Rabaul's Future

Expert Committee To Advise

DISCUSSION concerning the suitability of Rabaul as the future administra tive centre of New Guinea has filled col umns of the Australian newspapers since May 29.

Many people have urged that the ad ministrative centre should be removed to the mainland to Wau, to Lae, or Madang. The editor of the Pacific Islands Monthly , in an article in the Sydney Morning Herald on June 2, urged the claims of the Morobe-Ramu plateau, on account of the good climate, the fer tility of the soil, accessibility by aero plane from Australia, and the impetus that would be given to settlement and development there.

There has been much criticism of the Administrator, owing to his insistence on the early re-occupation of Rabaul. This matter is referred to elsewhere.

The Commonwealth Government, after a number of indefinite statements, finally announced, on June 16: “After the report of a scientist on the safety of Rabaul is received the Government proposes to appoint a committee to prepare expert advice

from medical, shipping, commercial,

transport, aviation and administra tive viewpoints on the suitability of Rabaul as a permanent capital.”

Meanwhile, the Government is experi encing difficulty in finding a “scientist” cr “seismic expert” capable of saying whether Rabaul is or is not in danger of further volcanic eruptions.