from the Islands Press

THIS afternoon, an RNZAF Sunderland will fly over Suva for the last time as an operational aircraft based on Laucala Bay.

It is not easy for the people of Fiji, and particularly those of Suva, to realise that Sunderlands will be seen no more overhead or at their moorings in Laucala Bay, and that the last training exercise, the last air-sea rescue search and the last mercy flight have been made from the Bay, The gratitude of the people of Fiji for the protection given in time of war, and the service freely offered since then to meet needs and to cope with emergencies out side the military sphere, will re main for a very long time in the hearts of the Colony’s people.

So they will say good-bye this afternoon with sadness, the sadness with which one parts from a true friend. Editorial in the “Fiji Times”, Suva.

LOOKING for a good invest ment? Observer in charge of Mulinuu Observatory, Phillip Muller, suggests that there is no better investment for the future than a club, for there is every chance that in another fifteen years Apia will be seriously short of water, and beer may well be the only thing fit to drink.

According to Mr. Muller’s figures, at the present time Apia has about three times as much water available than the town needs—but with the rapid growth of population this surplus will soon disappear.

In most countries no one is allowed to set foot in water catch ment areas. In Samoa people pass through these areas with their animals daily, hunters kill pigs leaving the entrails to rot and seep into reservoirs, and farmers use dangerous sprays above the areas.

Mr. Muller said that after the French nuclear test last year, radio active contamination of Apia’s water for a week went five times above the permissible safety level. —ltem in “Advertiser", Apia.

IT is now a popular habit of small children (mainly on Betio) to stay awake all night, which is not very wise. This habit

will certainly bring the children to a poor education, and which will not raise their people to a higher standard. If these children are left neglected they will never learn what life means to them in the future. It would be advisable for parents to stop their children from roaming about at night doing things that are not very pleasant.

Children should be reminded that life during their childhood is very *precious and it would seem worthwhile for parents to com sider and improve their children’s lives.

If, however, mothers take time to explain, patiently and lovingly, the child will listen and soon will learn what he does not under stand.— Letter in the GEIC “Colony Information Notes".

FOUND: One bar of laundry soap outside the Post Office last Thursday. Claimants please enquire at the Post Office.— Notice in “Tohi Tala Niue”, Niue.

I AM writing to ask why do people who work in District Headquarters (like Buka, Manus, Kavieng, Daru, Wewak and other places) receive many allowances and also get higher wages than people who work in the out stations?

I think most of the money comes into the Territory from the work of people outside the Dis trict Headquarters, from the plan tations and out-stations. I think that in a few years people might not want to work in these places any more. They will want to work in towns and get bigger pays.

There should not be a big dif ference between our wages. We have the same knowledge, we work the same, we all have wives and children to look after.

It also costs more to live outside the towns. A trade store at Kunua in Bougainville, where I work, sells a tin of corned beef for 60 cents. The same tin costs 45 cents in town.— Letter in “Our News", administration newspaper, Port Moresby.

A NEWSPAPER report from New Plymouth (NZ) gives what appears to be some alarming

statistics on the motor traffic here [on Niue]. Interviewing Con stable Viliamutama while he was undergoing part of his training as a traffic officer, the reporter has elicited the amazing news that 15 new cars arrive on Niue every month from New Zealand.

What we would like to know is where do all these shining new vehicles go to and how do they come? Unless they are the kind of car that comes in a box the size of a match box the Tofua would arrive here every fourth Saturday absolutely chocka-block.

Visions of queues of happy owners lining up at the Treasury to take delivery, the problems of finding parking space each morning, traffic lights at Utuko Corner, rise before our eyes. Alas, the vision fades.

Investigation shows that about 15 new cars arrive each year, not each month. And they come from Suva, where delivery is given promptly and cheaply—all we get from New Zealand are a few old fourth-hand rattletraps that should never have been allowed into the country.— Editorial in “Tohi Tala Niue", Niue.

AN octopus caught an eagle in a West New Britain river last week. A correspondent, Mr. James Tomalagene, said he was walking near the Russemi River with a friend when he saw the eagle swoop down into the river, ap parently to catch a fish.

When the eagle did not come up again, the two men went to find out what had happened.

They found that an octopus had caught the bird.

Mr. Tomalagene said he and his friend killed both the eagle and the octopus.— News item in the “Times Courier", Lae.

It/TAY I inquire when, if ever, . "*■ w . e are . to h av e tele vision in this country? I believe television has great educational value. If American Samoa can have it. why can’t we?— Letter in the “Fiji Times".

WANTED: A regular supply of hen eggs to enhance the growth of a small child. Apply Peterson. Notice in “Pinnacle Post”, Nauru.