from the islands paress

THE present pile-up of cargo at the Port Moresby wharf is a disgrace. Tonnage unloaded at the Port in the first quarter of this year is nearly double last year’s figures.

The position is so grave that one shipping agent has seriously suggested that the port should be closed. This, he maintains, is the only way possible to clear cargoes which have been banking up since last October . . .

By inference the Administration concedes that there is a problem.

The Administrator, Sir Donald Cleland, told a news conference [recently] that the position was being “thoroughly investigated”.

How long will this thorough in vestigation take? Until a few more hundreds of tons of cargo have been piled upon the hundreds of tons of cargo that no one can get at?

Port Moresby is a growing town—and with the increasing grants from Australia the growth will accelerate. Greater demands will be made on our already over taxed port facilities.

A start must be made NOW on increasing storage and wharf space before the whole port is choked off. Editorial in the “South Pacific Post”, Port Moresby.

THE opening ... of the new power station at Tanugama nono and the new College of Tropical Agriculture at Alafua, following close upon the com pletion of Apia’s new wharf, provides solid evidence of progress in this country’s development.

No one seeing the massive engines at Tanugamanono and the space-age control panels of the power station can fail to be im pressed by the growing skills of Samoan technicians; and, heeding the words of the Minister of Agri culture speaking at Alafua yester day, no one can doubt the wisdom behind setting up such an institu tion aimed at introducing new techniques and vastly increased efficiency in the agriculture of Samoa and other South Pacific territories.

It is apparent, however, that while development is slowly fol lowing the right trends, it lacks

balance and co-ordination. Public Works is notching some notable achievements but other sectors are lagging far behind.

The basis of this country’s economy is agriculture, and will remain so for some time, but apart from bananas, no significant im provement in production is fore seen for years ahead.— Editorial in “Samoana”, Apia, Western Samoa.

NORFOLK’S bush telegraph can be pretty vicious at times and it is usually extremely difficult for the victim to hit back.

One of our well-known local identities is supposed to have gone broke (not saving money) much to the delight of some merchants. Just how accurate are these rumours?

Enquiry at the Registrar of Lands, after paying search fee, revealed that some of the most valuable real estate on Norfolk Island, worth a small fortune, was without a trace of a mortage and apparently unencumbered. A further search with the Registrar of the Court showed that no writs had been issued and a bank’s opinion just said “honours all obligations”. It would appear that someone in our midst is trying to stir up trouble bv making up these rumours. “Observer”, in the “Norfolk Islander”.

MANY people will be appalled to realise that conditions in Chimbu have worsened to such an extent that the police are to be issued with full riot equipment —including tear gas.

Presumably, if the police department are taking such bold and drastic action, we can expect that last Saturdays’ riot [when a number of local people including Waiye-Siune, New Guinean member for Chimbu in the House of Assembly, were involved in a disturbance at the Kundiawa Hotel and were later fined for offensive behaviour! is not an isolated incident and that more are to be expected.

In this riot, the main contribut ing factor appeared to be dis torted and unfounded emotion oc casioned by excessive drinking, and not “reasoned” indignation

at true racial discrimination. If this is the reaction of a few of the so-called “educated elite” to alcohol, then we can surely expect more trouble. The wave of ex cessive drinking by those who do not have a drinking background must be nipped in the bud now, before anything really serious happens.

Will the existence of riot equip ment effect this? Will this show that neither the police nor the Administration will tolerate this sort of behaviour? Surely a few stiff sentences for offenders, com bined with instant dismissal from their work, and repatriation, would curb this before it gets out of hand?— Editorial in the “Kundiawa News”, New Guinea.

Government notice. The following information con cerning the broadcast of messages over radio station ZCO is printed hereunder for the information of the general public.

Lost Property. The Com

mission will accept messages advertising for lost property but these may not contain accusa tions of theft.

Notices Containing Ac

CUSATIONS. No message, whether it be submitted by a Government Department or by an individual, may contain any accusation of dishonesty or other misdemeanour; nor may it con tain any threat. Such matters should be the subject of cor respondence between individuals or a Government Department and an individual.— Notice signed by the Secretary to the Govern ment in “The Chronicle”, Nukua lofa.

UGLINESS is spreading in these islands, and unless the public conscience is awakened to active and continuous revolt against needless ugliness, the result will be a major disaster, . . .

Nobody has yet fixed the divid ing line at which sound economic development and the proper utilisation of natural resources becomes ruthless and destructive exploitation. Perhaps the question will be answered too late, when natural resources and natural beauty have gone—and then a crushing bill will have to be paid. —Editorial in “The Fiji Times”, Suva.