Rabaul’S Future

Questions of Development and Progress

NOTHING has been heard about the suggestion that New Guinea’s ad ministrative establishment should be transferred from Rabaul since the two eruption experts (“vulcanologists”) left Australia for Rabaul. Months, probably, will elapse while the Federal Cabinet re ceives and considers their report, and then refers the question to another com mittee. (For it may be safely assumed that the scientists will report that there always is a risk of the Rabaul volcanoes becoming active again.) The Sydney Telegraph recently pub lished an article in which the claims of Madang to be the future capital of New Guinea were set out. Salamaua, Wau, Lae, Kavieng, and Alexishafen were each ex amined, and rejected; but Madang is

favoured. It is pointed out that there are no volcanoes near Madang; that i# has a splendid harbour; that there is plenty of room for a town; that it isi on the direct line for aerial transport, from Australia, through Port Moresby and Wau to the north; and that it is a natural outlet for “the rich, cool, droughtless plateaus of Central New Guinea, comprising vast areas suited to the products of temperate zones,” and which offer unlimited oppor tunities for development in tropical agri culture, with higher lands suitable for cattle and, perhaps, sheep.

It is apparent, however, that the pre sent Administration will resolutely op pose any plan to remove the capital from Rabaul.

In this connection, it is worth noting that the developmental policy of the pre sent New Guinea Administrator was very severely criticised in prominent articles in Melbourne Age on August 9 and 10.

The writer said: "It is obvious that the main obstacle to rapid development is a lax, unprogressive, unbusiness like and bureaucratic Administration . . . The qualities needed in a soldier and a schoolmaster do not always bring out the special qualities needed in an Administrator of a new territory, where constructive enterprise is required ...

It is along the lines of set rules and regulations that the Territory is to-day being administered.

... In a new country . . . this system of rule is quite unsuitable and restrictive of progress.”

The need for a developmental policy, allied to the gold industry, and based on an entirely new conception of Australia’s obligations and responsibilities in New Guinea, has been urged by the Pacific Islands Monthly, at frequent intervals during the last four or five years.

But nothing can be expected, while the present Canberra-Rabaul regime remains undisturbed. The bureaucrats will just trot round comfortably and complacently in their well-worn circle, neither under standing nor appreciating the effort that must be made if routine is to be broken and real developmental progress achieved.

Vulcan’S Terrors Gone

Mrs. Kathleen Bignell, licensee of the Hotel Rabaul, photographed recently inside the crater of Vulcan Island, which now is only steaming.

It was this volcano which erupted on May 28, and caused the “blackout” in Rabaul.