Cadet System
p. 12 · Read in the full issue
For New Guinea
Superannuation Intro
Duced
From Our Canberra Correspondent THE annual report of the Adminis trator of New Guinea (Brigadier- General E. A. Wisdom, C.B., D.S.O.), to the Council of the League of Nations for the year ended June 30, 1929, has just been presented to Parliament. It contains a great deal of interesting in formation.
The inauguration of the Cadet sys tem in the New' Guinea Administration by the Commonwealth Government—a system which aims at the building up of a special branch of the Civil Service similar to the Indian Civil Service —is probably known only to a comparative few; yet it is fraught with possibilities of great importance to Australia.
On this point, the Administrator says; “The six cadets selected at the inauguration of the cadet system in 1925 successfully completed their Uni versity courses in December, 1928, and were absorbed into the Public Service as patrol officers. Five cadets proceeded to
the Sydney University in March, 1929, after a period of practical training in the Territory. Subject to their passing the University test satisfactorily, these cadets will be available for further duty early in the year. Additional cadets are being selected. Two have already been appointed, and have commenced their practical training in the Terri tory. It is anticipated that four others will reach the Territory early in the ensuing year.”
The classified positions in the Public Service of the Territory number 233, of which 191 are occupied by perman ent officers, and the remainder either by “specified period” officers or by tem porary employees.
Trade Figures
Imports into New Guinea during the year amounted to £869,514, but although the value was greater by £57,682 than the previous year the revenue collected by the Customs Department, viz., £197,032, was less by £7,115. This was due to the fall in the price of copra, which had the effect of restricting the purchasing of luxuries, and to the larger importation of articles for the development of the goldfields, which are admitted free of duty. The import duties amounted to £125,233.
The value of the goods imported from Australia amounted to £327,716, the United Kingdom being next with £132,755, and the United States third with £128,045. Then came Germany (£63,491), India (£51,615), Burma (£44,138), Japan (£18,805), Java £10,984), and New Zealand (£10,539).
The value of exports was £1,146,112, or £324,914 less than the previous year.
The quantity of copra exported was 4,850 tons less than in the previous year.
The price had fallen to between £15 and £16 per ton, and the natives were disinclined to sell their produce at the re duced price.
The quantity of gold exported was 79,748 ounces, valued at £179,433, as compared with 113,874 ounces, valued at £256,216, the previous year. This may be accounted for by the fact that small holdings had been worked out, and the larger companies had not ar rived at the producing stage.
The value of the exports to Australia totalled £386,843, to the United States £251,748, France £264,602, Holland £178,328, United Kingdom £40,846, and China £13,800.
The total trade of the Territory amounted to £2,015,626, the excess of exports being £276,598.
New Guinea Shipping
Services
The annual report on New Guinea, prepared by the Administrator, gives particulars of the shipping services which link that Territory with the rest of the world.
Besides the service between Australia and the Territory which is conducted by Burns Philp & Co. under a contract with the Commonwealth Government, the following services were maintained; (a) A service between Australia and Hong Kong, via Rabaul, provided by the s.s. Calulu, which has been aug mented by the s.s. Cabarita. (b) A service between New Guinea and Japan, via the Caroline Islands, pro vided by the s.s. Heiyei Maru (approximately three voyages were made dur ing the year). (c) A six-weekly service betwee Hong Kong and Rabaul, via Manila an Borneo, provided by vessels of the Nord deutscher Lloyd Line; steamers so em ployed connected at Hong Kong with vessels of the same line trading to am from European ports. (d) A service by a French line of steamships which operates between Bel gian and French ports and Noumea and which during the year added calk at ports in New Guinea to its itinerary.
The vessels are equipped for passengers as well as cargo, and a two-monthly service between European ports and Noumea via New Guinea is maintained. (To be discontinued.) (e) A service between the United States of America and Rabaul, pro vided at approximately three-monthly intervals; the vessels arrive in the Ter ritory with oils, benzine and general merchandise, and load copra for the re turn voyage. (f) A service by a vessel running un der charter, which arrives in the Ter ritory at approximately six-weekly in tervals to load copra for the European market.
The vessels running under the con tract with Burns Philp cater for a cer tain amount of the inter-island trade of the Territory. A fleet of smaller ves sels is also engaged in that trade. A new contract was entered into with the firm for the carrying out of shipping services to the Pacific Islands for a period of five years from April 1, 1929.
The section of the contract dealing with New Guinea provides for a three weekly service between Sydney and the Territory.