from the islands press

From the Norfolk Island Government Gazette I, Alice Inez Bufett, Minister for Social Services and Primary Industry hereby declare the new rate of the fertiliser subsidy to be $129.00 per tonne.

The old rate of $30.00 per tonne reflected the cost per tonne of freight when the subsidy was introduced in 1969.

The new rate hereby declared, reflects more realistically, present day freight rates.

From the Scene n’ Heard column in Tohai Tala Niue Back into the workforce this week is Dorothy luso, one of the Information Office’s programmers, who arrived back last Friday after a four-week assignment with Auckland University’s Pacific Archives Department, recording and translating traditional Niuean music.

According to Mrs luso, who worked in association with Dr Richard Moyle, the response from the expatriate Niueans was “feeble” as most enquired on “how much” they would get for their efforts. Ultimately after many promises to get in touch were offered, only four Auckland groups were recorded.

From the Fiji Times Supermarkets and business houses did a roaring trade yesterday after civil servants received $6 million in backpay.

Even taxi drivers had a good day as a result of the back-pay. At the Suva market, there was not a single taxi in sight at the market-stand.

Taxi driver Mr Vilitati Cagivou said he had made about $BO.OO by yesterday afternoon.

“People living as far away as Nausori felt it was better to catch a cab home,” Mr Cagiovou said.

Hundreds of civil servants around the country received their back-pay cheques this week.

From the Marshall Islands Journal, Majuro If you are a rabbit be glad you do not lie on Johnston Island. Why?

Well when a leak is suspected in one of the containers storing the extremely deadly nerve gas stored on Johnston the area is sealed off and rabbits are released in the area to find out if the leak is real.

If the rabbit lives, no problem senior citizen. But if the rabbit dies, well, the rabbit dies. No more rabbit. Not even good for eating.

From the Vanuatu Weekly, Port-Vila A study of the life of the “finger lickin’’ coconut crab, biologically knows as “Birgus Latro”, will soon be undertaken by a scientist and an assistant, to determine among other objectives, whether it is possible for it to be farmed for economic purposes, announced the Fisheries Department.

Though the crab is very popular on restaurant and hotel menus, there is no available literature as yet on its livelihood and growth rate. Also, while its staple food is coconut, it still remains a mystery as to how a small coconut crab can crack open the hard shell of a big dry nut to feed on the flesh.

One rather clever theory has it that the crab first husks the nut then clutches it in its claws and climbs up a tree and drops it on a stone; another theory says, it gives it to a rat to crack it with its teeth.

An anti-sales sermon? Extract in the Marshall islands Journal of a “few remarks” by Father Tom Marciniak of Assumption Church at the opening of Gibson’s Majuro Shopping Center.

Father Tom cautioned the gathered celebrants to avoid becoming overly desirous of material things and to keep in mind the fact that other values are more important.

From the Cook Islands News, Rarotonga Police started their pre-Christmas clampdown on drunk and

careless drivers on Friday night with 32 people losing their vehicles overnight while they sobered up.

The keys of two trucks, two vans, a car and 27 motorbikes were confiscated by police and the vehicles parked behind the station in Avarua.

An advertisement in Tohi Tala Niue for the attention of guests with taking ways.

LOST PROPERTY: The people who used from the tables dishes, would they please return them to Lia Coe 1 brown deep enamel casserole pot white inside with name of K.

Magatogia on it; 1 very large stainless steel pot with copper bottom belonging to N.

Pasisi; 1 large aluminium pot belonging to Lofa Rex; 7 glass bowls holding raw fish belonging and named Coe; 7 long dinner plates belonging to Lia; 7 dinner plates medium belonging to Lia; 1 new 12-litre plastic container holding water was in the bar area.

From a letter by Vok Kopex in the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, Port Moresby.

Why is it that photographs taken in the Highlands are usually published in magazines which are sent overseas?

People in other countries might think that Papua New Guineans still live like primitives, by the way they dress and the types of houses in which they live.

When some Papua New Guineans go overseas people ask them do Papua new Guineans still live like primitives who kill and eat human beings. This is a shame to the person who is being asked this question and also to the country itself.