Islands

From the

Press

From a letter to the Norfolk Islander f So, the reason we won’t have Norfolk’s airport upgraded is that the Department of Transport has no money! Balderdash and Poppycock! The reason is simple and glaringly evident. There is no Member of Parliament who will benefit from assistance given to Norfolk as there are no votes here. . . Any person who I believes there is a politician in Australia who will go out of his/her way to do anything for us without politically profiting, are de

j luding themselves. . .

From the PNG Government’s Our News Less serious jail sentences have been recommended for people found guilty of tradition-motivated murder or attempted murder.

The Law Reform Commission. . . wants a maximum penalty of I three years jail sentence prescribed for such offences . . .

From the News Drum, Solomon Islands Some visitors which came to Solomon Islands during the indepen dence celebrations are still in the country. They are the pelican birds believed to have come from Australia. Reports from Star Harbour on Makira said the birds in flocks of 20 to 50, are invad ing reefs there . . . Reports also say that pelicans have been seen surfing on the reefs.

From the Tohi Tala Niue The peka (flying fox) and the ‘lupe’ (wood pigeon) are con sidered island delicacies but when one considers the small bird population of the island - the odd 24 600 bullets flying skyhigh throughout the three months is a dismal thought to conser vationists. It is just as well, that not all shooters are ‘true shots’ otherwise the island would be bereft of its feathered creatures.

TTN hopes that the government and its people will take a greater interest in the preservation of harmless birdlife and promote the shooting of the ‘kale’ (swamp hen) and wild pigs instead, until such time that our bird population is creditable and then open the season once more but for only short spurts - say one month.

Headline in the Fiji Times Apathy of NZ voters could return Muldoon to office.

Advertisement in the Atoll Pioneer, Gilbert Islands 1974 apple green Toyota Corolla in challenging condition. Engine excellent. Has been looked after with love and affection by Mr May and others. Body work shows signs of oxidization. Good for short journeys Bairiki/Bonriki and to Betio when causeway completed. Glove shelf contains genuine pair of Mike Walsh sun glasses reminiscent of an earlier economic era. Offers around $3OO for the lot .. .

From an advertisement in The Fiji Times: Government notice - Due to improvements to water mains at Brown Street the following areas will be without water.

From the Lae Nius, Papua New Guinea Mr Zonba said he fully supported a statement by the Morobe Interim Provincial Government Secretary, Mr Jerry Nalau, earlier this year that churches had brought divisive elements into Papua New Guinea because their followers felt that each church’s faith was superior to the others. Mr Nalau had urged people in the

Morobe Province not to spend their time praying to God for development but that they themselves should think of ways to raise revenues. . .

From a letter to the Arawa Bulletin, Papua New Guinea Arawa Town has now become over-populated with all sorts of creatures, e.g. human beings with no jobs staying with their wan toks, or wandering around the street causing trouble. . . However there is again another population explosion . . . namely dogs which are found ... in packs wandering around destroying gar bage drums and walking away with socks or you name it. . . Why can't the council allow the police to do what they did in Rabaul some years ago shoot every dog which is not chained to a house and dump them in to a ready dug up hole.

From New Nation, Papua New Guinea

Oh. Papua Niugini. You look like wanpela old man. Your fore head is Sepik, Eye bilong you is Madang, Your nose is Finschhafen, Tupela nostrils bilong you are Markham and Busu rivers. Your mouth is Wara Waria, Your chin is Popondetta, Tip of your maus grass is Samarai, Hap smoke bilong you is New Britain. The older you become, the wiser you will be. Oh Papua Niugini maski look sad. - Uncle S. Mehre , Bugandi High School, Lae.

Coconut Telegraph, Savusavu, Fiji

The Fiji consumer needs four pairs of eyes (including an X-ray pair) and an extra sense to warn him when he is being deceived, if he is to avoid the many traps and pitfalls which await him day after day in all areas of consumer buying of goods and services.

We have storekeepers who rob their customers in devious ways, or who calmly take good money for rotten merchandise; market vendors who stack their baskets with the biggest and best on top, the smallest and grubbiest at the bottom . . .

From the Fiji Times At least one Fiji hotel manager thinks room rates here are too high. Martin Livingston, who will run the Skylodge at Nadi, says Fiji is no bargain. In Hawaii $l6 a day will buy you a room for two with colour television and movies in the room, in a hotel with four or five bars, a wide variety of entertainments and all sorts of services you can’t get in Fiji such as an instant valet ser vice. he says. In Fiji for a good hotel with some facilities, although far from matching those in Hawaii, you’ll generally have to pay $2O upward (often more like $3O).

From Island, monthly newsletter of the Institute for Island Research and Assistance.

Do Islands women sometimes ponder why bare brown/black breasts appear quite frequently on the cover of PIM magazine, but never white ones?