169 Cairns Two big ships in port, one loading sugar for the East, the other timber. Wharf laborers as troublesome as ever. The ship that called for timber may have to leave without the cargo. Wharfies demanding two slingo per hoist while the ships captain insists that one is adequate and safe. Cairns now handicapped in the sugar trade because the governing authorities ruled that it be the one port in North Queensland not mechanized to handle sugar as bulk cargo. It was necessary for the Eastern trade that one port retain the old system of handling manually in bags. Cairns sugar export away down and only about half the storage space in use. Move being made to use spare space for a new chilled or freezer beef trade. The herbarium presently housed in a temporary Harbor Board building on the esplanade. Wooden cases holding Merrill-type cardboard boxes. Between 11 and 12 thousand sheets. Condition apparently good except for several cases in which rats had done much damage - eating away the edges of the mounting papers. Fielder has no knowledge of plants. Merely maintains the collection under Stephen's tutelage, and looks after the small library. Library entirely without any general reference works on plants. Fielder therefore unable to place new accessions in families, if the plants are exotics not included in Bailey's Queensland Flora and "Compre- hensive catalogue - ". I wrote family names on the labels of 140-odd sheets recently received from an amateur botanist in Florida who wishes to establish exchange relations (Dr. Paul Schallert (M.D.), P.O.Box 262, Allamente Springs, Seminole County). Schallert's material largely roadside rubbish, the herbaceous plan ts usually without roots. Tuesday, December 22. Most of morning spent at Alf Reed's "House of 10,000 Shells." A tourist attraction featuring corals as well as sea shells. The corals unnamed. Shells include many exotics; named; large study collection not on display. Reed is long-time (11 years) president of the North Queensland Naturalists' Club. Club has about 140 members; attendance at monthly meetings 30-40. Has a junior branch. Monthly field excursions. Only members interested in botany are Stephens and an English Ph.D. (Thorne or Thorpe) who has some sort of job with the big new Tinaroo irrigation scheme in the hinter- land. Dinner with the Gilbert Bates at Meringa Sugar Experiment Station. Meringa, c. 11-12 miles south of Cairns. Other guests Dick and Mrs. Watson and son Errol. Watson a building contractor. Has built some of the Tinaroo works and is presently building military installations at Wewak (built new hospital at Lae and Port Moresby). Meringa staff includes 17 men classified as officers. Arrived too late in the day to inspect the station. Wednesday, December 23. Day spent on public excursion to Green Id., on Great Barrier Reef 16 miles from Cairns, on Hayles Brass Mingela. Probably 100 people on board. Low coral island 32 acres wooded with growths approaching rain forest. Torres Strait pigeons nesting in nutmeg trees. National Park. Camping ground. Hayles Brass have cottages and a restaurant. Rain the only water supply. "Do not waste water" signs on the numerous tanks. Good underwater observatory run by a bloke with a cropped gray beard and tallowed skin named Lloyd Griggs. This on the living coral reef. Griggs and his partner, Vince Masoff, have applied for a shore base of 1 acre for a marine garden. Missed meeting a writing celebrity, Noel Monkman, known to all my friends, who lives on the island. Saw an unusual looking, podgy man with cropped gray beard but did not know his identity. Another Green Island attraction is a ride over the reef in a glass bottomed boat. Seats arranged beside four wells with floating glass windows.