“Tied Clients”

Letter to the Editor THE big Australian companies operating in New Guinea coined the above term and applied it to us. The implication was that we were not “free” to buy our goods or sell our produce in the open or best market.

Experience soon caused “tied clients” to seek, with single purpose, their eman cipation. A few, in spite of copra dol drums, were successful. To these few, mostly outstation planters, the arbitrary Shipping Bill came as a calamitous blow.

It is proposed to deny us the advantages of competitive shipping. Only the iso lated planter can fully appreciate all that this implies. The emancipated are to be virtually “tied” again!

Hitherto Australian legislators, advised from Rabaul, have appreciated the advan tage of healthy competition. It would now appear that they are allowing them selves to be stampeded by interests work ing under the cloak of nationalism.

The non-official members of the Legis lative Council at Rabaul have eloquently and forthrightly stated the case for the planter. The emasculated vote of official members merely exemplifies the farcical nature of that Council.

Bacon, in his essay on the administra tion of colonies (or “plantations,” as was the old English term), wrote: “Let there be freedom to carry their commodities where they may make their best of them.”

In the development of outstation agri culture this advice would appear to be as applicable to-day as hitherto.

I am, etc.,

Ex-"Tied Client."

Manus, T.N.G., March 15, 1936.

Hon. C. J. J. T. Barton, 0.8. E., has been appointed to act as Officer Administering the Government in Fiji until Sir Arthur Richards arrives in Suva about October.

Dr. V. W. T. McGusty is now acting as Colonial Secretary.