Thought Of Becoming Bedfellows.

NEW GUINEA AND PAPUA DISPLAY PANIC AT THE

REPORTS to hand indicate an extra ordinary amount of agitation in New Guinea and Papua, because of the alleged intention of the Federal authorities to “amalgamate” the two Territories.

The people of Papua say emphati cally that such an idea is not to their liking. The Returned Soldiers’ organ isation in New Guinea became so dis turbed over the so-called plan that they called a special meeting of Terri tory residents in Rabaul, on May 20, to consider the matter and make a strong protest to the Federal Government, It would be interesting to know the source of this report about “amalga mation.”

All that has happened—as indicated in the last issue cf “The Pacific Islands Monthly”—is that the Federal Govern ment has under serious consideration the plan of re-forming the adminis trative personnel of New Guinea, Papua, Northern Australia, Central Australia, Nauru and Norfolk Island, a special corps. The reasons for this proposal were set forth clearly in our last issue, and, from the point of view of efficiency and service, as well as the desirability of opening up opportunities for an attractive career for a good type of young man, it is difficult to see what possible objection there can be to the idea.

There is a further point to be con sidered, that Australia almost certainly will be asked, sooner or later, to ac cept added responsibilities in Pacific Islands administration. Without dis closing any secrets, we may say that the whole question of the future ad ministration of the British Solomon Islands is under consideration, and some official announcement in regard thereto may be made at a fairly early date, There is also the matter of the New 7 Hebrides. That thorny subject is dealt with elsewhere in this issue, but it may be said that the present position of the Condominium demands the attention of both Britain and Australia. If it

is possible to make some rearrange ment, whereby French pride and French commercial interests can be adequately protected, the obvious way out of the present impasse is to hand over the New Hebrides to British administration —and the task would fall, naturally, within the ambit of Australia’s Pacific responsibilities.

The suggestion that territories ad ministered by Australia should be amalgamated is palpably absurd —and could have been born only in ignor ance. Papua is an Australian terri tory. New Guinea is a territory owned for the present by the League of Nations, which has been handed over- to Australia, under mandate for administration. Nauru is in some what, though not exactly, a simi lar position, Norfolk Island is an Australian territory, but is not in exactly the same position as Papua or North Australia. The amalgamation of all these territories —apart from the fact that the mandates impose certain conditions —would not be practicable; but there is nothing at all to prevent the administrative officials being placed together in one corps, instead being kept, as at present, in a series of watertight compartments.

There is a report in “The Rabaul Times” to the effect that “It would appear that New Guinea, whose finances are in a sound position, in spite of world-wide depression, would have the burden of carrying a Terri tory (Papua), which has had to impose a four per cent, primage tax.” An examination of the two Territories does not show that one is verv much better than the other. Figures quoted in the Federal Parliament the other day show that Australia has given grants totalling no less than a quarter of a million to New Guinea since she took over the mandate.

However, nothing is to be gained by following up that subject, as the question of amalgamation has not arisen, nor is it likely to arise.