News in a Nutshell

The dismissal of a Western Samoa public servant, Toleafoa Mataitusi, for alleged drunkenness during work ing hours led to two inquiries, after which two senior officials of the Health Department, Tuataga Lafaele (managing secretary) and Lamosi tele Aukusitino (chief accountant), were also sacked. Toleafoa Mataitusi, after his dismissal, had made a long report in which he alleged the other two had used government goods for their own purposes, had employed departmental painters and carpenters for their own work during govern ment working hours and had paid them from government funds. The Public Service Commission, after re ceiving a report from a commission of inquiry into the matter, dismissed the two men. Mataitusi announced later that he might appeal to the Supreme Court against his dismissal.

Congress Meets

The Congress of Micronesia was scheduled to meet in special session at Saipan for not more than 15 days beginning on July 23. Members asked for the special session, the first such session since September, 1972. The agenda includes the return and re apportioning of public lands, amend ments to the Constitutional Conven tion Law, congress revenues and future political status. The last named item could prepare the way for resumption of the political status talks between the Micronesians and the United States. It will be the final session of the Fifth Congress as a general election is scheduled for No vember with the first session of the Sixth Congress following at Saipan next January.

$3 Million Wanted

The Pacific Islands Development Commission is making a major effort to raise $3 million in US federal funds for tuna research. This coun cil consists of the chief executives of Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa and the US Trust Territory. The Trust Territory High Commissioner, Mr Edward E. Johnston, said recently there was room for major investment to tap the vast fisheries resources in the three million square miles of

ocean of Micronesia. Major com panies in the US and Japan had shown interest in the area.

Thrifty Micronesians

The remarkable growth of co operatives and credit unions in the US Trust Territory is shown in sta tistics for 1973. Gross sales of co operatives realised $7.7 million, 22 per cent higher than the 1972 figure.

More than 12,000 Micronesians own and operate about 50 co-operatives.

They have invested about $1 million of their own money in shares, and total assets are valued at more than $4 million. Credit unions made loans of more than $4 million. More than half of them were for home improve ments. The average savings for each member are now $325, which is 27 per cent higher than 1972. There are 46 credit unions, owned and operated by more than 10,000 Micronesians, who have savings of $3.4 million in the unions.

Nearly A Win!

Fiji is getting close to a rugby victory over one of the majors. On June 11, Fiji went down to the New Zealand All Blacks, by one point, 14-13. The All Blacks scored 10 points in the last five minutes to win.

In 1973, Fiji was beaten by one point, 13-12, by the English team on its way for a short tour of NZ.

Sophisticated Niue

The economy of Niue Island in five years has changed from sub sistence plus protein to something more sophisticated involving more imported foods, and consumer durables such as cars and refriger ators, says Mr Don Evans, who left the island recently to return to New Zealand. He was Secretary of the Administrative Department on Niue from March, 1969.

The most notable change he saw in his five years related to people and their living standards. People now had more money to spend, which allowed the private sector of business to develop and expand.

The introduction of the regular air service removed the feeling of iso

lation which Niue Islanders and ex-J patriates had experienced. All were now pleased to receive a weekly! mail from friends and relatives.

Mr Evans returned to New Zea-j land for a post in the Treasury De partment in Wellington. His replace ment is Mr A. Armistead, of the NZ Maori and Island Affairs Depart ment. Mr Armistead’s appointment is in an acting capacity, suggesting that the post will be localised. The post has been advertised on the island.

Pied Piper Wanted

A large rat recently threatened Pitcairn Island’s links with the out side world. The rat crawled into the ham radio rig of Tom Christian, the island’s radio officer, and set up a short circuit. Christian reported there was an explosion in the power supply.

Checking through to find out what had happened, he found the rat. “He was pretty well dried out from the high frequency power that had gone through him,’’ Christian reported. “I removed him and that removed the trouble with the rig.’’

Rats are a pest on Pitcairn, although by constant trapping, the islanders manage to keep them under control. They infest the gardens, and have a particular preference for sweet potatoes.

Japanese Bank For Saipan

The Bank of Tokyo of California hopes to open a commercial bank on Saipan, “with particular emphasis on servicing and financing of new in vestment coming into the Trust Territory”. The bank has applied to the authorities for a permit. It will also put major emphasis on arrang ing joint ventures between Micro nesians and foreign investors. The bank is the US subsidiary of the world-wide Japanese Bank, which already has a branch on Guam.

Pill Goes Rural

Papua New Guinea Government in tends to take family planning in formation beyond clinics, where it is mostly based, to villages throughout the country. Advice on contraceptive techniques, at present available mainly for town dwellers, will be offered to villagers.

Dr Nell Muirden, medical officer in charge of family planning in the Public Health Department, recently gave details of contraceptives which would be available. The condom

would be sold in villages for about i third of the previous price; the pill, the loop, injections, sterilisation and instruction on the rhythm method would be made more widely avail able.

Rural stores will probably be out lets for some of the contraceptives.

Dr Muirden said one drug wholesaler was prepared to sell condoms to store owners at 10 for 50c.

Second Retirement

Judge Arthur A. Morrow and his wife, Louise, have left American Samoa for retirement in Sun City, Arizona. Judge Morrow, his wife and two children arrived in Pago Pago In 1937 during the US Navy regime.

He was to take two years off from his post as dean of Drake University Law School to serve as Chief Justice at the naval base. They stayed 32 years, the judge after his official re tirement in October, 1965 staying on as legal adviser.

Solomons' New Industry

Locally-processed spices have gone on sale in Honiara for the first time.

The spices, chillies, turmeric and cinnamon, come from several parts of the Solomons and have been ground and packaged at Greenacres farm, west of Honiara.

The chillies sell for 30c for an eight oz bag, and turmeric sells at 20c for an eight oz bag. Cinnamon costs 20c an oz.

Mr Ollie Torling of Greenacres said the spices were only for local consumption at present because the duty on processed products entering other countries was too high. But hopes are high that negotiations with Fiji for importing some of the spices would succeed.

Png's Navy!

Lieutenant Karry Frank, 28, is the first Papua New Guinea officer to take full-time command of a Royal Australian Navy warship. On June 17 he took over the patrol boat HMAS Ladava from Lieutenant Geoffrey Smith. The ship also carries a Papua New Guinea crew. Lieu tenant Frank joined the RAN in 1965.

Premier's Brainchild

Sir Albert Henry, the Cook Islands Premier, has established a committee of senior government officials to re view government policies and ad ministration and make recommenda tions to him. Sir Albert described the committee as the most important

one set up since the Cooks became self-governing and said the com mittee’s finding would help the pro gress of their little nation. Heading the committee is Mr T. C. Clarke.

Party For Sir Albert

Cook Islands Premier Sir Albert Henry and his wife were guests at a tea party in his office in June to celebrate his 67th birthday and his wife’s 65th birthday two days before.

The function, arranged by cabinet ministers and government staff, gave Sir Albert the opportunity to make a speech in which he said he was lost for words but managed, so the Cook Islands News said, to bring “tears to most of those present”.

Family Affair

There are three sets of brothers in a Fiji men’s hockey team at present touring New Zealand. The coach, Harry Apted, a double Fiji inter national (cricket and hockey), has two sons in the team, Alan and Bill.

The other brothers are Steven and Fred Dickson, and Karl and Lloyd Williams.

Tahiti Cuts Prices

Tahiti is taking new measures to fight the territory’s rising prices. Local traders have signed an agreement with the French administration to reduce import taxes and price mark-ups on a list of basic commodities. By this means, importers and retailers have agreed to lower profits in this field

by up to 20 per cent. The admini stration, in turn, will not charge import duty on the items which include basic items most likely to ease the budget of low-income earners such as rice, meat, milk, butter, oil and sugar.

Salvaging War Dead

Japanese Government officials have arrived at Saipan for talks on the planned salvage of Japanese war dead believed to be buried in a mass grave in the Tanapag Matanza area near the Marpi Plain. The unmarked grave holds the remains of about 2,000 soldiers killed in the last days of Saipan’s last battle. The salvaged remains will be cremated and the ashes taken to Japan.

Streamline Job In Png

The PNG Government is planning to streamline and simplify the local government system, PNG’s Minister for Local Government, Mr Boyamo Safi, said in Sydney in late June at a graduation ceremony of the fifth local government course for PNG officers at the International Training Institute. This would help council staffs to take on managerial and executive tasks more effectively and speedily. Staffs had a vital part to play in the government’s policy of developing rural areas and providing employment with development funds channelled through councils and area authorities.

Flying Cows

The United States Air Force flew four purebred Santa Gertrudis cattle, a bull and three heifers, from Saipan to Palau in the US Trust Territory.

The animals will be used to improve Palau’s cattle stock. The Navy also plans to airlift six cattle to Ponape.

Png Forces' Cuts

The PNG’s Constitutional Planning Committee’s recommendation that a commission of inquiry should be held into the relative size of the Defence Force and the Police Force has brought a promise from Minister for Defence Mr Albert Maori Kiki that the proposal will be examined by the government. “The question of the size of a nation’s defence force is one which must be reviewed periodic ally in the light of changing circum stances,” he said. He added that the decision to reduce the size of the Defence Force to 3,500 had been taken only after most careful con sideration. The government had been careful to ensure that PNG members of the Force were not retrenched and that the Force’s localisation pro gramme was not retarded.

A garlanded Judge Morrow, a picture taken when he retired "officially" in October, 1965.