Letters
pp. 11-17 · Read in the full issue
Rill Looking For "Staghound"
Sir, —In PIM for September, Mr.
Jgar Haering of Finschhafen quired as to the whereabouts of ml Hurst and his ketch Staghound. too would be interested in any news.
It was in 1960 when I sighted the aghound, from Langikiki Ridge, tering Santa Cruz, Honiara. It was Saturday afternoon and the weather is very dirty. After introductions, suggested to Paul to take Staghound ound the point for shelter by choring near the Mendana Hotel.
Paul and his lovely Tahitian wife tyed for a while at Honiara. We d some memorable evenings at the 1 Guadalcanal Club. An occasional sning was enriched by the dancing Paul’s wife, music provided on the itar played by a Tahitian—Eddie, the yacht Dida (I wonder where ;y are now). 1 next saw Paul and his wife in the mge of the Papua Hotel, Moresby, 1963 or 1964. Paul advised ighound was on the slips at idang, also, that he had been to rwin on a charter trip. [f my memory serves me correctly, jl’s future plans were to sail home America, then back to the Pacific lin.
F. Mortimore.
in, againville, NG.
Rabaul Turf Club
>ir, —Some time ago a reader uired regarding the date of forma i of the Rabaul Amateur Turf ib. Has any light been thrown the matter? Was it 1930-1931? have unearthed the official race >k for the “Otranto” meeting at mnai June 11, 1936. Unfortu sly the programme does not say in the club was started. It does yever, list the names of members the season of 1935-36. he Otranto Cup during the meet was won by Mr. Theo Thomas’ 7 gelding “Radex” (Poltava— ly May), ridden by the owner, ►many Lad”, ridden by McKenna, 3rd. Jack Allan bringing “A ier” home to take 2nd place, he race book mentions the follow under Commerce and Accom lation, “Statistics for the financial r 1934-35 indicate clearly the imercial progress of the Territory, •orts for the year amounted to 8,404, exports to £2,340,624”,
3old exports that year were :i,987,244.
“In Rabaul the visitor will find imple accommodation at one of the hree European hotels. Salamaua is quipped with a modern European lotel, “Housing accommodation is neither heap nor easily secured; as soon as house becomes available within the icinity of the seat of Government, iere are many applicants for it, and igh rents are asked.”
The race book contains some very iteresting information and statistics bout New Guinea.
F. X. Ryan.
/ewak, few Guinea. • Here are the members for that abaul season, supplied by Mr. Ryan.
Adelskold, C.A.M.; Ahearn, J. H.; rcher, J. C.; Ayris, E. B.; Bishton, E.; ath, V. G.; Blanden, P.; Brennan, E. T., r„ M.L.C.; Clark, R. L„ M.L.C.; Clark, . L.; ‘Carson, L.; Coote, P.; Costelloe, E.; Cruise, J. B.; Carpenter, J. A.; avies, D. S.; Dodd, H.; David, J. M.; wyer, R. E.; Edwards, J.; Ellis, T. W.; ynn-W., W.; Furter, G.; Gascoigne, C. ; ‘Greenwod, F. 0.; Goss, T.; Haslam, ; ‘Heron, W. L.; Holmes, E. P., M.L.C.; 3gan, G., M.L.C.; Hope, J.; Hosking, C., Dr.; Kelly, A., Judge; Kennedy, L.; ‘Mullaly, J. C., M.L.C.; Murray, H.; urray, G„ M.L.C.; McLennan. A. N„ •L.C.; McLennan, R. R.; McLean, I.; acAdam, E. G.; McAdam, T.; O’Dwyer, ; Ollerenshaw, R. C. A.; Perriman, B. , M.L.C.; ‘Phillips, F 8., Judge; Renton, ; Roberts, G. H.; Richards, A.; Ross, J.; ‘Smith, W. R.; Street, J. L.; lomons, R. L.; Spensley, G. W.; Thomas leo; Thomas, W. R.; Thompson Myles, ; Townsend, H. 0., M.L.C.; Titford, . R.; ‘Watch, N. B„ Dr.; Wanliss, D.
Chief Judge.
Life Member.
The Missing Zero
Sir, —It was with real interest that saw the photo of a Zero aircraft Kavieng in PIM (Oct., p. 36).
Unfortunately, this Zero can no ' iger be found at Kavieng as she s taken off on another flight, end \ up in the backyard of Mr. Tom ng, of East Preston, Victoria. Mr. ng’s hobby is to restore old planes, d to obtain this treasure he ex- j anged a renovated Wirraway with ; Territory War Museum in Port iresby. Mr. King also has ideas starting his own museum.
Arrangements had been made for j Zero to be dismantled into four ces, steam cleaned for shipment MV Malekula. The aircraft was a rather fragile nature and to i )tect it from sea water and a salt- j itent atmosphere it was thought :essary to give it a daily hosing, i e Zero arrived in Melbourne in .gust.
Shipment of the aircraft was a j 1 order for a town like Kavieng, I
which boasts only one crane and one forklift.
Local history in Kavieng holds that the Zero was first hauled from the bush and assembled by a mechanic with DCA. It comprised parts from three wrecks and was held together with a wood frame. In usual Islands fashion the mechanic was moved on (and not replaced) but he left the aircraft under a tree near the air strip. In time it was towed to the site seen in your photo and mounted an the concrete block.
Needless to say, the people of Kavieng (indeed, New Ireland) are 'ather cynical of the Port Moresby bureaucracy that leaves Kavieng with i block of empty concrete while Port Moresby has acquired a fully re stored Wirraway. (However, certain nmours regarding the creation of The New Irish Free State” are to >e discounted!) As this is believed in some circles o be the last mark 21 Zero in xistence let us hope that the plane s fully restored and graces a museum s an honoured exhibit of a part f our island’s history.
Victor Chapman.
V- Methodist Training College, kangaroo Point, Queensland. • A number of wartime Japanese ircraft were recently taken to Port ioresby from Ballale Island, in the hortland group of the BSIP, en jute to Canada, where they will be ?stored to flying condition by Mr. ob Demiert, of Manitoba, to take irt in a film of the war in the South acific. The aircraft include a Val ive bomber—believed to be the only te in the world in a condition good tough to allow it to be rebuilt to ■iginal flying condition—and three eros. The aircraft were recovered om an overgrown airstrip built by e Japanese in the Shortlands. Ac nding to the serial number of the irticular Val bomber recovered, it mid have been one which took part the first raid on Pearl Harbour.
The Robber Crab
Sir, —I was interested in the icry by a reader, “What sort of a ief is the Robber Crab?” (PIM, Jg, P- 59).
No proper investigation has been idertaken concerning the eating/ 'ding habits of the so-called “coco t crab” here on Niue, However, ue is one of the few islands in South Pacific where crabs are mtiful and it follows that practi lly everyone on the island has tne experience on how and where catch them. (The meat of the conut crab is regarded as a elicacy” unequal in taste to any
>ther form of land crab available icre on the island).
Although coconut crabs can be aught anywhere and anytime, the test known season is from late LUgust to March the following year.
From my own personal experience, am more than convinced that the Dbber crab can open uninjured xronuts with its powerful claws, or air of pliers, as they are generally died here.
The claws remove the husk and fctres bit by bit and finally the pair f pliers find their way to the coconut eat inside the shell through the ain eye (the largest of the three) r the dry coconut.
I caught one in action about this ne last year. On that occasion, I :tually saw the crab wrap itself ►mpletely on the coconut. Closer :amination revealed that all the itside cover of the coconut was me, exposing the shell with an open g about 3 to 4 inches between the es.
The above may sound a bit ex gerated but believe me, it actually ppened and it took place right re on Niue.
ofi.
Solomona Kalauni.
iue Island.
Survey Of Deer
Sir, —M. C. Downes, the recently pointed Animal Ecologist of this partment, is carrying out a survey deer in the Territory of Papua and :w Guinea, as part of an assess snt of the role of wildlife in the ease problems of cattle.
For this purpose it is necessary to dw the present status and past tory of deer in the Pacific area i we would be glad if your readers ild provide information. \ suggested form of report is ached. It would be appreciated if letter and report form could be ilished and in particular, a request de for photographs of deer.
W. L. Conroy,
Pt. of Agriculture, Direc,or ' ck and Fisheries, t Moresby. * ~T he suggested form of report plied by Mr. Conroy asks for the ne and address of the observer, the a covered by his report, whether r are known in the region or ’where, and if so, their location the numbers, month and year i, whether there has been much 'ting in the area and any other >rmation on deer habits and past ory. It also asks for names and resses of anybody else who could vly information.