IN March 1972, the third issue of the newly published weekly Marianas Variety reported that a local man charged with murdering his wife in Sept. 1970 was acquitted by a Trust Territory trial court judge due to the circumstantial nature of the evidence presented. “The court is not free to speculate,” the judge said, and in this instance “the case has not been made.” The public defender told Variety that “had they [the police] done a more thorough investigation, it may have disclosed a number of other possibilities.” It was the first case of murder in the first degree to be tried on Saipan since 1963, Variety was told.
In other news, “Water Shortage ‘Very Critical.’ ”
“We had complaints everyday,” a Public Works official said. The water problem was “very critical,” and “he doesn’t know for sure how long the shortage is going to last….”
At the time, the NMI was one of the six districts of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands which was administered by the U.S. Saipan was the capital of the TT government whose administration buildings were located on Capital — not Capitol — Hill.
On MV’s Police Reports page:
• Mrs. R. reported that the Head Start school in Garapan had been burglarized. One case of chicken, one case of hot dogs, and five dozen eggs were reported missing.
• I.P.T. of Garapan reported that his black rooster and his spotted red hen were stolen.
• J.S.T. reported that a tire was stolen from his car while he was fishing near Bird Island.
• J.I.B. was arrested for disturbing the peace and malicious mischief.
• T.O. was arrested for negligent driving and drunk driving.
• I.T.W. was arrested for negligent driving and drunk driving following an accident north of the Ocean View restaurant.
• Officer S. reported that the runway lights at Kobler Field had been damaged.
• L.S. of Kagman site II reported that a movie projector and other items valued at $75 (worth about $475 today) were stolen from his unlocked house.
• A.B. struck a car driven by D.S.C. and left the scene without stopping. No arrest had been made.
• M.P. was arrested and detained in jail for disturbing the peace.
• A.C.T. reported that a baby pig was stolen from the As Lito Agriculture Station.
• J.B.C., V.C.P., W.D.L.A., and F.C. A. were arrested for illegal possession of firearms and malicious mischief in connection with the shooting of a cow in Papago. A .22 caliber rifle and seventeen .22 bullets were confiscated.
• J.S.C. of Gualo Rai reported that $160 (about $1,000 today) worth of roof tin was stolen from his residence.
A “wanted ad” on page 8 announced that the Congress of Micronesia — the bicameral legislative branch of the TT government — was recruiting qualified persons for the following vacancies:
• Legislative secretary with an annual salary of $7,727 (worth over $48,000 today)
• Administrative assistant, $4,121 a year ($26,000 today)
• Clerk typist, $2,304 a year ($14,600 today)
• Secretary (House of Representatives) $3,806 a year ($24,120 today)
• Proofreader (part-time), $2.50 an hour ($15.84 today)
According to MV’s Consumer Column, the price range for two pounds of Sanka or M.J.B. coffee sold on island was from $2.40 to $3.25 ($15.21 to $20.60 today).
A dozen eggs: 86 cents to $1.30 ($5.45 to $8.24 today).
Chicken per lb., 48 cents to 49 cents ($3.04 to $3.11 today).
Spare ribs, 70 cents to 80 cents ($4.44 to $5.07 today).
Tide (3 lbs. 1 oz.), $1.35 to $1.59 ($8.56 to $10.08 today).
Clorox (1 gallon), $1.10 to $1.77 ($6.97 to $11.22 today).
A carton of cigarettes, $2.50 to $3 ($15.84 to $19.01 today).
And a case of Schlitz beer, $5.70 to $7.20 ($36.12 to $45.63 today).
1972 was an election year, and so Variety interviewed two “youthful candidates” for the Congress of Micronesia. One was a graduating student at the University of Hawaii while the other — a future top official of the future Commonwealth of the NMI — already had a B.A. in political science and sociology and an M.A. in education. He said he was running for office because he saw “no difference between the Popular and Territorial parties on Saipan. In the past our leaders have been using the parties to promote their own self-interest.” So he was running “to help the people. I am not interested in building houses [for myself] or a business. Rather, I will get my satisfaction from helping the people.”
He advocated “completed disclosure of personal financial interests by political figures.” He said he would voluntarily provide monthly notarized statements of his “complete financial holdings for public scrutiny.” If elected, he would donate a portion of his salary to fund projects in the Marianas district. He said he was a “people’s candidate” who would work full time for the people’s interest.
Several years later, he would be indicted for extortion and wire fraud — and sentenced to three years in federal prison.
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The Congress of Micronesia, in session, 1968.
