Services

Head Of N. Guinea District

No Appointment Yet

ALTHOUGH it was announced in Mel bourne In February that Mr. R.

Melrose had been appointed to suc ceed Mr, E. W. P. Chinnery as head of Native Affairs and District Services in New Guinea, it now appears that the ap pointment has not been filled and that various names are under consideration by the Administrator, Well-informed opinion in New Guinea distinctly favours the appointment of Mr. E. Taylor, the well-known district officer in the Morobe district, who is held in high regard throughout the Ter ritory.

The claims of a number of the senior district officers—including Mr. Melrose —are likely to be carefully examined be fore the appointment is made. There are men of outstanding ability among them.

It is to be hoped that this principle will be recognised and the system con tinued of appointing men from the ranks to the higher jobs—especially when the chief administrative positions become vacant.

Mr. Chinnery came in for some sharp criticism during last session of the Legislative Council in Rabaul. One mem ber said that Mr. Chinnery had spent the greater portion of his time since he became the head of District Services away from the Territory, attending to matters which could not exactly be re garded as New Guinea affairs, and that, as the Territory had had so little of his services, it would not be sorry to see him depart!

Mr. J. Bayly, of Fiji, is at present on holidays abroad.