Yesterday

Sugar, 20 years ago in Fiji, was as much a headache as it is today. As 1950 drew to a close, the Colonial Sugar Refining Com pany was still trying to reach a measure of agreement with Indian sugar-cane growers for a new 10 year buying contract. In 1971 the issue is stifi in part financial: The terms under which the Fiji Government is to take over CSR’s assets in Fiji, now that the CSR has decided to pull out.

PlM’ s January, 1951, issue included a blast at Indonesia’s claims to Dutch New Guinea. PIM said Indonesia had not a shadow of a claim —ethnologic, historic or economic—to the territory: But they would probably get it in the end, “if English ignorance, Dutch indifference and Australian willingness to leave the decision to the UN,” were any indication.

A “cement scandal” was the talk of Eastern Polynesia, despite attempts to hush the matter up. It appeared the French Government in Papeete had invited tenders for a “small” amount of cement: but it was then discovered that before the tenders were opened, some 3,000 tons of cement had already been shipped to Tahiti, and the names of some pro minent Papeete merchants were being associated with “a dirty deal”.

Professor George Whitecross Paton, grandson of the famous New Hebrides missionary, Dr. John Paton, and son of missionary the Rev. Frank Paton, was appointed vice-chancellor of the University of Melbourne. The recent death of another Paton grandson is reported elsewhere in PIM this month.

The Western Samoa Administra tion was being urged to buy a

ship to provide an alternative service to that of the Union SS Company from Suva to Apia. There was criticism of the company’s monopoly of this route and of its service to Samoa.

Influenza, which had struck many Islands territories in 1950, killed 33 in the Cook Islands. In late December, 1950, there were some 3,500 people—2s per cent, of the population—laid low. Worst hit was Rarotonga, but everywhere restric tions were placed on public gather ings.

It was agreed by the governments of Australia, the UK and New Zea land that Fiji’s Nadi, rather than Nausori, near Suva, should be up graded to international airport status.

International airlines had already been using Nadi on their way across the Pacific and were not interested in Nausori. A proposal to build a new airport at Suva Point was drop ped because of the cost.

Private letter boxes were installed for the first time in the Port Moresby Post Office. PIM said it

would eliminate a lot of time wast ing, as prior to this, people expect ing mail had to stand around waiting for the mail to be sorted.

District Officers in New Guinea now took the title of District Com missioners—a change earlier fore shadowed by Australian Minister for External Territories, Mr. Spender, in a policy speech in the territory.

A wedding of interest in Tonga and two deaths in Fiji . . . Mr. and Mrs. David Riechelmann invited 150 guests to the wedding of their daughter, Jean, to Leslie Warren Robertson, a New Zealander in the Tongan Civil Service. The photo for “PIM” was taken by August Hettig.

In Fiji Mrs. Charlotte Kaad, of Levuka, died aged 81. She and her husband, the late Captain Christian Kaad, had owned Wakaya Island and a fine home in Levuka, where they were well known for lavish hospitality. The death also occurred in Fiji of Mr. W. T. Gatward, aged 64, who had pioneered a passenger and goods service by launch from Suva to Tailevu until a road was built in the 30’s. He later converted his Tailevu home into a hotel and at the time of his death was building another at Korovou Junction.

Niue had formed a golf club and, although a visiting course expert found the “coral rough” rather dif ficult, it was providing a useful addition to the rather sparse re creational facilities available.

Mr. T. W. Alport Barker, CBE proprietor-editor of “The Fiji Times” and Mayor of Suva, was created Knight Bachelor in the new year honours. Sir Alport was also a member of the Legislative and Executive Councils and a member of innumerable committees and sport ing bodies.

Trans Oceanic Airways Ltd., of Sydney, said it proposed to start a Solent flying-boat service from Sydney to Port Moresby, via Brisbane, in competition with Qantas. To provide bookings in New Guinea beyond Port Moresby, Trans Oceanic had entered into an agreement with Mandated Airlines Ltd.

Judy Tudor writes about tourism 1971style on p. 53, but Tahiti, 20 years ago, was only just getting ready for tourism.

Four new hotel enterprises were in the offing, including the Royal Tahiti Hotel, in partial operation by the end of 1950.

Photo shows one of the Royal Tahiti's bungalows near Taaone Beach. The hotel still operates—but now it's air-conditioned and completely modern.