Pacific Report
pp. 5-6 · Read in the full issue
Tongan Hanging Stirs Png Cops
Tonga’s use of the death penalty against a convicted murderer (PIM, Pacific Report, Feb) has been cited by the Papua New Guinea Police Association in support of a call for its temporary reintroduction in their country. There were 68 recorded murders in PNG in 1976-77, compared with 37 in the previous 12 months. The association also asked that police be trained in the use of weapons.
Nauru’S 10 Republican Years
Nauru celebrated her 10th anniversary as a republic on February 9 with the issue of two new stamps. The issue, totalling 100 000, is expected to earn about S6O 000. The two vertical designs on the 15c blue and the 60c green feature Nauru’s coat of arms the chemical symbol for phosphate supported by feathers of a frigate bird, a flower and the motto "God’s Will First". Since the Crown Agents who had been supervising production of the stamps find themselves facing an inquiry into a $360 million deficit in their accounts, sale of the stamps will this time be handled by the Nauru Philatelic Bureau.
Western Samoa Acts On Energy
Western Samoa has appointed an energy committee to examine alternative sources of power in an effort to cut its huge Dill for imported fuels, now supplying 75% of its energy needs.
Heading the list of alternative sources of energy to be examined s hydro power, which already supplies 25% of the country’s energy. Then come solar energy, wind, and wood from forest ind coconut plantations.
Somare Advises Hebrides
i Papua New Guinea told a delegation of the New Hebrides’
Council of Ministers which visited Port Moresby in January not o delay any longer in fixing a date for political independence.
S NG Prime Minister Michael Somare told them: "The only way 0 handle your responsibilities is without delay." He said he was ipeaking from his own experience as a political leader )repared to accept PNG nationhood when many Australians md Papua New Guineans themselves said it couldn’t be done
-Awyers Rap Anti-Graft Bill
The Fiji Government’s proposed anti-corruption bill has come inder fire from the nation’s Law Society on the grounds it would endanger innocent citizens. "There is nothing to prevent the mscrupulous from using this statute as a pretext for building up 1 dossier on citizens . which could be used for any political, lusiness or other end,” the Society said. Responding, former Forney-General Sir John Falvey said there was far more corruption in the country than he had ever imagined. Any measure designed to combat it had to be tough.
O. Language Tests Attract Flak
Language tests given to foreign students applying to study in Jew Zealand are "a farce", according to prominent Fiji lawyer nd former MP, Mr Kishor Govind. Mr Govind said the English anguage tape recordings used test memory rather than anguage, and even he could possibly fail. In his home town of |a only five out of 80 eligible students had passed the test. New ■ealand’s Deputy High Commissioner to Fiji, Mr John •pringford, said the test was for all Asian and Pacific students nd had been designed by an independent university ommittee. His comments did not stop scores of students and fcrents in Fiji from continuing their protests.
Scurrilous Leaflets In Fiji
The Fiji police are investigating the source of anti jovernment handbills circulating in the country They arrived in envelopes bearing a Sydney postmark, but carried no address ! r signature. Five different handbills, typewritten and then luphcated, had been circulated by the middle of January.
Some contained crowd pictures, and others pictures of the Governor-General, Ratu Sir George Cakobau, and the Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. The pamphlets were said to contain inflammatory but ridiculous racist comments. They also defamed government leaders, church ministers and members of the business community. They were scurrilous publications, evidently issued by people with deranged minds.
Fiji Consumer Head Drops Out
The chairperson of Fiji’s Consumer Council, Mrs Anaseini Qionibaravi, has resigned because she found she could not function effectively. Said she: “I don’t think those responsible for the council’s budget are serious enough about it, or they would give it a budget on which it could operate."
Mr Somare’S Near-Big Bang
A squad from Papua New Guinea’s Defence Force in February removed more than 4 000 rounds of corroded but live ammunition found buried about 1 km from the PNG Central Government Offices in Port Moresby. The offices include that of Prime Minister Michael Somare. During World War II the area was part of an extensive complex involving artillery units and aircraft dispersal bays.
Forum Line Under Way
The Forum Line will start shipping services on May 1 with three ships, one given by New Zealand, one by Nauru and one chartered, the line’s general manager, Mr G. R. Dewsnap, announced in Apia. By mid-1979 the line will have five ships in operation, he added. The line is still in the process of recruiting staff. After hiring, many of them will be sent to New Zealand and Australia for intensive training in various aspects of handling the documentation of cargo.
Different Fates Of Stowaways
Two young Tongans, Tevita Teutau and Pea Kamosi, who stowed away in the Kalia before she left Nukualofa on January 13, disappeared from the ship when it was off the north coast of New South Wales nine days later. The two, with two others, were found when the Kalia reached Sydney and were being returned to Tonga. Well-known South Pacific master mariner, Captain Brett Milder, who took over command of the Kalia in Sydney for the return trip to Tonga, via Brisbane, said there had been a complete search of the ship after the youths were reported missing. They had been allowed to walk about because it was not expected they would jump overboard. Another young Tongan stowaway was not so lucky: he was killed when he fell into the forward funnel of the liner Ellinis while trying to escape apprehension by ship’s officers.
Fire Fighters On Fire Water
Two senior firemen on duty near Fiji's Nadi airport were so drunk one recent Sunday morning they couldn’t walk, according to Nadi’s mayor, Cr Mannu Patel. He said he shuddered to think what would have happened if there’d been a fire at the time. The firemen are shuddering to think about the problems they’ll face finding new jobs.
Bougainville’S Profit Dips
Bougainville Copper Ltd turned in a profit of $34.21 million in the year ended December 31, 1977, compared with $49.6 million in 1976. The return, mainly because of a depressed world copper market, was a far cry from the $l4B million profit of 1973, which caused the Papua New Guinea Government to press for a larger share of the profits from the mine, and win its point. The final dividend is 4t a share, making a payout of 8t a share for the year. Only bright spot in the directors’ report was that Japanese copper buyers returned to the full level of contractual deliveries in 1977, and indicated their desire to take some tonnages deferred in previous years. The PNG
Government and the PNG Investment Corporation will receive about K 28.3 million from Bougainville Copper for 1977, compared with about K 28.5 million in 1976. The government shares K 4.3 million in dividends with the Investment Corporation. It receives K 2.4 million, in withholding tax on dividends paid to non-residents of PNG, K 13.7 million in tax and about K 2.5 million in royalties.
Trades University In Hebrides?
United Nations experts are studying a proposal for establishment of a technical university in the New Hebrides to serve/train skilled tradesmen for all Pacific Islands. The idea was first put up by Australian and New Zealand representatives from the International Labour Organisation who visited the New Hebrides late last year.
A World First For Png?
Papua New Guinea’s entire trunk telecommunications system will be running on solar power by the end of the year, following award of a $750 000 contract to convert the system from battery to solar power to the Sydney company, Amalgamated Wireiess (Australasia) Ltd. PNG is believed to be the world’s first country to power its trunk system in this way, narrowly ahead of Australia itself where a similar conversion will begin in 1979.
Sir Albert Plugs The Gaps
Cook Islands Premier, Sir Albert Henry, has been quick to appoint new Ministers to replace those who have resigned (PIM Political Currents). He has appointed his son, the Hon Tupui Ariki Henry to be Minister of Education, the Hon George Ellis as Minister of Agriculture, Marine and Scientific and Industrial Research, and the Hon Apenera Short as Minister of Health.
Tahiti’S Prison Revolt
Revolt swept Tahiti’s central prison in Papeete late in January, leaving two dead and 20 wounded. The 11 -hour mutiny had strong political overtones, with pro-independence detainees leading the prisoners’ negotiating team, and mutineers shouting slogans in favour of a complete break with France and against France’s nuclear testing in the region. The two major spokesmen for the prisoners were Marcel Tautini, 25, and his brother Jonas, 21. The two are charged, along with two other men, with the slaying of a French businessman, Pierre Chatillon-d’Anglejean, in Papeete last August (PIM, Nov 1977, p 16) The brothers are alleged to be members of the pro independence Pett Party led by Charlie Ching, who is also in Papeete gaol on charges of associating with criminals. Ching has denied any links with the mutiny.
Betting Shop For Agnes And Bill
Mrs Agnes Taureka of Port Moresby, a Fijian, who is honorary consul for her country in Papua New Guinea, and well-known Australian bookmaker, Mr Bill Waterhouse, are going into partnership in a Port Moresby betting shop. Mr Waterhouse also has bookmaking interests in Fiji. As the new partnership was announced, it was reported that PNG’s 18 previously licensed bookmakers had a turnover of $31.7 million in the 13 months since betting shops were first made legal.
A Break With Tradition
Sir Tei Abal, Papua New Guinea’s Opposition Leader, plans to sue a Highlands tribal group for spurning his compensation gift of 65 pigs and four cows offered to the tribe following the death of a tribesman, a police motor-cyclist, in a collision with a car driven by Sir Tei. Sir Tei, who faces a manslaughter charge over the fatality, was to make the payment at a peace feast in Enga Province, but the tribesmen, all of the Wapo tribe, waked out after most of the animals had been slaughtered and cookecT The tribe had demanded KBO 000 and 100 pigs, but accepted Sir Tei’s offer. The walk-out from the formal handover ceremony is unprecedented, and described by Sir Tei s tribe as a “deliberate insult, breaking with all tradition . He will sue for breach of a recognised contract.
“Tighten Belts” Winkel
High Commissioner Adrian Wmkel of the US Trust Territory a the Pacific, in his first “State of the Territory” message to the Congress of Micronesia, revealed that the TT operating budge for 1979 has been cut by SUSS million. At the same time, he said, the cost of government and the rate of inflation were increasing by 7% a year. Calling for belt-tightening measure: throughout the administration, he warned of further cuts ii coming years.
Png For Big League?
The possibility of Papua New Guinea playing Rugby Leagui at international level comes closer. The British Rugby Leagui has agreed that the Papua New Guinea Rugby League shoul have full membership of the international Rugby League Boarc The board secretary, Mr Bill Fallowfield, has circulated the othe three members of the board, Australia, France and Ne' Zealand, asking for a “yes” or “no” vote. Membership of th board would automatically give PNG the right to play Te; matches against the other member countries.
Nadi Hotel Fire
The Mocambo Hotel at Nadi suffered severely from fir damage during January. The fire, which started in the kitcher spread to and destroyed the restaurant, coffee shop, bar an kitchen. Firemen spent two and a half hours fighting the blaz and prevented it from spreading to guests’ rooms. There wer about 250 guests staying in the hotel at the time and the chu fire officer at Nadi paid tribute to them for not panicking and fc removing all their belongings to a safe place. The poolsid restaurant was undamaged and guests are being served mea there until the damage is repaired.
Australia, Png, Talk Economic Zones
Australia and Papua New Guinea will either negotiate a joi management agreement over areas where their new 200-mi economic zones overlap, or curtail their limits in the affecte areas, drawing a firm line in the middle. Australian Foreic Affairs Minister, Mr Peacock, had talks in February on tf matter with a PNG delegation headed by Foreign Minister, N Olewale It was indicated unofficially in Port Moresby that joint management in the overlapping zones will be favourec
Bombing Opens Conference
The Regional Conference of Commonwealth Heads Government, attended by Papua New Guinea. Fiji, Tone Western Samoa and Nauru along with Asian governme leaders, opened dramatically and tragically at Sydney’s Hilt Hotel on February 13. A few hours before the formal opening bomb exploded in a garbage truck outside the hotel, killing t\ council workmen and seriously injuring several other m including a police constable. There were several bomb scar later Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, of Fiji, had early success. He and Australian Prime Minister Malco Fraser reached agreement in private talks on Australian tra union intervention in Fiji’s affairs. It was decided to set up a jo committee of government officials to negotiate with Australu and Fiji trade unions when the need arose. Mr Fraser al assured Ratu Mara that, of S3O million to be given in aid to \ by Australia over the next three years, $lO million would earmarked for the Nadrau hydro-electric scheme on the upp reaches of the Sigatoka River.
Japan Floating Fair 78
Japan is coming to the Pacific in a big way in September: floating fair will visit Papua New Guinea and Fiji to give I o: traders a firsthand view of the latest that Japan has to offer in market place. Japan Floating Fair ’7B will do a three-month t. taking in, as well as the countries named New Zealai Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Philippines.