Islands

From The

Press

From a letter by P. Tura, in The Fiji Times, on the

need for rugby coaching:

With Nasoni Uluvula in their team, we expect them (Naitasiri) to play not like wild bulls just being shot, not like boxers with gloves, but more like men competing in a rugby field.

From the Cook Islands News: We have had experts from United Nations, experts from New Zealand and other countries, experts, experts, experts, reports, reports, reports, but what have we achieved? Even the Premier Hon. Sir Albert Henry, K.8.E., was reported to have said recently that 10 years ago, we had no experts and reports yet the work on all levels went ahead, be it Roads, Agriculture, Water Supply, Village Committee, etc., yet today we are surrounded with experts and reports and nothing else to show for it.

Mr Sam Salii, former Minister of Finance in Western Samoa, in the Samoa Times: Let me tell you, Mr Faalogo, that the authority of Parliament is next only to God’s.

Lone yachtsman, Phillip James, giving Rabaul

Provincial Court a reason for failure to leave the country when ordered, as reported in the PNG Post- Courier: When you are travelling alone in a seven-metre yacht you have to respect the weather.

Mr Pious Kerepia, Papua New Guinea Commissioner of Police, reported in the PNG Post- Courier.

“My plan is to stay in the police force for 20 years, either as Commissioner or anything else.”

From the Norfolk Islander, commenting on the

length of Advisory Council meetings:

Listening to the tape of the proceedings of the October meeting, it took 12 minutes to confirm the Minutes of the previous meeting and much of this time was spent searching the many pages looking for typographical and other minor errors.

A letter by Abhay Singh in The Fiji Times: I would like to complain about not getting stamps in the Samabula three miles area. Before, there was a shop next to the post box which had a licence to sell stamps. Now there is no shop selling stamps. It is no use having a post box if we do not get stamps.

From Island Trader, Papua New Guinea: The lives of underwater divers are in danger as the illegal practice of using dynamite to kill fish continues in waters around Rabaul.

From The Fiji Times, quoting an official of the Fiji Sugar Corporation on a decision by a number of staff to work on a public holiday: .. . people like chemists, maintenance men and accounts and office staff would be able to find work for themselves.

From the Samoa Times, Western Samoa, on the retirement of the Chief Justice, Mr Justice Scully: The law was a hard, demanding mistress, Mr Scully once said.

We are happy to report that Mr Scully was faithful to his mistress and an example to us all.

From the Cook Islands News, under the heading “The 53-Minute Game that No One Won”: It ended like no other game has ended in the history of Cook Islands first class rugby fixtures. Players in a melee of swinging fists, to the tune of Cassius Clay’s “I am the greatest”. Both the Wellington Maori side and the Rarotonga Country XV were utterly surprised when during one of the many skirmishes, the referee Mr Andrew Turua blew his whistle for “no side” (27 minutes before the official ending time).

From the Solomons News Drum: The problem of obtaining a screw was cited by Mr Johnson Kengalu (Malaita Outer Islands) as an example of “Colonial rules”. He said that if one of a crew of a government ship wanted a replacement screw from the Stores, he would have to go through nine separate administrative stages. “The Marine Department just cannot give him 20 cents to buy a screw,” said Mr Kengalu. “This is one of the Colonial rules we don’t like.”

From an editorial in the Tonga Chronicle: I ought to say of course that the New Zealanders are here after the Russians have gone. I’m not quite sure whether it is playing with words or a typical New Zealand subtle approach. I’m referring of course to the so-called aim of the NZ Parliamentary Delegation visit: “An information gathering and goodwill mission”. Don’t you get the impression that this is an approach typical of a country with no prior relationships at all with Tonga? . . . The delegation arrives in Tonga with the intention of encouraging industrial development in the Pacific while at the same time, the Immigration Department in New Zealand is carrying out a drastic axing programme with overstayers. It is a bit like giving out with the left hand while squeezing your neck with the other.

The Kiwanis Club in Vila rules the weather according to a report in the New Hebrides News; After long weeks of preparation by the Kiwanis Club and the agricultural officers, the CDI Agricultural show took place on Saturday, September 4. Thanks to their perfect planning, the day began with complete sunshine!