Guinea

Council For New

Renewed Agitation

IT is considered likely that the ques tion of creatine a Legislative Coun cil or Advisory Council, representing the white population of New Guinea, to assist the Administrator in the gen eral work of government, will receive consideration at an early date.

The matter has had the attention of the Commonwealth Government on previous occasions and the necessary machinery exists to permit of the ap pointment of such a Council. The resi dents of the Territory are anxious to secure a channel through which their wishes with regard to administrative affairs may be placed immediately be fore the governing authority, but al though they have repeatedly asked in recent years that the Legislative Coun cil machinery should function, nothing has been done. Their demand, how ever, for action has been growing increasingly strong and it is now be lieved that, with the change of Gov ernment. something tangible will be decided upon—probably during 1932.

It is not desired to whittle down in any imnortant respect the authority now held by the Administrator; but there does seem to be a determination that some channel shall be created which will enable the white residents of the Territory to have their wishes, opinions and grievances placed more quickly and effectively before the gov erning authority.