from the islands press

From an editorial in the Fiji Times, Suva A SMALL group of trade unionists turned up in Marks Park, Suva, yesterday to celebrate Labour Day. The organisers blamed the bad weather for the poor turnout, but people here generally go to watch sports or have an outing on the beach on a holiday, and show little interest in ceremonies.

Because of this kind of apathy, Fiji does not even celebrate Independence Day, although Fiji nationals living abroad get together for the celebration in different comers of the globe.

So, the organisers of the first Labour Day should consider themselves fortunate that they were able to attract at least 70-odd people.

Divine intervention in Cook Islands politics alleged in a Cook Islands News report report on the Cook Island Party ending the coalition with Sir Thomas Davis’s Democratic Party.

Speaking about Mr Henry’s demotion from the office of Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Pirangi said that it was God who had carried this out and replaced him with Dr Maoate.

“Geoff has made three stupid decisions for the party and God answered and kicked him out.”

From a letter under the heading Fence Sitter by Agoa Hisiu, Central Province, in the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, Port Moresby.

Mr Ba’a Seoa Ure, the Nara Kabadi member, is a very well-known fence sitter. Any minute he can defect to either the government or opposition ranks.

Is he aware that he has done absolutely nothing for the Nara Kabadi people as their representative in the Central Provincial Goverment?

A letter by Elva Yager in The Norfolk Islander.

The only sensible thing I have seen in connection with the Norfolk Island Development Plan, is the front cover carrying the words of our Anthem “In as much”.

Parts 1 to 3 are a lot of trash so to save time and expense it would be a good idea if the planners and the Minister for Lands called the whole thing off.

Do they really think that we are idiots who will give the government control of our freehold property?

Remember we are a territory UNDER Australia. They were asked to send a representative to keep Peace and Good Order in the form of an administrator.

We went through all this a few years ago. Don’t kid yourselves we are not going to go through it all again!

From a letter by Dilu David, Boroko, in the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, Port Moresby.

If jail escapees are caught by the police, they must chop their legs off.

If they don’t do that and just put them in prison, they are going to do the same again and the police are going to spend a lot of time looking for them.

Another thing they could do is just lock them in the room with a guard and let them go without food until they die.

From the Marianas Variety News & Views, Saipan.

Fruit bats need not disappear from any of the Mariana Islands if strong measures are taken now. The Division of Fish & Wildlife has begun an active fruit bat research and management program that can increase fruit bat populations with the aid of public support and co-operation. Like other game animals it is

possible to manage fruit bats so that a portion of the population can be safely harvested and eaten at traditional fiestas.

From The Tonga Chronicle, Nukualofa.

When she married eight years ago, Ms Kafo’atu Fehoko of Holonga made a false oath that she was 18-years-old but she was only age 12.

Ms Fehoko pleaded guilty before Supreme Court Justice Giles Francis Harwood on Monday for the false oath. She was sentenced to six months imprisonment.

A letter by “Hopeful” in The Tonga Chronicle, Nukualofa In my opinion, women should own land in this country, because if they have no husband, they can live on their own land and home. And if they are orphans they could keep themselves on their own land or could lease it for money to keep them and satisfy their wants.

Some couples have much land, and their children are only girls. Their land gets lost because the women are not allowed to own it.

I hope that the women of Tonga may soon be able to own land.

According to some reports the streets of Lae, Papua New Guinea, are thick with sellers of so-called" lucky tickets”.. a sort of illegal lottery trade of which the common denominator appears to be that there are very few winners. Lae city manager, Mr Richard Moaitz, said recently the trade would be restricted to charitable organisations. Others would be rubbed out because “they put up prizes they cannot afford to pay,” use playing cards, and ’’cause a lot of littering.” Papua New Guinea Post-Courier cartoonist, Grass Roots, saw another discipline working on the lottery operators.