Sepik too

Depressed Sepik too much for him

Prom a Wewak correspondent John Pasquarelli, colourful Sepik trader and former Mem ber of the House of Assembly (he did not nominate for the re cent elections) is in Brisbane, gone finish from the territory.

“I have become disillusioned,” said Mr. Pasquarelli, “with the con tinued depression and non-develop ment of the Sepik.”

Born the son of a medical prac titioner in 1937, Mr. Pasquarelli was educated at Ballarat Grammar and studied law for three years at Bris bane University,

Crocodile shooter

After a year on the opal fields at Goober Pedy, he went to the territory in 1961 as a cadet patrol officer. A year later he resigned and set up business in Angoram as

a collector of artifacts and as a crocodile shooter. He entered politics in 1964 and became one of six European members to be elected in an Open Electorate to the House of Assembly, Mr. Pasquarelli’s fiery brand of politics berated the Administration for lack of action and criticised the missions for their “militancy” in the Sepik District. He firmly expounded the theory that the church should be taxed for its business operations.

An articulate and active debater m the House, an inveterate and often humorous interjector, he was also a rowdy drinker in the bar with his friends and parliamentary colleagues.

Mr. Pasquarelli’s life eventually became highlighted by constant pressures against him by missions and some officers of the Administration.

Conservative

A right wing conservative by inclination Mr. Pasquarelli is an acknowledged admirer of the Smith Regime in Rhodesia, but at the same time believes in the gradual develop ment of majority rule in Papua-New Guinea. He believes that the territory has much to learn from Africa, but that up to now not rnuch notice has been taken of such events.

His views on political parties bears this point out and accounts for his general aloofness of them.

“Despite the pushing by academit groups, political parties are far too premature at this stage of the terri tory’s development,” Mr. Pasquarelli says. He therefore believes that political development should be directed along geographic lines, a federal form of government being the eventual outcome.

Extrovert

Despite Mr. Pasquarelli’s often extrovert and aggressively conserva tive views he has a genuine sympathy for the New Guineans and regards the disappearance of traditional native art and culture as bad. A sub stantial donor of artifacts to the P-NG Museum, Mr. Pasquarelli was instrumental in introducing firmer regulations governing the export of territory artifacts, and the setting up of national monuments.

A gourmet cook and connoisseur of wines Mr. Pasquarelli may eventually set up a restaurant in Australia, and has been looking at possibilities in both Brisbane and Sydney. With his departure, P-NG is probably losing a controversial figure too soon.

John Pasquarelli chats with a customer at his Ambunti trade store. Sepik prospects are not so good and he has his eye on the mainland restaurant business. -Photo: James Anderson.