KEITH JACKSON
With the newsletter circulating well over 100 copies a fortnight, subscriptions starting to build and copies being sold as far afield as Goroka, the Kundiawa News managed to attract its first two advertisers – Burns Philp and AH Bunting, both providing merchandise and household goods throughout the Highlands.
The Kundiawa News had now been registered as a periodical and its fortnightly contents included news, gossip columns, outstation reports, social and sporting news as well as poetry and short stories. Here’s something of a taste of issue 15.
CO-OPS IN THE GUMINE
Following meetings in the Gumine area of the southern Chimbu, £1,200 has been subscribed to the Kundiawa Coffee Society. This money was collected in three days. Co-operatives chief, Mr B Bond, gave talks to the local people on the principles of the co-operative movement and the action of the people in asking to join the coffee society was purely spontaneous.
Mr G Pople, MHA for Gumine, said it was essential that an Agricultural Officer be made available in the Gumine immediately. He said that coffee was the only way that the Gumine people could make any money at all and that it was essential to get the coffee industry that poor quality coffee should not be produced.
He further stated that as soon as possible he himself would be interested in joining the society but unfortunately the present discriminatory law made this impossible.
AND A FAREWELL TO A GOOD FRIEND
Jophiel Iravela left Kundiawa for Port Moresby last Wednesday. He had been in Kundiawa little more than 12 months. He was considered a friend by all who knew him. Originally from Boianai in the Milne Bay District he was educated at Sogeri High School. On completing his schooling, he entered the Public health Department and later went to Suva and undertook the Health Inspectors’ Course at the Central Medical College for three years.
Let Stan Christian carry on: :On his return he came to Minj Malaria School as a student of mine (1955-56). He attended the European Course and not the National Course. He did exceedingly well.
“He remained at Minj as a demonstrator with me in the entomology section and later became assistant instructor. Always taking a deep interest in mosquitoes, he studied much further and has a very good knowledge of the Territory Anophelinae and Culicinae. He was of great help to me over the years and I’m sure many of his past students remember him with affection.”
Jophiel was at Minj until the end of 1962, then at Kundiawa from May 1963. He is married to Gertrude Robson and has four children. When in Port Moresby, he is to specialise in mosquito entomology and part of his interest will be to demonstrate at the Papuan Medical College.
THE BALLAD OF THE CHIMBU ROAD
By Jim English (aka Keith Jackson)
The day was hot and steamy
The Chimbu’s drooped in the sun
And red in the face were officials
Who had come to see the fun.
Waiye was there, and Kondom
And others of high degree,
There was Siwi and Gram Bomai,
All with similar plea.
“We want the road through the Chimbu,
No other place will do,
We’ve been neglected far too long;
This is our talk to you.
“We produce most of the coffee
Pyrethrum then is best;
Room for many others,
Our Chimbu Land is blessed.”
The meeting grew loud and stormy
And Flower did take a hand,
But his angry words and spasmodic blurbs
Did not impress this band.
Then heagney took up the running,
“What we want to know,: said he,
“Is whether we get the road or not
Or we’re up the fig’rative tree!”
The assembly murmured agreement,
The members squirmed in their seats;
The question was left unanswered
‘Cept for unintelligible bleats.
That night way down in the Clubroom
When all the Chimbus had left
Keith Levy was trapped in a corner,
From his Hagen leader bereft.
The questions and comments were rapid,
The Hagener in the stew
And almost without thinking, said,
“Yes, a road to the Chimbu”.
The DO was excited,
A youthful voice did cheer,
In the minds of all, big or small,
The road was nearly here.
But the word is going round now
That nothing’ll be done at all;
Politicians are known to be able to talk
Before they’re able to crawl.
It’s just a matter of waiting
‘Til the big decision is made,
And s’help me if it’s the wrong one,
I won’t be using a spade.
My bare hands on the grave I’ll use,
To inter the misguided few,
We’ll teach ‘em not to fool around
With us in the wild Chimbu.