“Develop Them —or Lose

Them”

Australian Ministers Opinion of Pacific Lands

THE vast potentialities of Papua and A the Mandated Territory of New Guinea, and the responsibility of the Com monwealth for their development, were emphasised by the Minister for Customs (Mr. White) in a public address in Syd ney on August 10.

“There are immense pastoral and agri cultural areas, goldfields, and limitless timber. Our responsibilities do not end with the development of the six States of the Commonwealth. If we do not de velop these territories fully we may lose them. They will be taken from our weak fingers by energetic hands.’’

Mr. White spoke of the possibility of

further important gold discoveries, and of the important part that gold would play in the development of the territories.

Pastoral opportunity appeared to be offered in the Ramu valley and other parts of the territory. He suggested also that fauna should be exchanged between New Guinea and the mainland.

The control exercised in New Guinea meant the protection of the natives from exploitation, said the Minister, who praised the work of the young Austra lians who were in the Government ser vice there. He praised, too, the men who had developed the goldfields of New Guinea, and who had pioneered the wonderful aviation industry there.

Judge F. B. Phillips, of the New Guinea Supreme Court, who had been in Austra lia on leave, departed for Rabaul by the Neptuna on August 15.

Father E. Tremblay, of Haapai, Tonga, arrived in Sydney in July to receive medi cal attention. He expects to return to Haapai, via New Zealand, in September.