The Editor's Mailbag

A Condominium Complaint

In the Condominium of the New Hebrides there has been a consider able feeling of concern by the New Hebrides National Party Governing Council over the failure to imple ment Joint Regulations.

The Joint Immigration Regulation No. 18 of 1971 is sound and covers a wide area in this field (there are also National Immigration Laws).

The Joint Immigration Regulation is, as far as I can see, used only for record purposes, perhaps for the rest of the world to think well of France and England.

Since the Joint Regulation came into force in 1971, the two Resident Commissioners by joint decision have appointed principal immigration officers from each of the national administrations to carry out the duties on their behalf under the res pective jurisdictions within the New Hebrides, and instead of calling it a Joint Immigration Law we are back to square one, where two national administrations are only serving their own interests in the appointments. For example, there were a number of undesirable aliens from New Caledonia who recently managed to obtain permits to enter the New Hebrides and who are now causing a lot of trouble. If both immigration officers made rulings together instead of one exercising his power under his national jurisdiction, there would have been no cause to complain to the Resident Commiss ioners in May on this point.

The New Hebrides National Party Governing Council approached the British and French Resident Com missioners in May, 1974, stating that their respective principal immi gration officers were not observing properly the duties designated to them in the manner laid down by Joint Regulation No. 18 of 1971. It is reported that one of the Resident Commissioners jokingly replied that perhaps the immigration officers had not studied the regulation. In reply, someone said, “How encouraging”.

The two Resident Commissioners admitted to the National Party Governing Council that their officers had been letting things slide and had not kept strictly to the regu lation. They promised to instruct

them to take more care in following the regulation.

Most New Hebrideans are worried that so many Pacific Islanders are coming to look for jobs in the New Hebrides. These people could easily lose their jobs when the New Heb rides becomes independent. We should be prepared to let them know that priority will be given to suit ably qualified New Hebrideans in respect of employment, so that we do not spoil our relationship with them at this stage for later.

I feel, too, that there should be safeguards against Europeans who come here as tourists or on contract and feel they are free to buy land and settle down here permanently.

One sympathises with the fact that perhaps these people are trying to escape from the pressures of life in their own country and are looking for a quiet haven like the New Heb rides in which to live. But they should also be reminded that, for those who buy land here in the New Hebrides there is the New Hebrides National Party land policy that all land owned by non-New Hebrideans may be nationalised. This may be one of the dreams of this political party but it is better if people know beforehand so that they won’t be taken by surprise; it may never come to be but one can never tell.

Vila Correspondent.

New Hebrides.

Now Niueans Know!

Nearly half the adults on Niue Island are arguing with the members of the Exco Committee because of misunderstanding over self-govern ment.

The reason that the people on Niue Island have so many questions to ask the Leader of Government and the other three members of the Executive Committee, is that they do not even know what self-government is, when it starts and what is gonna take place etc.

I don’t really know why some of these people don’t even know what self-government is, for example, Taoa, who has many questions to ask the Leader of Government.

I have heard some of the speeches

on the radio at meetings with some questions like this one. When Niue stands by itself where does Niue get its money from? Some of the people think that self-government is the same as independent, like other Paci fic states, eg Tonga and Western Samoa who are already independent.

Self-government means that New Zealand will still grant money to Niue. And New Zealand will still defend Niue and Niueans will still be :itizens of New Zealand; going in and out of New Zealand and staying as ong as they like but independence s different. If Niue is fully indepen dent—that is standing by itself like i baby without a mother and with out care—New Zealand will not give Niue any money, or defence and Niueans will not be allowed to go to New Zealand.

Integration would make Niue part of New Zealand. Every law in New Zealand would be the same on Niue.

Federation with other Pacific States neans choosing a leader from the 3 acific Islands.

I will not try to hide my name from the readers. I am a 16-year-old boy. I attend Niue High School and I am in SA.

H. Tolitule.

Niue.

Mindless Claptrap

I cannot let the references by L.

N. Nevels Jr (PIM, Aug, p 23) to the Heads of State of Papua New Guinea and Fiji pass. While 1 sympathise with the problems of someone who has worked to build up land or a business, there have, un fortunately, been misuses, which have led to the present attitudes. There has been too great a difference between the rich, high living, often empty headed European, and the poor, hard working local.

I suppose the Europeans are too busy making a quick buck to bother to learn about the ancient culture of Melanesians. Those who do, and are working with the people of Fiji and Papua New Guinea, would not dream of making such an ignorant and ill mannered remark.

As to your reference to Ratu Mara, I expect you realise that Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara has more dignity in his little finger, than most heads of state in the world today, with the

possible exception of Mrs Indira Ghandi, Big Norm and Big Gough, that is.

Sorry about the land old boy, but the wheel turns you know.

G. Drummond Mcgrath.

Honiara, BSI.

With reference to Mr L. N. Nevels Jr’s letter published in PIM (Aug p 23) regarding the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Papua New Guinea, Ratu Sir Kamisese did not endeavour “to create a fictitious historical unity”.

He was informed to his great in terest and with warm appreciation on behalf of his hosts, of the con tribution made by Fijian missionaries to Papua New Guinea. He visited the graves of three Fijian martyrs for their faith—Rev Penijamini Lewa, Rev Livai Naboro and Rev Timoci Varavi who died in Papua New Guinea in 1878.

A Papua New Guinea Information Service release said more than 100 preachers, pastors and ministers went to Papua New Guinea from Fiji be tween 1875 and 1929. Their preach ing was responsible for the growth of an indigenous church, now part of the United Church in Papua New Guinea, the release continued.

And, he said that people from his

vn island in Fiji had been closely mnected with missionaries. In 1835 e Reverends Cross and Cargill were ven permission by his great-great andfather to land at Lakeba and troduce Christianity to Fiji. The ader of the first missionary group go to Papua New Guinea from iji was Aminio Baledrokadroka who me from Lakeba.

This link is recorded with pride id it is true.

J. B. Vosanibola,

Private Secretary to the Prime Minister. iva, Fiji.

Sucking Nauru's

Life-Blood

The ill-informed pen of Mr Deiye is once again graced the pages of >ur monthly magazine (PIM, July 37). I am not writing to give him e correct facts since he could have )tained them if he cared to in the st place. But it bothers me to read s letter which is riddled with un unded facts.

Let me remind Mr Deiye that "oken Hill South expects to mine assive phosphate deposits in south sst Queensland (Australia) within year. This company announced in >66 its discovery of phosphate in ueensland. Needless to say that ustralia’s phosphate requirements ill be fulfilled from these deposits id perhaps Nauru may no longer pply Australia’s needs once these iposits are worked, in the future.

One thing is certain and that is at as a result of Broken Hill >uth’s proposals to mine the ueensland deposits Mr Deiye will ) longer claim “that the Australian rmers are sucking the life blood the Nauruan people”.

I have only one suggestion to Mr eiye and that is to make certain s facts are correct in future.

L. D. Keke

orthcote, Vic.

We're Great Printers!

I must congratulate PIM on the ay you have kept your high stan ird in workmanship of the maga ne. I doubt if there is any other agazine that has kept up the stan ird of the print and paper like you ive, except the National Geographic agazine. Some magazines now use

a plastic gum to keep the pages together, and in the warm areas, upon opening, the pages fall apart, even before you read them.

Western Australia.

R. Durance.

A/I Ahd I Hd Aaaddic

/Viauk! Uk Iviaukij

Towards the end of Mrs Judy Tudor’s review of Alan Ward’s: A Show of Justice (PIM, Aug, p 73) she mentioned Ward s one “idiosyn crasy—‘Maori’ is neither singular nor plural . . .

This usage was questioned during our editorial examination of the work,

and we have on record the author’s reply. It is: ‘Maori is a Polynesian word and is correctly both singular and plural.

The Maori intelligentsia prefer this and since my whole book pleads for respect for Maori sensitivities, I have felt obliged to respect their view, though it is not yet generally ac cepted in New Zealand’.

I do hope this explains the posi tion satisfactorily,

H. R. Field,

Promotion Manager.

Australian National University Press, Canberra, ACT.