Islands Press

From the Islands Press

From the Arawa Bulletin: And on the subject of weddings, why do people who rarely go to church have to be subjected to singing three or jour lengthy hymns known only to the parson and the organist (if that).

Becomes one of the more embarrassing moments of maritalisation when one has to sing about fighting the good fight, when all one knows is

Waltzing Matilda.

From a letter by M. B. Taite, in News Drum, Solomon Islands: I am an enthusiast for soccer. I love everything of it.

I follow it even if it means paying 80c taxi to watch it.

From a court report in The Fiji Times: A businessman convicted in Suva Court of obtaining money by false pretences commended the detective inspector and other officers assigned to the case for their quick work in tracking him down. Mahendra Prasad Shandil (18), of Lakeba Street, Samabula, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of false pretences . . . Shandil told (the magistrate): "I would like to congratulate Detective Inspector Sahindra Kumar Singh and his party for their quick work in tracking me and finding out about my offence" . . .

Ronald Martin reports in the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier: Village social nights are beginning to be “too sociable” according to Asaro Watabung councillors.

The councillors will move to abolish social nights because they are doing more damage than good to the lives of the village communities, they say.

Illegal sales of beer at exorbitant prices and a high rate of pregnancy among unmarried women are among problems brought into village communities by social nights, councillors say . . , From a letter by Katy Ceal in The Solomon Islands News Drum: . . . the Solomon Islands are getting worse. Murdering, stealing, raping girls and other crimes are growing more and more. Especially in recent years when we have learned that our Solomon Islands are going to be independent.

The risk of being a reporter as reported in the Samoa Times: A Samoa Times reporter was threatened with bodily harm by several members of the Apia rugby team last Saturday following an article which appeared in this newspaper recently. The reporter . . . was unexpectedly jolted when an Apia player walked off

the field and grabbed him by the hair. The reporter fended off the player’s hand, inquiring what was wrong. The player replied with a threat. “You will be beaten up if you ever write anything bad about the Apia rugby team in your paper again” he told our reporter . . .

From submissions made to the Royal Commission on Norfolk Island's future constitution by Administrator Air Commodore E. T. Pickerd: as reported in The Norfolk Islander.

“. . . there may be occasions during my appearance before the Royal Commission when my attitudes and reactions as either the Administrator, and/or the Chairman of the Norfolk Island Council, and/or a private individual may not be in consonance.

Should this occur, I shall make my position on each occasion quite clear so as to leave no doubt as to which hat I am wearing at the time . , .

Mr Apisai Tora, Fijian politician, trade union leader and stirrer, in The Fiji Times: It all boils down to the fact that both Mr James Raman and Mr Joeli Gavoka don’t exactly like the look of my face. And I don’t blame them because I’m merely black and not exactly beautiful.

The Cook Islands' Premier, Sir Albert Henry, speaking on the 10th anniversary of self-government, as reported by the Cook Islands News: . . . Remember today we have allowed ourselves to enter into the world of political and industrial strife—a real world. It is a world of fact, a world of realities. There is no place for imitation, it is a world where a banana is a banana, a coconut is a coconut —there is no place for dreams . . . when we look at the world we marvel, and we say to ourselves what a hell of a world this is.

Who made it so?—Greedy human being full of bamboozaly ideas, all over the world . . .

From the Tohi Tala Niue: After waiting 16 months for the glue for Fibre Glass Tanks they have arrived but no good to be used as outside the tins it says "Use before April". What it contains in them were hard and only little can be used.

From an interview in the Atoll Pioneer (GEIC) with Mr Mulikihaamea Matekitoga (named and adopted by the King of Wallis), president of the

Tonga Trading Co:

. . . He came into this business because of his desire to help his people (meaning the people of Wallis, Tonga and other Pacific Islands such as us) from being exploited by foreigners. “I am disgusted”, said Mulikihaamea”, at the way some of the tourists carry on bargaining down, lower and lower the price of art work from a poor islander”. . . .

From The Fiji Times Flotsam and Jetsam column: Asked what he thought of Dr Anthony (former Fiji trade union official) in general, the Prime Minister (Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara) commented: “One of the brightest politicians going around without a constituency”.