people

DR JIM ALLEN, co-ordinator and principal researcher for the Capita Homeland Project (PIM Mar. p 47), has become founda tion professor of archeology at LaTrobe University, Mel bourne, After his first month at the university in June, Dr Allen rejoined the 20-metre scientific supply yacht, Dick Smith Ex plorer, to carry out his part of the research program, the ex cavation of a series of limestone caves on New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.

A LaTrobe graduate student,

Richard Fullagar, Is

also taking part in the project.

The Capita Homeland Pro ject seeks to examine the prop osition that PNG’s Bismarck Archipelago was possibly the starting-point for the earliest spread of humans into the oceanic Pacific 4000-2000 years ago.

Dr Isireli Lasaqa Has

taken up duties as the new registrar of the University of the South Pacific.

A former lecturer in geogra phy at the university, and secre tary to the Fiji Cabinet, Dr Lasaqa succeeds Dr TUPENI BABA, who resigned as USP registrar last December to be come reader in education in the USP’s School of Education.

Dr Lasaqa’s latest book, The Fijian People: Before and After Independence 1959-1977 was reviewed in PIM July (p 55). It was published by Australian National University Press.

TERRY COLEY of Air New Zealand has been seconded to Tonga to help in the setting up and management of the king dom’s new airline, Friendly Is land Airways Ltd.

The Tongan Government has purchased a Spanish-built CASA aircraft to begin the airline’s operations.

Tonga’s five outer-island air strips were recently surveyed by New Zealand airport surveyor PHILIP NORTON with a view to their possible extension and

upgrading. The airstrips are in Haapai, Vavau, ’Eua, Niuato putapu and Niuafoou.

Paul Tavito Lavulo Of

Tonga’s Central Planning De partment has begun a masters degree in economic deve lopment at the University of New England, Armidale, Aus tralia. He follows a number of other Pacific Islanders who have completed the program, including FALANIKO CHAN TUNG (Western Samoa), AVARINDRA RAO (Fiji), and JOHN ROFETA (Solomon Is lands). Mr Lavulo has a first degree from the University of Newcastle-on-Tyne in England, and his present studies are being funded by the Australian Development Assistance Bureau.

Fulbright scholarshipper

Makiuti Tongia Has Re

turned to the Cook Islands from the United States with not only high academic achievement but also one in the sporting world.

Mr Tongia, who studied to wards his Master of Arts in Ethnology and Living Museums degree at Ohio State and West ern Kentucky universities, coached the latter’s rugby team, which is currently ranked second in the United States.

Makiuti told Cook Islands News that he showed the play ers a variety of tricks “mainly Avatiu skills such as sidestep ping . . . and because of his knowledge of the sport was asked to become rugby coach.

Mr Tongia’s master’s degree highlighted research and tech niques of field work in ethnolo gy and living museums.

His Bachelor of Arts from the University of the South Pacific was in Sociology, Pacific His tory and Creative Writing.

A former Fiji citizen has become the first Fiji-bom magistrate to be appointed in the United Kingdom.

Jonathan Rao, 40, Who

left Fiji for Britain in 1960, was recently sworn in as a magis trate at a ceremony in Reading Crown Court by Judge JOHN MURCHIE. He will be sitting at Slough Magistrate’s Court.

David S. North, who usually reports for PIM out of Washing ton, DC, has been in London.

While there, he pursued his interest in the Pacific Islands.

His report: In a sense he is the last man in the South Pacific Department of the Colonial Office. He is PAUL O’CONNOR and he is in charge of Pitcairn Island, Great Britain’s last colony in the island Pacific.

The Colonial Office, of course, was merged out of existence many years ago, and its responsibilities absorbed by what is now the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

A junior diplomat, as most desk officers are, O’Connor keeps track of the activities of four nations (Kiribati, Tuvalu, Nauru and Tonga) and the French and American territories in the Paci fic, as well as Pitcairn and its 50-odd inhabitants.

To call upon O’Connor the visitor must pass Admiral NEL SON’S statue in Trafalgar Square, walk through the Admiralty Arch at the end of the Mall leading to Buckingham Palace, and walk around a statue of Captain JAMES COOK, where the inscription says “he laid the foundation for the British Empire in Australia and New Zealand.” O’Con nor’s modest office is in the Old Admiralty Building, where

Winston Churchill

Dr Jim Allen .. . limestone caves in New Ireland. - La- Trobe University Record photo.