A Sticky Mess
pp. 39-40 · Read in the full issue
THE Kassam Pass road, vital link in the newly-opened all-weather road route from the coastal town of Lae to the New Guinea Highlands, came to a sticky full-stop in March. Land slides after heavy rains caused a box cutting at the top of the pass to col lapse, and an emergency route had to be opened. Trucks and heavy equip ment were lost in a creeping mess of mu d some for good. One man in a truck reported he had taken 56 hours to move six miles up the pass but he got out with his truck intact.
The top picture shows the Markham Valley, towards Lae, seen from the Kassam lookout. Bottom photo, taken by Ron Seymour before the pass was closed, shows two trucks stuck in the box cut, with a bulldozer attempting to get them out.
NZ VISITOR: New Zealand Field Commissioner Mr. C. L.
McLennan (right) arrived in Apia recently to see what aid the Red Cross could give to hurricane-torn Western Samoa. He was greeted at the airport by the NZ High Commissioner Mr. O. P. Gabites (left), the
newly-appointed Secretary
to the Samoan Government, Lauofo Meti, and Masiofo Mataafa, wife of the Prime Minister and president of the Samoan Red Cross.
Photo: Samoana.
TRIO: Constable Jack Towatura (left) recently became Rabaul's first full-time native patrol man —doing work formerly done exclusively by Europeans. The centre picture shows Karen Wright looking rather like a cowgirl on a recent maritime excursion out of Suva.
Karen is the sister of Fiji PRO photographer Rob Wright, Jr. At right is Simon Kaumi, of Popondetta, who has recently been ap pointed Deputy Chief Electoral Officer of P-NG. For the past five years Simon has been working with the Department of Information and Extension Services.
FESTIVAL QUEEN: Miss Kolora Nasilasila, of Nadi, Fiji, visited Australia recently after being crowned Nadi Bula Festival Queen of Fiji late last year. Kolora, who is an officer of the Nadi branch of the Bank of NSW, is seen here with some of her Sydney colleagues at a luncheon in her honour. Kolora's trip to Australia was part of her Festival Queen prize.