Nutshell

In a Nutshell

Helicopter Fatality.—An

Australian Army officer, Second Lieutenant K. D. J. Shoppee, was killed, and Sergeant C. E. Darch, of South Australia, was injured, when a Sioux helicopter crashed on Mt Wilhelm, 4,706 metres, on November 29. Mt Wilhelm is the highest moun tain in New Guinea.

GAZELLE TRUST—A meeting of leaders from three political groups on the PNG Gazelle Peninsula held in Rabaul has agreed to establish a trust to take over the functions of the Gazelle Peninsula Local Govern ment Council’s board of manage ment.

Establishment of the trust had been delayed for some months because of disagreement by differing factions on the Gazelle. The trust will com prise three representatives of the Warkurai Nigunan, Warbete Kivung and the Greater Toma Council.

Work In Australia—Seven

ty-five students from the University of the South Pacific, Suva, are in Australia on a working holiday. Some of their work is in the BHP steel works, Newcastle, on a week-on, week-off basis. The USP Students’

Association, in conjunction with the National Union of Australian Students and the Australian High Commission, Suva, organised the visit to Australia, which is described as a “cultural liaison visit”. The students, who will be in Australia for about three mon ths, will visit universities and colleges in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra.

PNG ELECTION—The Gazelle Open seat in the PNG House of Assembly has been retained by the United Party in a by-election held to fill the seat of the former Leader of the Opposition, Mr Matthias Tollman, who died in September. Mr Martin Tovadek, 33, trade store manager and farmer, won the seat with 3,097 votes from his nearest rival, a Mata ungan Association candidate, who polled 1,005 votes. There were six candidates,

Siamese Twins

twin girls born in a cave on Malaita in September, have died in hospital near Auki, BSIP.

SI,OOO FlNE—Judge Hicks, of the NSW District Court on November 27, fined Robert Hunter, Fiji plan tation owner and land developer, $l,OOO for having attempted to take $16,782 in Australian currency out of Australia without Reserve Bank authority. Hunter pleaded guilty.

Judge Hicks said that Hunter’s ex planation that he was paying for a home unit and intended to bring the money back to Australia in five days was not very credible. He said he would impose a light fine because of Hunter’s previous good character.

Nauruan Elections.—Three

sitting members lost their seats at the Nauru general elections on December 15. Victor Eoaeo, Deputy Speaker, and Derog Gioura, were replaced by younger men Bernard Dowiyogo and Kennan Adeang in the Übenide electorate, and in Meneng, David Dabwido lost his seat to Bobby Eoe.

Nauru’s President, Hammer De- Roburt, and Speaker of the last House, Kenas Aroi, were returned un opposed. There were no other changes in the parliament.

Nauru Issues Wrlt.—Nauru

Local Government Council, owners of the Nauruan vessel Enna G which was black banned for a long period in Wellington last year, in late De cember issued a writ out of the NZ Supreme Court against the NZ Sea men’s Union, NZ Harbour Board Employees’ Union and Wellington Waterside Workers’ Union, claiming $386,000 damages for conspiracy to cause a breach of contract over the vessel.