For A Change!

Praise for a Department

TT is usual to hear criticism of Govern merits, Government Servants and Gov ernment Departments. For once, let us give praise.

The Territory of New Guinea was for long cursed with a number of over zealous D.O.’s, A.D.O.’s, and similar gen tlemen. Swaddled in red tape, puffed up with their own importance, they pro pounded a half-baked knowledge of the Law where only commonsense was needed. Thinking themselves each solely responsible to the League of Nations for the protection of the natives, they thought every other resident possessed no sense of responsibility or knowledge of natives.

Gradually these zealots have disap peared or have mended their ways. Only a few, mostly minor officials, make them selves unpleasantly felt nowadays. Com mon sense partly has conquered red-tape.

The Goldfields especially have been for tunate with Government officials for some years and most people would rather do business in those busy offices than in any other in T.N.G. Occasionally, some new official makes himself unpopular, but he soon falls into tune with the efficient and pleasant manner of the older members of the staff.

The staff of the Warden’s Office are particularly helpful to the public. One must appreciate they are not to blame for the faults in the Ordinances they administer. Hundreds of questions of all kinds are fired over the counter to the Mining Registrar daily, and are answered with clarity and helpfulness seldom asso ciated with Civil Servants. A pegging boom or even a small “rush,” like that to Wampit, means enormous additional work for the Warden’s Office; yet they never lose their sang-froid, and one rarely has to wait for attention.

Recognising the anomalies of the Min ing Ordinance they do their best to mitigate them.

Some earlier Wardens by no means es caped scathing criticism; but the present Acting Warden and his predecessor have a remarkably good name amongst the miners. Yet they were the least experi enced officers to take that position since it came into being in 1923.

The present Acting Warden —Mr. E. A.

Feldt —was well known as a very capable District Officer before he accepted his present position, and the good name then established has been maintained as a Warden. His success at settling minor disputes between miners outside the Court has not only saved that body many hours of sitting, but has saved the miners many pounds in costs. His handling of the Wampit “rush” was particularly note worthy.—M.G.

Mr. Frank Norgate, pf Thursday Island, has been relieving Mr. Carter as light keeper at Goode Island lighthouse, Torres Strait, while the latter has been receiving treatment for a leg injury in the Torres Strait Hospital.

Mr. H. T. Atchison, who has been ap pointed refrigerating engineer on the Union S.S. Co.’s new Islands fruit steamer Matua, passed through Western Samoa in April on the Maui Pomare. Mr.

Atchison was studying the machinery and carriage of fruit on the latter vessel as similar equipment is to be installed on the Matua.