Interesting comment on wages. When I went to PNG in 1964 with Steamies my starting wage was ₤1,200 per year (now $2,400) – double the salary I left behind in Australia.
When I left Talair and PNG in 1985, my final salary was around K40,000 and an exchange rate of Aus$1.35 = NGK 1.00, still a princely sum by Aussie standards. We had ID travel and free accommodation but it was before the days of the perks - overseas school fees, gratuities etc.
Compares very favourably with my salary of $45,000 per annum as the first General Manager of Flight West Airlines.