From the Islands Press

PARADESIA has been the name most generally discus sed [for Papua-New Guinea] and it definitely has a real appeal for many people. Such a name would certainly do much to promote tourism in this country, for what world traveller could resist a peek at Paradesia? Nevertheless does it not hint too much of an imaginary South American hot spot?

There are also many abortive alterations and abbreviations sug gested of the present name of Papua-New Guinea, but I think most of them are clumsy and meaningless, and the name would be far better left as it is.

The only other serious pro posals I have heard are derived from local dialects and though the words usually have a haunting ring, I feel that the name has to be understood by us all and there fore must be in English . . .

We, as island dwellers, must feel very stongly the need for a united Papua and New Guinea and West Irian, and, though we realise any such unity will take many years to come about, I feel it will show our sincere desire for friendship with “the other side” if we call our country East Irian. —Letter from Victor Warupi of Kundiawa, in the “Kundiawa News”.

THE recent stir over the en lightening programme from KVZK-TV [in Pago Pago] on human reproduction highlights the unfortunate legacy to Samoa from early zealous and straight laced missionaries that has resulted in a complete lack of sex educa tion and general information on birth control in this country [of Western Samoa].

Since the first whaling ships sailed away from these shores creaking and almost falling apart from lack of nails which had been traded for love, the fabulous South Sea islands have been the dream resorts of West ern man frustrated by convention and burdened with his Christian guilt. But things are not what they seem.

While guilt may lie lightly on Samoan shoulders, despite its prominent part in local humour, sex in Samoa is saddled with con

vention and ignorance as much as any place in the world.

Largely because of unreason able religious attitudes, there has been a reluctance on the part of Government to make an issue of birth control or to even consider any sort of sex education. But the time is coming when population pressures may well change the question from one of theorising to a straight choice between rising standards of living and too many mouths to feed and not enough to feed them. Editorial in “Samoana”, Apia.

THE showing of the film on “Reproduction” over tele vision last Thursday has shocked television viewers everywhere on the island [of Tutuila, American Samoa]. It was unpleasant and indecent by normal Samoan family standards. Television authorities explain that it was accidental and the film was not actually obtained for showing over television.

We hope we have benefited from this accident in that pro grammes will be better screened in the future. It would be good if a complete listing of the pro grammes are made available before week-ends—for the week ahead. Viewers will then have no excuse for watching what they shouldn’t. Editorial in “Samoa News”, Pago Pago.

CR. L. G. USHER’S revolution ary proposal [in the Suva City Council] regarding unrestricted shop hours deserves careful study, not only for Suva but for Lautoka also.

Small traders in Lautoka have been badly affected by restricted trading hours. A point which could well be given some thought is that well-paid employees of the big stores must now shop only in the stores which employ them, and the small shopkeeper is deprived of the share of this shopping which he would expect if he were permitted to remain open when the big stores close.

The lowered take of the smaller stores is inevitably reflected in general trading since the spending canacitv of the shopkeepers them selves is thus reduced, Cr. Usher’s picture of bright streets and

lighted shop-windows is a marked contrast to the present situation when one views Lautoka’s streets at night. Who would not prefer an attractive, well lighted shopping area in which to stroll at night to the present dark streets filled with loafers only too ready to take advantage of the dark spots as gathering places from which they can offend the occasional passer-by with filthy language and worse? Letter from Wm. C.

Branchett, of Lautoka, in ‘‘The Fiji Times”, Suva.

YOUR article on “Do you know your name” is very timely and extremely important.

I think Europeans are inclined to misunderstand the confusion that takes place in Pacific Islanders’ minds on this question of names.

So many of our children who come from Niue or from Samoa or Fiji change their names quite innocently and people think they are trying to fool them. They do not know that a Polynesian has only one real name and that his father’s name does not have to be taken over by him. However, most educated Island people today see the advantage of retaining the family name, and so most of them stick very carefully to the father’s name or grandfather’s name or whatever was decided on when the family decided that they should adopt a surname . . .

Those students who spend hard lives studying for examinations soon realise that if they do not have a surname they cannot be properly registered. It is no use registering having passed School Certificate with the name John if you have no surname. There are many thousands and millions of Johns in the world and nobody producing a certificate with John on it would be even recognised.

It must be John somebody.

So it is terribly important to decide on a surname, and whether or not it conflicts with custom, it is commonsense in a world where there are so many people with the same name to keep to the surname and make sure that your children do too. Letter from F. R. J. Davies. Officer for Islands Education, Wellington, NZ, in the “Niue Newsletter”.