The Editors' Mailbag

In Defence Of Suva's Tailors

Sir, —We refer to a statement by Mr. R. B. Narotam {PIM, Aug., p. 30) under the caption “In defence of Suva’s tailors”.

We are certain that many prominent tailors of Suva would join us in differing from the views ex pressed by Mr. Narotam in connec tion with the price and period of completion for making a suit.

We are one of the tailoring firms whose clientele includes several Governors of Fiji, as well as the Governor-General of New Zealand, and local and overseas personalities such as Mr. R. W. Robson and Mr. T. C. Read of your company.

We are proud to say that we have been able to produce most satis factory fitting and workmanship quite often within 24 hours, for which we have numerous references from satisfied clients.

We ourselves, as well as many good tailors of reputation in Suva, have maintained a 24 hours’ service for tourists or local clients in need, and we strongly detest the assertion by Mr. Narotam that “a suit made m 24 hours for, say, £FI7, is worse than ready-made”.

D. G. Billimoria

• n Managing proprietor Bilhmona & Co., Suva

Blushes Dept.

Sir, I have been meaning to write to you for a long time now to congratulate you on the excellence of PIM and the changes you have been making. Each edition seems to be more attractive, more interesting and more informative than the last.

Indeed, it must be one of the finest publications produced in Australia and is worthy of comparison with the best international magazines. My criticisms of several years ago have long since become irrelevant! With all best wishes for every future prosperity.

(Rev.) Ian D. Stuart.

Boroko, Papua.

That August Cover

Sir, —I wish to question your identification of the cover picture on the August issue. This view looks remarkably like that from the front lawn of the Relais de Kanumera at the Isle of Pines, south-east of

Noumea, even to the outrigger canoe in the left corner and the trading vessel at anchor.

(Dr.) G. L. Pickard

Vancouver, Canada Sir, —Somehow the sunset cover looked familiar to me, and I know it’s certainly not Noumea, as you reported. Maybe it would be good if you informed Qantas that the photograph was taken in front of the Hotel Relais de Kanumera on the Isle of Pines. I used to work there and remember it very well.

Congratulations for a very interest ing, objective magazine. But, why isn’t Hawaii included in PIM ?

John R. Baumgartner

Honolulu, Hawaii • Both readers are correct. Qantas wasn’t responsible for the caption error we were. Why isn’t Hawaiian news included in PIM? See “Up Front with the Editor”, p. 14.

Mental Tests

Sir, —I am enclosing a clipping from a local newspaper which re ports that 8,000 New Guinea High landers are being given injections as part of a health probe into a high mental deficiency rate in the Jimi Valley.

It amazes me why such experi ments have to be carried out amongst the poor primitive natives of the New Guinea Highlands when here in Australia we possibly have many thousands more people with a “high mental deficiency”.

My husband and I lived in the Solomon Islands for some years and always enjoy reading PIM.

Mrs. D. Corrie.

Mareeba, North Queensland.

Nauruan Beauty

Sir, —Your September cover picture of Miss Milka Philip, of Nauru, has solved a particular international problem which lately has been bothering me.

Ever since the controversial issue of Nauru’s independence was brought to the forefront I have been puzzled by Australia’s reluctance to grant the Nauruans independence. It is now apparent that the political and economic implications of Nauru’s rich phosphate deposits provide half the clue.

The other half, though mo subtle, is revealed by your cov photo. I can now appreciate Ar tralia’s reluctance; for what sa] country, or person, would be willii to forgo the exploitation of su< “natural resources” in the interest i international harmony and unde standing?

Kinza Cloduma

Canberra,

Act

Tonga's Coronation

, Sir, —I imagine you wish I won discontinue my subscription to PL or quit writing letters about certa articles. But I am interested ar often take exception to things read, and in the August issue, I real enjoyed reading about the coronatio: but as usual I take exception to son of your statements.

First of all it sounds like you a] making fun of the ceremonies. Aft< all, a coronation is something sped; and why shouldn’t the king want to really be something special? Yc mentioned their robes and finery. IS one ever mentions the plumed h; and sword-carrying of some gentl< man in Australia. I don’t recall h name, or who he was, but I d remember the picture and it wasn Sir Derek.

I realise I am not an authority o these things, but I have been to th South Pacific a number of times an seen things I wondered about. Fc instance, one time on my way to th Gilbert Islands we spent the night i Funafuti. On the plane with us ws a judge and some other high official on their way to try a case in th Gilberts. They were both fror England.

That night in Funafuti all of u peasants got cleaned up for dinne at the hotel but these two gentlemei really got dressed up in white shirts ties, dark trousers and cummerbund to have dinner with the administra tor, who was a bachelor at that time Nobody made fun of them, but sure seemed odd to me, especial!; because the weather was so very ho and I couldn’t see why men shouh dress so fancy to eat dinner together I also take exception to that las paragraph [of Stuart Inder’s report about the people of Tonga begging Again, I don’t claim to be ar authority on this subject, but I was there for two days the first time. Nc one begged from me, but instead they gave me things. One family gave me a big feast one evening, then wantec to load me down with gifts. They asked nothing from me. Everybody was so nice to me that I went back

(Continued on p. 147)

i week in 1964, arriving in time the first day issue of their tiful heart and island-shaped ps. Again no one begged from but I begged and received. While ng in line at the post office a g policeman had some first day rs so I asked if I could buy He refused to sell it, but gave me. stayed at the Beach House and d a wonderful time. The bed comfortable, the food delicious everybody was wonderful to me I am a nobody. It seems like people in Australia expect Hilton Is in the South Pacific. Take the s as they are. That makes things

jsting.

Gertrude Baker

; Verdes Estates, ornia, USA ;—Your excellent articles about fongan coronation were of great ;st to me. We, too, were there, how different our experiences ! We stayed in a Tongan home rom the centre of Nukualofa, be

yond the small area where homes have running water, so their only source is from cisterns—which were unequal to the increased demands, and some are polluted. It followed that we all became ill.

Our room was entered from outside in the early hours of Coronation Day, while we slept, and we were robbed of money, traveller’s cheques and personal possessions. The police were prompt, kind, full of promises and revealed that ours was not an isolated incident. No results followed our daily visits to the police station for information. f did recover an emptied case that had been stolen. A child had found it and was carrying fireworks in it.

The police still have it as “evidence”.

The police inspector promised us information the evening before we departed, and he did come, with more promises of mailing the information to us, and a request that I send him SUSIOO worth of secondhand clothing which he could sell for ST4OO, and to deliver his love to all of us.

Nothing has been received.

Tuesday evening we went down to the waterfront to see the tupakapahanava, and my daughter was deliberately struck in the stomach by a

man walking by in the crowd. At Wednesday’s feast at the Pangai, a woman attempted to pick my son in-law’s pocket!

On the other hand, we were honoured guests at our house (to which the robbery brought great shame) and highly honoured at the police station; ceremonies were given for us; strangers pressed upon us as gifts things we admired; children and adults clustered around us in villages for happy bilingual conver sations (with no hint of begging)' and small shell vendors helped me collect shells, instead of selling me theirs!

But why, oh why, were Tonga’s, distinctive ceremonies augmented by alien pomp? How much pipe for pure water, how much police effici* ency could the price of the gorgeous foreign trappings have purchased?

If Tonga now wants a tourist trade, officialdom must be prepared to serve and protect it better. There is a need for more attractions, possibly tourist participation in in digenous activities. Let Tonga be her unique, but best, self.

Josephine S. Thomson.

Cleveland Heights, Ohio, USA.