from the islands press

From Rengel Belau of Koror, Palau Workers of the business enterprises engaged in the distribution of poker machines had to recall and take out these machines from the different establishments where they were installed as they were served a warning that these were against the law.

Section 705 (b) under Gambling says that under no circumstances shall gambling or betting money or other stakes be allowed in the following games: poker, blackjack, dice, hanafuda or slot machines of any kind.

From an editorial in The Samoa Times, Apia When the Speaker, Nonumalo Sofara, barred the editor-publisher of The Samoa Times from the House for shaking his head during a scurrilous attack by the Speaker on him and other journalists the thinking was that it was out of pique because the Privileges Committee had failed to make stick a charge of breach of privilege.

With the introduction of new bills to double the penalty on criminal libel and to put the new offence of criminal slander into the law books it is now becoming obvious that this government is taking its policies straight out of Orwell’s 1984.

From the American Samoa News Bulletin, Pago Pago The volunteer spirit that which had been the driving force behind Samoa’s march toward social, political and economic stability in the past has returned, and behind the revival of that nobel sense of community spirit is none other than Governor A P. Lutali.

The Governor’s beautification program is spearheaded by First Lady Susana, Mrs. Hinanui Hunkin, Secretary of Samoan Affairs Salave’a Senio, the District Governors, the Faalupegas, the Pulenuus, the Faifeaus/Fesoasoanis and their Youth Groups as well as civic-minded mothers and fathers of American Samoa, who are proud of their country and have dedicated their lives to the retaining/rcstoration of American Samoa’s natural beauty. And the villagers and Youth Groups are seen, especially on Saturday mornings, cleaning up their respective communities. It’s great! It’s beautiful! And Governor Lutali is there encouraging the enthusiastic populace in doing what needs to be done to return beauty to our islands.

From a report in The Fiji Times on a rise in the incidence of “sexually-transmitted” diseases in Savusavu A majority of the patients were males, Dr Ovini said.

He said the sudden increase in the number of people contracting the disease could be attributed to rapid urbanisation of the people, and the two ferries that called into port daily.

Democracy at work in Vanuatu Parliament as reported in the Vanuatu Weekly, Port-Vila Following the Prime Minister’s announcement at the opening session of Parliament that all bills tabled by the Opposition would be voted against by the VP, the Bill for the Public Holidays Regulation (Amendment) Act No. of 1985, originally tabled by MP Maxime Carlot (Indp.) calling for re-inclusion of the Labour Day Holiday on May 1 to the Official Holiday List, was rejected and the Government introduced its own above. It is for the Labour Day Holiday on May 1 to be re-included in the Official Holiday List.

From a letter by Ralph Weslake in The Norfolk Islander.

This is the story of a visitor to Norfolk Island.

The person concerned filled in the arrival card on arriving at Norfolk Island for a period exceeding 30 days.

The person duly received a letter from the Administration of

Norfolk Island, advising that visitors’ permits were only for 30 days but, that on payment of $5 the permit would be extended.

Sir, I find this hard to believe. Is the Administration so strapped for money that $5 is required to extend a visitor’s permit?

From an editorial in Rengel Belau of Koror, Palau.

Two senior officials of Palau, one from the Olbiil Era Kelulau and other from the Bureau of Health Services conferred one day last week about the harmful effects that alcohol has w'rought in the country.

They pooled their facts together and came up with some very alarming statistics: 90 per cent of all crimes committed in Palau and four out of five road accidents were alcohol-related.

But it seems that alcoholism does not only stalk the courts and the roads of Palau, it has also broken into the offices and crept towards job sights causing a 40 per cent fall in work productivity especially on days after weekends or holidays.

A brave attempt at emancipation of the sexes in Papua New Guinea has withered and failed the University of Papua New Guinea's annual beauty contest will not, now, include men. The co-ordinator of the quest, Emily Dirua, admitted defeat when nominations closed with eleven girls on the list and no men. “Most students don’t have the courage until the last minute,” she said. “It is only then that they make the decision.”

Male students had thought about lampooning the contest, but abandoned that in favor of ignoring the invitation entirely. “What have men got to show?” demanded one student. PNG Post-Courier cartoonist, Grass Roots, showed he agreed that men students were less

than appetising.