Tuesday August 5, 1969
Women's eyes on the weather
The outlook is fair for weatherman at the Meterological Office in Laucala Bay.they are being joined by two girls who are the first members of the fairer sex in Fiji to choose the study of the atmosphere as a profession. They are Anaseini Ravuakana (20) and Shakuntala Shankar (19) who became weather observers when they passed their junior observers examination recently.
Anaseini, a former Government Supplies Deaprtment clerk topped the class of nine, which included seven boys in the examination.
Shakuntala, who was educated at the MGM High School said she has chosen weather because she had been impressed with what it involved.
Fijian may get Aust contract
A 36 year-old Fijian woodcarver who was taught to carve only a few months ago may have landed a big contract with an Australian businessman.
Epeli Buli Turukawa of Nakabuta, Sigatoka will send a sample consignment of carvings by ship this week to Mr Leslie Moss of Surry Hills, New South Wales.
"Mr Moss, who is associated with several companies, saw some of my work displayed at The Fijian Hotel three weeks ago. He felt there might be a market for carvings in Australia," Epeli said yesterday.
Manager farewell
The valuable work done by Mr T.E Foster while he was manager of the Native Land Trust Board was emphasised by his successor, Dr Rusiate Nayacakalou, at a farewell gathering at the Tradewinds Hotel. Mr and Mrs Foster left Suva in the Tofua last night for Auckland where Mr Foster will go into business as a land dealer. Dr Rusiate took up his post as manager of the board on Friday after having been manager-designate for six months.
Clearing begins on site for Youth Camp
A group of seven young men at the weekend began clearing bush from five and a half acres of land near Suva which will be the future meeting place of Fiji's youth organisations. The group was organised by the YWCA, one of the 12 national organisations affiliated to the newly formed Fiji National Council of Youth . The council bought the land from the well-known artist, Miss Mary Edwell-Burke, who now lives in Ba. The land is situated on the roadside and already tapioca and pineapple have been planted on it.
Guitarist hits spot in Tahiti
A former Suva dance band guitarist, Gillman Gucake Lasaisuva is looking up to better things in the dance band world in Tahiti. After having been there for three years, he is convinced that Tahiti is the place where one could live it up. Gillman is returning to Papeete on Thursday for another three years with the dance band Savates Jaunes which plays six nights - Tuesday to Sunday - a week at the Hotel Taaone.
"I've learnt how to speak French. I did this by Teach Yourself French books.
"I needed the knowledge of French because I have to sometime sing French songs," Gillman said.
He is bass guitarist in the group of five.
Bewildered by Irish blarney
Two Suva citizens are scratching their heads over a mention they've been given in a Dublin eveniong newspaper. Both men said they had never heard of the Irish newspaper and did not know any of its reporters, although they were named in one of its columns as "our very good friends".
A clipping from an advice column in which their names appeared was sent to The Fiji Times.
"Anxious" of Athlone had written to the columnist asking if it were possible to sell Irish tweed souvenirs in Fiji.
"Anxious was advised to write to "our very good friend, Mr JA Baker," the general manager of Burns Philp Co Ltd, Suva.
According to the columnist, "old JA is a decent soul and if you mention us, he'll talkie talkie about tweed souvenirs belong you as they say in pidgin English".
The columnist also suggested "Anxious" should contact "our good friend RN Atkinson, secretary of the Ministry of Communications, Works and Tourism and if you mention us, he'll give you lots of information."