Nutshell

In a Nutshell

JOY IN TONGA.— There was great joy among the civil servants in Tonga when the government granted a number of cost-of-living allowances of 20 per cent, applying to all basic salaries, pensions, contract officers whose salaries are paid by the govern ment, and basic salaries and allowances of members of the Legislative Assembly and members of NZ Volunteer Service Board person nel. The rise was back-dated to April 1. Excluded were officers and teachers seconded by the NZ Government, whose salaries are adjusted by their departments in NZ.

AUST ELECTlONS.— Australia’s Labor Government was believed at the time of writing to have been re turned to power in the May 18 elec

tions but with a reduced majority.

The result will have been noted with satisfaction by many Pacific Islanders who feared that a Liberal-Country Party victory might have meant a re duction of Australia’s help to the Islands. A Labor Government is ex pected to increase its aid rather than to reduce it.

Artifact Sales Curbed.—

Papua New Guinea is becoming as protective of its artifacts and cul tural objects made before 1960 as Fiji is of the tabua. If people want to sell such artifacts they now have to get approval from the PNG Museum trustees. The government has restricted the removal of parti cular types of artifacts from the country because they are of great importance to the cultural heritage of PNG.

Artifacts Seized.— A Ship

ment of Solomon Islands artifacts was seized in Hawaii in 1973 because some pieces of shell money contained pieces of hornbill turtle shell. The Hornbill turtle is protected in the US and import of the shell is prohibited.

Requests for return of the artifacts have been ignored by the Hawaiian authorities.

Evacuees Return.— Four

hundred Gaua people evacuated from Sola in the Banks Islands in mid-December because of volcanic activity are being repatriated. VoH canic activity has diminished con siderably.

TYPHOON CARLA.— Crop and surface damage was reported after a typhoon, Carla, passed close to the Marianas in the evening of May 3.

There was some structural damage and water and power supplies were affected. Winds up to 68 miles an hour, gusting to 85 miles an hour,r were reported.

Fiji Pm’S Visit.— Ratu Sir

Kamisese Mara, Prime Minister of Fiji, arrived in Port Moresby on May 19 for an official visit to Papua New Guinea at the invitation extended by PNG Chief Minister, Mr Michael Somare, at the recent South Pacific Forum. Ratu Sir Kamisese was ex pected to have discussions with the Chief Minister, his deputy, Dr John Guise, the Minister for Defence, Foreign Relations and Trade, Mr Albert Maori-Kiki, and the Finance Minister, Mr Julius Chan.

SNAILS ALlVE. —Giant African snails have infested the Yap District of the Trust Territory for the third time. A number of snails have been found in the dock area in Colonia, and later snail eggs were discovered.

It is believed the snails reached Yap in cargo from Palau, Okinawa or Saipan. An eradication programme has been launched.