SAFTER reading the other daily and finding that one of the articles contained numerous factual errors, I sent three emails but there was no response.
In the interests of PNG history, I think these errors ought to be corrected.
The following is my letter.
The article by Yanka Toneo of Kainantu in the Weekend magazine (Jan 4) referring to 1964, while interestingly, contained a number of errors.
* Gordon and Hohola were ‘breeding grounds for cows’? Not as I recall, even back to 1954.
* The first airstrip was at Wards? Not correct and I doubt any civilian aircraft ever landed there.
* Only one building at Koki? A building at Boroko? Far more than that I can assure the writer.
* Downtown Moresby and Kone like Yonki? The writer was joking, right?
* PNG a mandated territory? New Guinea was, but never Papua which was a Territory of Australia.
* Les Johnson after Sir Hubert Murray? Yes, but a long time after, even after Sir Donald Cleland.
* The first Parliament House was built at Kone? Originally, the European hospital in its former life, but not at Kone.
But the worst mistake by far:
“By then the original inhabitants began to surrender the land, letting the outsiders take over in the interests of development.” The Motu Koita never surrendered their land nor are they ever likely to and I consider that statement an insult to the local people!
I do agree with the writer when he questions where PNG is heading.
I also agree with his concerns about Asians (and others) flooding in, imported crime, litterbugs, spitting betelnut, mobile markets and also his concerns for the future and many others.

Albert H. Cross
Laidley Heights, Queensland
Australia