Pt. Moresby

Defence Work At Pt. Moresby Building of Fortifications Already Begun

From Our Own Correspondent

Ept. Moresby, Feb. 28.

VIDENTLY to prepare for the use of Port Moresby as a base for naval units and military aircraft (to be part of Australia’s advanced defences), the fortification of the port already has begun.

A gang of 60 prisoners is at work on the summit of Paga Hill, overlooking the port, excavating and levelling the site for the proposed battery of (it is under stood) six-inch guns.

A road has been surveyed from the end of the existing road at Paga Point, up the western flank to the summit.

A site at Konedobu has been occupied by the Defence Department for the erec tion of temporary barracks, and a con tract for the building has already been let.

Another site, for permanent barracks, aerodrome, and the necessary adjuncts, has been selected on the flat land be yond the top of the “three-mile” hill.

Artisans are expected to arrive on the next two trips of the “Macdhui” for the constructional work.

To provide temporary accommodation for the men, pending the completion of the barracks, the trustees of the Library Institute have been told officially that the hall will be required by the Defence Department for several months, as from March 24.

Major K. D. Chalmers, of the Royal Australian Artillery, arrived in Port Mor esby by air late in February for work in connection with defence arrangements.

How far the details of the scheme have been decided is not yet made public; but the promptitude with which work has been begun suggests that the plan is fair ly complete.

Garrison of 35

r'E Australian Minister for Defence told the newspapers late in February that an artillery unit of about 35 men would be placed at Port no in fantry would be sent, at present.

This is the sort of statement for which Australian Ministers are famous. Of course, no infantry will be sent to Port Moresby—under what possible combina tion of circumstances would they be of any use there? It is, in fact, difficult to see the value of the artillery unit.

If the Japanese—our potential enemy in the Pacific —want to take Port Mores by, the presence of a battery of 6-inch guns, and 35 artillerymen is not going to delay them very long.

The real plan, one may presume, is to make Port Moresby a base for an outer screen of light naval craft, for which it is admirably suited. Those small, fast ships, in the event of war, would be far out in northern New Guinea waters, watching for an enemy approach.

They would be assisted by aeroplanes, and the latter, probably, would be based also on Port Moresby.

Those craft would give Australia early advice of an approaching enemy, and would retire on Port Moresby and, in due course, upon the Australian coast.

In such circumstances, the 6-inch guns on Paga Hill, operated in conjunction with searchlights, would be useful in keeping hostile raiding craft away from

the base. But the artillery unit, as well as the naval and air craft, would have to retire on Australia if a powerful enemy force entered New Guinea waters.

Native Militia In Papua

SIR HUBERT MURRAY caused some discussion when he publicly ipade the suggestion in Sydney in February that a militia force of native Papuans be recruited in Papua. He suggested that this method of giving service to the European Government would be welcom ed by the natives and he thought that, as the natives under good training and discipline had made such admirable policemen, he saw no reason why they should not be equally admirable soldiers.

The newspapers asked the Prime Min ister and the Minister for Defence about it, but both gentlemen side-stepped very carefully ana considered it a matter for Cabinet. Mr. Hughes, however, who is the bad boy of the Cabinet and says always what he thinks, pointed out that no man was better qualified to speak on such a subject than Sir Hubert Murray.

“He understands these natives perfectly”, said Mr. Hughes, “and he would not make any suggestion which he thought would not be received favourably by them”.

It may be taken as certain that, if a considerable defence organisation is to be placed in Papua, a large force of na tive Papuan militia will be recruited to carry out at least such services as are usually performed by the army service corps, labour corps, etc.