Why Is Nothing Done?
p. 14 · Read in the full issue
A Council For New
Guinea
Provision Needed For
Future
Written for The Pacific Islands Monthly by Gordon Thomas , THE need for the establishment of a Legislative Council —either nominated or elected (the latter for preference) —for the Mandated Territory of New Guinea, as men tioned in the September issue of The Pacific Islands Monthly, is one of the Territory’s most urgent require ments.
It is difficult to understand the reason for the continued shelving and the procrastinating policy which has been adopted both by the Common wealth Government and the Adminis tration of the Territory. The Terri tory’s administration should welcome, during these times of stress, the co operation of the various sections of the community, who naturally would be represented on such a Council.
A glance at the Pacific Year Book —or any other collation of trade sta tistics of the Pacific —will readily show the extent of New Guinea’s trade, and its large commercial, agri cultural and mining activities, which exceed many of the island groups which already have the privilege of a Legislative Council.
There have been big questions at stake in the Territory which have given rise to varied expressions of public opinion. The normal channel for these expressions should have been on the floor of the Council Chamber, where authorised represen tatives of the white community could discuss their views, together with officials of the Administration. This, however, has been impossible for two very good reasons: First, there was no Council Chamber in which the dis cussion could take place; and, sec ondly, there were no representatives!
The result was that, when vital questions affecting the immediate welfare of the people arose, it was left for such organisations as the Planters and Traders’ Association, the Returned Soldiers’ League and the Miners’ Association to organise inde pendent publicity campaigns in order that their views might reach the legis lators in Australia who hold, to a great extent, the destinies of New Guinea in their hands.
The proper channel for such ex pression of opinion is through a pro perly constituted Legislative Council and not from protesting —and in some cases indignant associations, who are smarting beneath a feeling of in justice, and at times look upon the Administration with an unfriendly eye. Such channels, as a means for grievance-airing, are too apt to be come tainted with the Bolshevist virus, and once that is implanted in a country’s blood it is difficult to say where it may end if it ends at all.
New Guinea has had many weighty questions to face in the past; there are questions of more weight to be faced in the future. The eyes of the world are already focussed on The Territory as one with colossal min eral possibilities. Give the Territory every chance, therefore, to enable its affairs to be handled by legislators whose actions will be above suspicion, and open for the scrutiny of the pub lic. There can be no murmurings or grumblings (or at least not so much) from the people if their own properly elected representatives are numbered amongst the legislators.
When the present crisis of the dis organised copra market is past there will be many adjustments to be made: Commercial shoals —and sharks — must be avoided and dealt with; trade combines may need watching and preventive measures taken; adequate public services must be maintained: and these matters can only be satis factorily dealt with by the united forces of the various interests in the Territory assisting the Administra tion with expert advice gained from years of experience.
The Commonwealth Government would be well advised at this junct ure to “bring forward” that long neglected file of papers, that was shelved when the late Government re tired from office, dealing with New Guinea and its Legislative Council and mark it “For Action —Urgent.”