Australian Pacific Administrators Confer At Canberra

The conference of Australian Pacific

Administrators was formally opened at

Canberra on Monday, March 12, and

concluded on March 1 3.

THE conference was entirely a private one. The agenda was published in our February number. It is not possible to give any outline of its delibe rations in this issue, but we hope to have some details of decisions made for the April issue.

The conference was attended by the fol lowing:— The Administrator of the Mandated Territory of New Guinea, Brigadier- General Thomas Griffiths, C.M.G., C.B.E.,

D.S.O.

The Lieut.-Governor of Papua, Sir Hubert Murray, K.C.M.G., C.B.E.

The Administrator of Norfolk Island, Captain Charles Robert Pinney, M.C.

The Administrator pf Nauru, Com mander R. C. Garsia.

The conference was opened by the Fede ral Minister in charge of Islands Terri tories, Major the Hon. C. W. C. Marr,

D.S.O., M.C.

Sir Hubert Murray was accompanied to the conference by his official secretary, Mr. Leonard Murray, and a number of other officials connected with the Terri tories were also in attendance.

It had been hoped that the Administra tors would have been able to devote at least a couple of weeks to the numerous matters brought forward for their con sideration; but both Sir Hubert Murray and Brigadier-General Griffiths were anxious to return to their Territories: and General Griffiths has arranged to re turn by the same steamer with which he came south —namely, the Montoro, sailing from Sydney on March 15.

Decisions Reached.

The conference is still sitting as we go to press. The following decisions are re ported: A stage of development has not yet been reached permitting amalgamation of ad ministrative services, but closer co operation between existing Administra tions will be sought.

Each Administrator will advise his fel low Administrators, in addition to the Minister, of important administrative

acts; and administrative problems will be discussed by correspondence.

General Griffiths reported that New Guinea surveyors were already at work laying down the boundary between Papua and New Guinea, along the goldfields section, and Papua had agreed to accept this survey. It is intended to survey the whole boundary between the two terri tories.

To remove pension anomalies (a Papuan retired public officer receives a pension but his dependents receive nothing in the event of his death; whereas New Guinea retired men receive a smaller pension, but their dependents receive pensions in the event of the official’s death) it was decided to have a superannuation scheme drafted for uniform application through out all territories.

The services of expert officers are to be made available to all territories.

After discussion with Dr. Cumpston and Dr. Cilento (Commonwealth Health Department) it was agreed that terri tories should exchange information about tropical diseases and should hold confer ences regarding same every two years.

The Administrators recommended the continuance of the existing prohibition against the whipping of natives.

Decisions or recommendations reached on Tuesday included a scheme by which the education of white children in the tropics would be linked with Australian standards: a plan by which Papua and New Guinea would adopt the same laws governing gold prospecting and mining; and methods for bringing the Territories into touch with Australian broadcasting stations.

General Griffiths.

Major the Hon, C. W. C. Marr.

Captain Pinney.

Sir Hubert Murray.

Commander Garsia.