history-by RWR

Some footnotes to history-by RWR

I have two lasting personal memories of the founder of PIM, R. W. Robson. First, many years ago I met Judy Tudor and “Robbie” at the old govern ment hotel on Rarotonga, and was able to yarn with them.

Secondly, I was one of those present and privileged to listen to a grand old man’s address that honored the magazine he founded. That occasion was PlM’s 50th anniversary dinner, August 16, 1980. “Robbie” left me with the lasting recollection of a vital personality, possessed of an incisive mind, able to articulate ideas in challenging and crystal-clear style.

A lasting monument to “Rob bie’s” work as a great Pacific Islands man of letters is the library of Pacific Islands books which is jealously guarded by PIM. The library had its founda tions in the books accumulated by “Robbie” as they came to

PIM to face the scrutiny of the reviewers.

The other day I happened to take from the shelves of this library a copy of Jack Hides’

Beyond The Kubea, and I was thrilled to find that it contained pencilled notes by “Robbie”.

His comments clearly indicate that he had a deep perception of the factors which determined the fate of Hides’ tragic expedi tion. Hides and his companion, David Lyall, in search of gold, went beyond the headwaters of the Strickland River, and into the Kubea Mountains of Cen tral New Guinea.

“Robbie” gives information not spelled out by Hides. He wrote: “Large section missing here. They remained in this place for many weeks and radioed they had found a vast, rich dredging area. I went to Port Moresby, sent a seaplane for them, met them in P.M., got

the lease (after much difficulty) and, in April, 1937, sent them back to Upper Strickland by seaplane, which was piloted by Aubrey Koch. Later (Aug.-Sep. 1937), Investors Ltd. sent ex pert to examine ‘dredging areas.’ He pronounced them

absolutely worthless.”

Hides’ leadership of the ex pedition did not impress “Rob bie.” Hides tells u‘s: “The wire less was working perfectly and we were in constant touch with Port Moresby. I comforted my self with the thought that once beyond the mountains I could call an aeroplane to our assist ance if necessary.” Robbie’s analysis of the situation paints a quite different picture. “This is where he should have warned his Sydney Co. of the possibil ity, so that they could have made some preparations for an urgent call. The use of an aeroplane for this unknown country cannot be managed quickly the insurance risk makes the charter terribly ex pensive ...”

The end paper of PlM’s copy of Beyond The Kubea carries “Robbie’s” postscript to Hides’ expedition. “That was the end of the disastrous expedition fin anced by the Sydney syndicate Investors Ltd. Hides came back to Sydney and tried his hand at two or three enterprises; but he was a sick man and died in Sydney soon afterwards.”

Bill Coppell

Waverton, NSW Australia

The latest on

‘Noel Buxton’

As I write I am a passenger on an ex-Papua New Guinea ves sel en route from Cairns to Thursday Island.

The vessel is the MV Noel Buxton , which former expatri ates and others will recall was the Australian Commonwealth Government lighthouse vessel operating Samarai to Wewak in the 1960s. Built by Walkers of Maryborough, it went into service in 1966 until, I believe, independence in 1975, when it was handed over as a gift to the new PNG Government.

For some reason its career as a lighthouse vessel after inde pendence was brief, and for some time it was tied up in Port Moresby harbor, where it was vandalised before being purch ased by a couple of Australians and sailed to Brisbane for refit and survey.

The new owners tried to use it in the Moreton Bay area, but could not generate enough traf fic. Later it operated Townsville — Caims, but the same prob lem occurred here.

At about the time it was on this run, the writer attempted to charter it for a return trip to the PNG battlefields for a group of Australian ex-servicemen. But as the vessel was only in state coastal survey, the Common wealth Department of Trans-

PIM’s founder R.W. Robson (right) with British diplomat Sir Harry Luke.

port would not allow it to leave Australian waters.

Recently the Noel Buxton was purchased by Paul Harvey of Earner Reef Airways, and is operating as a cargo-passenger vessel Cairns to Thursday Is land. It is not in the Orsoua class, but offers reasonable accommodation at reasonable rates for the a.m. Saturday to

a.m. the following Friday round trip. , thou ht PIM readers would uke t 0 catch on a Me of the recent hist of a uessel that be remembered b

Geoff Masters

(Formerly of Bay Theatre, Alo tau.)Bribie Island. Qld.

Australia