Snails got ’em moving!

Giant Japanese snails such as these, brought to New Guinea during the war, caused a mild panic in Port Moresby in April when nine of them escaped from a tin in which they had been put by an agricultural officer who planned to destroy them.

They cause serious damage to gardens, but are not yet a pest in Moresby, as in some other parts of New Guinea. Seven snails were recovered. The remaining two were suspected of having taken refuge in grass near the Treasury, so a make shift flame-thrower was brought in to raze the area. No dead bodies were seen, but officials are keeping their fingers crossed.