Islands Press

From the Islands Press

From the New Hebrides British Newsletter: When the sea near Vauleli village, Paama, became infested with sharks, the villagers, after catching two medium-sized ones with lines, set out to catch a bigger one. Using a whole piglet for bait, Mr Mahit Billy and a group of men secured their hook to a canoe with a strong nylon line. Next morning both piglet and canoe were gone.

From a letter by W. T. McCoy in The Norfolk Islander: ... By King George V and two lords a declaration was signed in 1913/14 that altered the status of Norfolk Island without even one word to the inhabitants of the island; which is fair enough to ask—would any of these three know any more about the Norfolk Islanders, their hopes and ambitions than they would know of a colony of apes in the Brazilian forests. Three or four months ago we heard of another change in the status of Norfolk Island; being switched from the Department of Territories to the control of the Federal Territory. This also was carried into effect without even a by-your-leave to the present residents of the island. Apart from the picture it conveys of a paddock of store cattle being sold, what does this last switch mean?

From Tohi Tala Niue: Certain people have been critical of the Government’s decision to give priority to the construction of a permanent terminal building at the airport ahead of what they consider to be other more urgent projects, such as the village latrine scheme. Temporary facilities at Hanan (the airport site), they argued, are adequate.

From Friends of Micronesia Newsletter: Congressman Timothy Olkeriil, of Palau, described the present economic situation: "Our economy is not only weak, •tagnant and imbalanced, it is also parasitic. As such, »ur economy is a false economy. It has no balance af trade, and our imports exceed exports by about 13 to 1.

It is an economy which would come tumbling down once its foundation, the US federal grants, are removed."

From a letter by V. Taumoepeau in the

Fonga Chronicle:

[refer to photographs of contestants for the coming yliss Rugby 1973, published in your paper 'ecently May I respectfully suggest that all con es taut s be requested to forward their statistics to ton for publication to assist us overseas readers n assessing for ourselves the most beautiful of them all.

Vy comments are that Tonga does have beauties to satisfy the eyes of the admirers.

From the Atoll Pioneer, GEIC: The year (1972) saw the family planning target exceeded —one-third of the female population aged between 15 and 44 years, were using contraception under the supervision of the Medical Department; and family planning moved from campaign status to its rightful place in the normal public health service.

From a report in The Fiji Times of non-meetings of Suva City Council committees for which there were no minutes: Cr Allan (the Mayor) referred to three finance committee meetings last year which did not take place and said there were no minutes for them either. He said that in future council officers would record minutes for all committee meetings whether they took place or not.

From the New Hebrides group news: The opening of the trenches for this work (telephone cable laying in Boulevard Higginson, Santo) gave rise to the discovery of many items—44-gallon drums, Coca-Cola bottles (empty), concrete tanks and many remnants of the Americans were found under the streets of Santo.

From the Atoll Pioneer, GEIC, report of a soccer match, Police A and Bikenibeu: Two opposite players had a good boxing contest during the second half, and to the surprise of everybody they were not sent off the field.

Then, to the disgust of spectators, a fullback from the Police team threatened the referee for some reason best known to himself, and was not sent off either.

Following this incident, the spectators started shouting at the Police players to such an extent that one of the Police players got so hot he challenged the spectators. Without hesitation, a spectator stepped on to the pitch and gave the player a good punch on the face. The game, in spite of these incidents, proceeded. The referee, by the look on his face, wished he had never agreed to referee the game in the first place.

From the Tonga Chronicle: Haapai police have started clamping down on people who behave disrespectfully and in an unbecoming manner in compliance with the order in the public places law at the Governor’s Office compound at Pangai, Haapai. On April 5, at Pangai, Magistrate S. Tuakoi found guilty Mosese Maka of Ifu, Vavau, a greaser on the interisland vessel Fonualei and Penisimani Lalahi of Haafeva, a labourer at the Agriculture Depart ment at Pangai for standing and smoking within the Governor’s Office Compound. Both were fined S2O each and in default four months’ imprisonment.

From a letter by the Rev M. E. Basden, Savusavu, in the Fiji Times: Now that Cyclone Juliette has deoarted it seems fairly likely that Hurricane Romeo may be travelling hot on her tail.

The ardent attentions of Hurricane Romeo could have an even more devastating effect on this locality.