General Griffiths.

Created a Spirit of Confidence

In N.G.

A LEADING planter of New Guinea makes the following comment upon the article, which appeared in the August issue of “The Pacific Islands Monthly,” entitled “ ‘Tropicalia’ and Other Things in New Guinea and Papua”: “I agree largely with your August article. There is not a doubt that General Wisdom had exhausted his capacity for good administration, but you are right in not using the ‘muck rake.’ It must not be forgotten that General Wisdom took up his job with a staff untrained and, in many instances, unfitted. Also, the Commonwealth Government was not always very helpful to him. Our regret is that General Griffiths will not be here long enough. I think the Commonwealth Government should make a special effort to keep him here for 18 months,

otherwise all his good beginnings will be wasted —especially if his successor does not follow the Griffiths’ policy of recognising that the public are after all the people whose interests are the most imporant.

“General Griffiths has created a won derful atmosphere and spirit of con fidence. He has most effectively broken down the barrier, which Central Ad ministration, in particular, had erected for the exclusion of the public. His outstanding policy is ‘give the public every facility to place its views before the authorities and let very responsible public official avail himself of all op portunities to know the public mind.’

“We very much want the Adminis trator to have the opportunity to visit all out-stations and see that the new policy is extended there effectively be fore he leaves.

“Who will be the new Administrator?

Many are mentioned, but we do hope that we get a worker, who will not allow subordinate officials to usurp his functions. We also want one who will be capable of keeping himself under the heels of the politicians.

"We mostly recognise the natives’ rights and the need for their proper protection and care, but we don’t wish to see a policy of ‘the native above all’ —which one or two district officers are rather inclined to favour.

“The announcement of the early in troduction of a Legislative Council has caused much satisfaction here. It seems, though, that only one unofficial member is to be on the Legislative Council. There should be two or, fail ing that, provision for a substitute member; otherwise, in the event of sickness or other cause necessitating the one member’s absence, the non official portion of the Council would be unrepresented.”