Policemen Of
pp. 43-46 · Read in the full issue
The Islands
ALTHOUGH there is not much serious crime in the South Pacific, each Islands territory has £ police force to maintain law anc order, control traffic, inspect pass ports, register this and that, and put on a show on ceremonial occasions; The uniforms of the various Islands forces are usually a reflection of the historical backgrounds of the territories, with possibly the whim of an early police commissioner shin ing through here and there.
One of these days, no doubt, some one will write a thesis on the rise of the Islands police forces and the development of the various uniforms, Meanwhile, here is a study in pic tures of the policemen of eight of the Islands territoris.
The one on the previous page is [?] sergeant in the Tongan police force pictured at the opening of Nukualofa's International Dateline Hotel late last year
At left is a member of New Cledonia's gendarmerie, which, excep[?] that it contains quite a number ot Melanesians, is virtually a carbon copy of the parent force in France.
Below (left) are four members ot the Cook Islands force, photographed several years ago; and to their right is a Nauruan policeman on point duty.
Fiji's policemen, seen above being inspected by the colony's Governor, Sir Derek Jakeway, are justly renowned for their smartness and colour.
Until a few years ago, they were also noted for their big mops of woolly hair. But "big hair" is now a thing of the past throughout the force—just as lap-laps and bare feet (lower left) are in the Papua-New Guinea Constabulary. The P-NG policeman's uniform gave way to shorts, shirts, long socks, puttees and boots (lower right) in 1964.
Policemen in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony—like the Tongans, Fijians and Western Samoans —still prefer the lap lap style of uniform to shorts or trousers.
At left are mem bers of the New Hebrides Constabu lary in their dress uniforms being in spected by the French and British Resident Commissioners, Mr. J.
Mouradian (left) and Mr. C. H. Allan, respectively. The oc casion was the open ing of the budget session of the Con dominium Advisory Council in Vila last November. The New Hebrides Constabu lary consists of a British section (left picture) and a French section (in the white uniforms).
Photos in these pages are by Qantas, Rob Wright, P-NG Dept, of Information, Australian News and Information Bureau, Max Hayes.