postscripts

New Administrator

For Wallisians

The new French Administrator in the Wallis Islands took up his post in late March, replacing Mr Jacques d’Agostini who was forced to leave through islanders’ protests last No vember.

The new Administrator, Mr Yves Arbellot-Repaire, was accompanied to the capital Mata Uta by Mr Jean- Gabriel Eriau, Governor of New Caledonia and French High Com missioner in the Pacific. Mr Eriau

presented the new French official to the island Lavelua (king), the Roman Catholic bishop, the elected deputy and senator successively.

Mr Eriau then told a meeting of the local Territorial Assembly of French plans to keep down costs of imports and use the Messageries Maritimes line to replace Sofrana in supplying Wallis.

Still referring to islanders’ mass protests last year, Mr Eriau said that certain public servants, who had wrongfully indulged in political affairs, would be removed from office. However, he reminded the islanders that their elected politicians had legislative power and the ad ministrator must apply the law, with each side respecting its own role.

Banabans' Case

Opens In London

The High Court hearing in Lon don into the Banabans’ multi-million dollar claim against the British Government and the British Phos phate Commissioners over the phos phates mined on their former home of Ocean Island finally got under way on April 8 after a preliminary skirmish over British-held documents.

The first two weeks have been taken up by formal reading of documents by both sides. This was to be fol lowed in the third week by the hear ing of evidence. The whole of the Rabi Island Council was in London for the case in which the Banabans are claiming more than $7 million for back royalties on the phosphate and an unspecified amount for dam age to the island.

A Post-War

Clean-Up

Three ships of the First Australian Mine Counter-Measures Squadron arrived in Port Moresby in April to begin clearing an old minefield left over from World War 11.

The ships HMAS Snipe, Ibis and Curlew will clear mines from Bootless Bay and the nearby Taurama Beach on the edge of urban Port Moresby.

Divers involved in the operation believe that there could be 200 mines in the area which the ships will clear.

The area is about 900 hectares (about 3i square miles).

The mines, which are being cleared to make way for a new submarine telecommunications cable to link PNG with Australia through Port Moresby and Cairns, were laid by the Royal Australian Navy to protect one of the shipping access routes to Port Moresby.

After the war, the area was swept by conventional means which made the area safe for surface navigation, but many of the mines sank to the bottom before they could be de stroyed, and would be dangerous to the planned cable-laying operation.

Divers will probably have to deal with each mine individually.

Deadly Dengue

There were at least 13 deaths in Tonga (eight) and Fiji (five) fol lowing an outbreak of dengue fever in March. In Fiji the epidemic hit Suva first, and then spread to several other areas. At least 600 cases were notified. Hospitals in both Fiji and Tonga had some difficulty in deal ing with the large number of cases.

Spraying campaigns were started in both countries to bring under control the mosquito which caused the plague.

Copra Mills Plan

Another copra crushing mill may be set up in the South Pacific to complement the Carpenter mills in Rabaul and Suva. A feasibility study for the South Pacific Bureau for Economic Co-operation, has been followed by a recommendation to set up a mill (or mills). The study was made by the Tropical Products Insti tute, London. The director of SPEC, Mr Mahe Tupouniua, said process ing the copra would earn the region far more money than exporting it for processing. The mills would also be able to supply meal which could be converted into animal feed. The matter will go before the South Paci fic Forum in Tonga in July.

Mr Sogo Sebea, 45, who has been picked by the PNG Government to head its first Trade Mission in Australia. He

years with Brian Bell, working on cus toms clearance, shipping and firm costing.

will be based in Sydney. His wide experience in trade has been fostered by 20 years service with PNG's co operative move ment; two years with Burns Philp as the only PNG buyer of im ported Australian goods, and three