Rotorua. Things are good in Rotovegas, the cultural heart and Geyser Capital of New Zealand. I’m visiting relatives (my daughter-in-law’s folks who are into fast cars and fast boats), and who are as fine and good-hearted a couple as you would find in either hemisphere. Being in such a positive relational mood reinforces with me (as if I needed reminding) that good friends are one of the great things about being alive.

Which brings me in a roundabout way to this piece. One thing PNG ATTITUDE does fairly often, and with some success, is to bring former PNG associates together – often when they have not been in touch for many decades and the only thing they remember is a name. This feel good thing is mostly consigned to the MISSING PEOPLE column at left, which happens to be one of the most visited parts of this blog.

So let’s see how well you, the collective readership, can do in meeting these first two requests to locate missing people in 2009.

Firstly, Jim Humphreys. Ed Brumby is trying to locate Jim, who was an E course graduate (the first E Course, which produced so many teachers of great merit), maths curriculum specialist at Education HQ (Konedobu mid 60s), gentleman punter, raconteur, former Army officer and representative athlete. “He fronted the Temlab rollout in 1968,” says Ed, making it sound like a tank attack on Dien Bien Pho. Ed thinks Jim is possibly residing in the Windsor area in NSW.

Like Ed I knew Jim, and his best buddy Wal Kapper, very well. Wal, also an ex Army officer and aficionado of the track and the bourse, is long gone. It would be good to catch up with Jim again. He was a hard man and sometimes it’s the hard men who teach you the most important lessons in life.

If you know anything about Jim’s career after PNG or, and this would be a real boon, his present whereabouts, contact Ed Brumby here … [email protected]

Second, from Terry Patten who, unlike Ed, I do not know. Terry is looking for Des Chow, and he writes: “I wonder if you could advise me as to how I can find out where an old friend would be now. I was working for the Bank of NSW, Rabaul branch, in 1959-60 and became good friends with Desmond Chow, who along with his parents owned a trade store and I think a copra plantation. On returning to Australia, I lost contact with Des and another friend - Jack Seeto.”

If you can help Terry, who now lives in Western Australia, you can call 0409 113 686 or email [email protected]