ISSN 1442-6161, PPA 224987/00025 2009, No 1 - March Una Voce JOURNAL OF THE PAPUA NEW GUINEA ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA INC (formerly the Retired Officers Association of Papua New Guinea Inc) Patrons: Major General Michael Jeffery AC CVO MC (Retd) Mrs Roma Bates; Mr Fred Kaad OBE Special General Meeting In This Issue And Luncheon To be held on Sunday 26 April 2009 at NOTICE OF SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING 3 Killara Golf Club in Sydney. Full details RESIGNATION OF PRESIDENT 4 are on page 3 of this issue, booking slip CONSTITUTIONAL REVIEW 6 and payment form are on a separate IT’S OUR PARTY 7 yellow insert. GREAT CHARITY RAFFLE - $9000 8 Note: At the Special POSITION VACANT – TREASURER 9 General Meeting members PNGAA WEB SITE 9 will be asked to vote on proposed AT THE RACES 10 PNGAA Caveat Emptor 12 amendments to the Association’s NOTES FROM THE NT 14 Constitution – these, together with a A VISIT TO SOGERI 15 proxy voting form, appear in the LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 17 enclosed information. RUNDLE and the Montevideo Maru 21 ROBERT ROTHSAY COLE OBE MC 22 The Management Committee would like HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE-Emanuel Trial24 to thank all those who sent Seasons A LOT OF HOT AIR 25 Greetings. THE WAU FACTOR 27 If you do not wish to have your THE ALLIED LIBERATION of LAE - 1943 30 name and address included in the SHEETS OF STEEL 31 MEMBERSHIP LIST which is HELP WANTED 32 published in the June issue of Una BOOK NEWS 33 Voce, please advise the Secretary. GETTING PUBLISHED 35 PNGAA COLLECTION - FRYER LIBRARY 36 THE GREAT DAY 38 ARE YOU UNFINANCIAL??? TWO VOLCANOLOGISTS DEAD! 40 If you notice a red dot on the address BOB COLE and the 30 POLICE BADGES 43 label of your copy of Una Voce, you are KONE BAR FLIES v. THE KONE TIGERS 47 unfinancial. Please complete the SIALUM PIG CALLING 48 Membership Renewal Form on the DERRIS 49 yellow insert – please also include your RETURNING TO NEW IRELAND 50 membership number. FIFTY YEARS AGO IN PNG 52 Please note: Membership Fees $20 pa. PETER E FIGGIS MC 54 Have you had a say? Visit ‘BILONG GUT TAIM BIPOR’ 57 VALES 61 the on our FORUM WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS 68 website: www.pngaa.net ‘UNA VOCE’ IS THE JOURNAL OF THE PAPUA NEW GUINEA The Objects of the Association: ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA INC to foster and maintain an interest in Please send all correspondence to: The contemporary and historical events in Secretary, PNGAA, PO Box 1386, Papua New Guinea; Mona Vale NSW 1660. Items for Una Voce are welcome and should be marked ‘For to foster and encourage contact and Attention: The Editor’ or emailed to: friendship with Papua New Guineans; [email protected] By submitting your to encourage the preservation of article/story for publication, you agree documents and historical material related that we may, after publication in Una . to Papua New Guinea; Voce, republish it on the internet unless to encourage members to contribute to you advise us to the contrary. the production and recording of the oral and written history of Papua New Una Voce is published in March, June, Guinea; September and December. to promote friendly association among all Advertising is available - please contact members; the Editor. to continue to safeguard and foster the Website: www.pngaa.net retirement conditions of superannuated Membership is available to any members of the former services. person having an interest in PNG. In so far as the original association was Annual subscription - $20. The formed to safeguard and foster the membership year corresponds to the retirement conditions of superannuated calendar year and an application form is members of the former services, including available from the Secretary at the conditions applicable to their widows and above address or you can download one dependants, the association shall continue from our website. to represent such members, their widows PNGAA Office Bearers – and dependants in all superannuation matters appropriate to their prior service in Acting President/Deputy President the former services. Pamela Foley Phone 02 9967 2818 Fax 02 9967 2856 Secretary DISCLAIMER: Una Voce is produced for the Ann Graham information of members of the Papua New Tel/fax 02 9999 4490 Guinea Association of Australia Inc. It is Membership Officer & Treasurer written with care, in good faith, and from Ross Johnson sources believed to be accurate. However, Phone 02 9876 6178 readers should not act, nor refrain from acting, Fax 02 9868 2068 solely on the basis of information in Una Voce Email: [email protected] about financial, taxation or any other matter. Editor of Una Voce Having regard for their own particular Andrea Williams circumstances, readers should consult the Phone 02 9449 4129 relevant authorities or other advisers with Fax 02 9449 4196 expertise in the particular field. Neither the Email: [email protected] PNGAA nor the editor accepts any Caring Committee responsibility for actions taken by readers. Nancy Johnston 02 9529 4974 Also, the views expressed by any of the authors Superannuation Committee of articles or book reviews included in Una Fred Kaad 02 9969 7217 Voce are not necessarily those of the editor or the PNGAA. 2 A Special General Meeting (SGM) of the Association is planned for April 26 at the Killara Golf Club, and takes the place of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) that had already been announced. At this SGM members will be asked to vote on proposed amendments to the Association’s Constitution. One of these proposals is that the Association’s office-bearers and members of the Management Committee should henceforth be elected by a postal vote of the membership, rather than on a show of hands by those attending the AGM. This change to the Rules, like all the changes presented at the SGM is unanimously recommended by the Management Committee. If this is approved, time of course will be required for nominations to be received from members and postal voting forms sent out. Thus the 2009 AGM will now be held on Sunday 28 June at the Killara Golf Club, where a light afternoon tea will be served and drinks available. Updated information on all these developments will be published in the June Una Voce, as well as on the Association’s website: www.pngaa.net. NOTICE OF SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING A Special General Meeting of the Papua New Guinea Association of Australia, Incorporated, will be held in Sydney on Sunday 26 April 2009 at the Killara Golf Club, 556 Pacific Highway, Killara, NSW, commencing at 11:30 am. A Luncheon has been arranged starting at approximately 1:00 pm. AGENDA 1. Members present and apologies. 2. Receipt of Proxies 3. To consider and if thought fit, pass the following Special Resolution: To replace the document entitled Rules of the Papua New Guinea Association of Australia, Inc. dated 1 December 2002 (the Old Rules), with the document entitled Rules of the Papua New Guinea Association of Australia, Inc., dated 26 April 2009 (the New Rules) Please note that alcoholic beverages will be available from a cash-only bar. Members together with their families and friends are all welcome – but please let us know if you wish to come to the luncheon by completing the booking form and payment details on the separate yellow insert and returning it as soon as possible. Anyone with special dietary requests? Please let us know so we can arrange something suitable. Again you may indicate if you wish to sit with particular people or pre arrange a table of 8 or 10. For those coming by train, take the exit on the western side of Killara station, walk along Marion Street, cross the Pacific Highway at the lights and then turn left along the Highway towards the Killara Golf Club (550m). Restoration work to Lindfield Station, including two lifts and a ramp, should be completed in late May. Until Lindfield Station has these facilities free return shuttle transport from Gordon Station, which has a lift and a taxi rank, is offered if you would like. Please phone Harry West #9418 8793 regarding transport or further information. Public transport information # 131500. The cost is $47.50 per person – this does not include liquor or soft drinks - would those attending please pay in advance and not at the door. Advance payment enables us to plan the seating and confirm numbers with the House Manager, Killara golf Club. Cancellations advised to Ann Graham (02 9999 4490) by Monday April 13, 2009 will secure a full refund. This is the date we inform the Club of final numbers – after this date the Association must pay for those unable to attend. ▪ 3 RESIGNATION OF PRESIDENT Keith Jackson AM, who was elected president of the PNGAA at the annual general meeting on 27 April last year, resigned as of 6 January 2009. Keith’s resignation letter is as follows: I would like the Committee of the Association to accept my resignation as President and as a Committee member of the PNGAA. This decision has been made over a number of weeks and has been arrived at for the following reasons: 1. Despite what was said to me before I agreed to put my name forward as President last year about there being a mood for change in the PNGAA, it is clear that a vocal minority of people within the Association, and particularly within the former ROAPNG membership, are implacably opposed to change. While I know there were serious divisions in the Committee before my election as President and subsequent arrival on the Committee, and while Committee meetings under my chairmanship have been conducted professionally and in a businesslike manner, I have no desire to preside over a voluntary organisation in which such divisions persist and in which such ill will is manifested to the person holding the office of President.