No Patrol ’Plane

Federal Govt. Shelves Plan To Check Shell Poachers

THE Federal Government has decided to defer the project of supplying the New Guinea Administration with a sea plane to check poaching activities of Japanese shell-raiders in the Territory, and also to provide transport for admini strative officers.

It is some months now since the Com monwealth Government, as a result of representations made by the Administra tions and commercial interests in New Guinea, Papua, and Torres Straits, de cided to call for tenders for a seaplane and patrol launches. Tenders were in vited, but only one was received. This, however, was not accepted. The Federal Ministry was thus faced with the al ternatives of supplying a Government machine, pilot and mechanics, or of de ferring the project.

Formerly the New Guinea Administra tion maintained a steam-yacht for ad ministrative and other purposes in the Territory. This vessel —the Franklin— was sold about two years ago and, as the seaplane proposal was in the air, nothing was done to replace her. Now that the plan to obtain a suitable machine has been shelved, it is likely that a small steamer will be purchased in Australia for the New Guinea Administration.

No decision has been made concerning the patrol launches, and inquiries by the Federal Government are still proceeding.