Micronesia And
p. 120 · Read in the full issue
Us Agree On
Talks Date
The seventh round of talks be tween the Micronesians’ Joint Com mittee on Future Status and the Uni ted States’ representatives will open in Washington (DC) on November 10.
The date was fixed at a two-day meeting in Honolulu in mid-October between Senator Lazarus Salii, the joint committee chairman, and Am bassador Franklyn Hadyn Williams.
Senator Salii said,, after the meeting, that the joint committee expected to receive before the next round of talks America's views on the return of pub lic lands. “Ambassador Williams in dicated that the people of Palau will be satisfied with his response so far as the return of public lands in that district is concerned, and it will also be satisfactory to all other districts,” said Senator Salii. He added that both he and the ambassador believe that the next round would see much pro gress accomplished in the drafting of a Compact of Free Association.
PNG BANK BOARD.—First board of the Bank of Papua New Guinea will comprise the bank governor Mr H. Toßobert (chairman); the deputy governor, Mr P. S. Ferguson; Mr Laho Karukuru, Mr Peter Roni, Mr Walter Zavattaro, Mr Dian Roo, Dr Ron May and Mr Francis Seeto. The Secretary for Finance, Mr H. P.
Ritchie would also be a member.
SIAMESE TWlNS.—Siamese twins born to a North Malaita (Solomons) woman in a cave on September 13 are thriving in Kilu’ufi hospital. The twins, who are joined at the abdomen but have all limbs and organs separate, may go overseas for an operation to separate them but the father has to give permission. Because of custom, however, he cannot see them until some time after birth. Custom played a big part in the after-care of the twins and mother. No men were allowed near the cave and the mother and children had to be taken to hospital along a path specially carved out of the bush as they could not use a road on which the men walked.
LUCKY ESCAPE.—An Australian pilot,, 24-year-old Chris Baker, on a delivery flight with a twin-engined Cessna 310 from America to Aust ralia, crashed into Mele Bay, off Vila in the New Hebrides on October 6, but escaped with a few bruises. One of the engines failed while flying over the bay waiting for the Bauerfield landing lights to be switched on.