon two well-known Territory doctors, medical graduates from Suva and Port Moresby, invited me to have a drink with them in the “lounge” of a Port Moresby hotel, a hotel, which, incident ally, I have patronised since it first opened.

When I ordered the first round of beers I was told that I could be served but my friends could not. The reason given was that they were wearing thongs . . .

These two men were refused service depite the fact that there were already in the lounge drinking, expatriates in thongs and Papuans and New Guineas wear ing no footwear at all.— Letter from Colin De’Ath in the “South Pacific Post”, Port Moresby.

ALL who have made their homes in Fiji . . . have a contribution of great value to make to the present and future prosperity and well-being of the Colony . . .

But one thing they cannot claim is the right to political domination over the Fijian people in their ancestral homeland.

It seems odd that anybody should challenge or find object ionable a straight-forward de claration that Britain, in her position of trust under the Deed of Cession, will never permit such domination. Editorial in “The Fiji Times”.

THERE’S a startling notice in the Rabaul police station these days. It’s headed WANTED

—Dead Or Alive.

But the picture above the in scription is innocent enough. Just a £6OO Gloria maris shell.

Columnist's item in the “New Guinea Times-Courier”, Lae.