The Island Press

Reports from the papers, compiled

by John Carter

THE POLICE Brass Band, recently returned from a trip to Hawaii, was named as most outstanding among the 11 in competition in Honolulu during the annual Pacific Basin Festival, March 28-April 4. It was the group’s first time to participate in the festival.

Among the 11 songs performed was

‘Katina’ composed by Queen Salote

Tupou 111.

One of the judges gave the Tongan group a perfect score of 100 points, saying, “it was a very good perform ance . . . and sometime in the near future, please visit Japan . . . because you’re much better than the Japanese Police Band”.

From the Tonga Chronicle, Nuku’alofa THE AUDITOR General’s report into the National Provident Fund has re vealed serious financial anomalies.

Part of the summarised report, re vealed to the Press by the Parliamen tary Public Accounts Committee at a news conference last Friday, states that in addition to his normal K4OOO yearly entertainment entitlement, NPF boss John Noel further incurred K 10,995 on entertainment in 1987.

The report also states that the Man aging Director’s residence at Doreen Place, Korobosea, which was bought by NPF for K 138,000 in 1983, was repaired and maintained at a cost of k 30,000 three years later.

An expensive K 16,000 swimming pool was also built at the residence, purportedly to raise the value of the property.

From the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, Port Moresby A JAPANESE World War II veteran says he wants to make amends for what his country did to PNG parti

cularly Rabaul.

“I want to have a clean heart, that’s why I must make amends,” said Mr Sadao Miyata. And one of his good deeds was the donation of 10 bicycles, at a cost of more than KlOOO from his own pocket, to Rabaul policemen last week. In his previous visits, he had presented books to the Rabaul Public Library and also did odd jobs like re painting of war relics.

From the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, Port Moresby A RESEARCH study is being con ducted by Dr Ramesh Malik of the Department of Agriculture on the breeding of guinea pigs as a cheap source of meat supply, especially in the rural areas.

Guinea pigs are promising micro livestock in the developing countries because they are a cheap source of animal protein that can be easily pro duced under rural conditions. Their cost of production is low compared to other livestock including poultry, and they don’t compete with man for food.

From the PNG University of Technology’s The Reporter, Lae ACCORDING to the article, “New

Royal Chapel Planned”, which

appeared on Page 1 of the March 17 issue of The Tonga Chronicle, re

placement of the Royal Chapel is

being planned, and there is also talk of replacing the Royal Palace.

As a palangi and a visitor to Tonga during the celebration of His Majesty’s 70th birthday anniversary, I think I can speak for other foreigners when I say that the two structures are viewed by visitors as among the most distinc tive and appealing features of Nuku’alofa. It would be a great loss to the Kingdom of these historic land marks were to be replaced.

Too often, national treasures fall victims to “progress”. It has happened in America, and it can happen m Ton ga. One of the strengths of mature leadership is the ability to rein in progress when it threatens such trea sures.

I hope that the officials of His Majesty s Government have the wis dom to preserve these two monuments to the birth of the Tupou Dynasty and the establishment of Christianity and constitutional government in the

Friendly Islands.

From a letter by R E Holmberg of Montana, USA in the Tonga Chronicle, Nukualofa.

A MAN was shot dead and seven others were seriously injured after an argument over a pancake erupted into a major fight in the Western High lands at the weekend.

Many houses, some of them perma nent buildings, and food gardens were

also destroyed in the three-day fight,

which started late on Friday at the Koban Plantation, near Banz.

The fight was between Enga and Southern Highlands labourers work ing at the plantation. It was later joined by relatives of both sides living in nearby settlements and blocks.

Police said a Southern Highlands man had bought a pancake from a vendor and when he aiscovered it was not properly cooked, returned it and asked for his lOt to be refunded.

The vendor an Engan, refused and an argument started.

It later developed into a major

fight, involving about 500 men on

both sides.

From the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, Port Moresby