Aerodrome and Some

"Politics"

Piquant Situation in New Guinea

A FEW years ago, when it was seen that the capital of New Guinea would be connected with Australia by airmail, an aerodrome was planned.

Some people thought the aerodrome should be close to the town. The Ad ministrator (Sir Walter McNicoll) thought otherwise. An aerodrome was constructed out in the Toma hills, 15 miles away.

Those 15 miles, on the arrival and de parture of the airmail liners, were an exasperation to everyone concerned — especially the airmail contractors and the business community.

In September, 1938, the Administrator went on furlough, and Mr. Harold Page.

Government Secretary, became Acting Administrator. About the same time the difficulty about the aerodrome came to a head.

Mr. Page solved it by prompt decision and quick action.

He discussed the problem with the trustees and officials of the Lakunai Racecourse —especially Mr. R. L. Clark, M.L.C., president of the Rabaul Amateur Turf Club. The latter were reasonable and co-operative, an agreement was soon reached, and the work was put in hand rapidly—and when His Honour the Ad ministrator returned to Rabaul, in Feb ruary, 1939, planes were already using the new Lakunai aerodrome.

It was current report in Rabaul that His Honour did not approve of the new drome.

At the end of May, the Turf Club held a special meeting under Mr. Clark’s presidency, and Mr. Clark then declared that the Administration, in forming the aerodrome at Lakunai, had departed from the word and the spirit of the agree ment made between the Club officials and the Administration, and he declared that the racecourse had been ruined. It was decided to ascertaih’ whether the pre sent racecourse may be used again as a racecourse, or whether the Administra tion will assist the Club in finding and equipping another racecourse.

The land upon which the racecourse and the aerodrome stand is Government land, held in trust by the officials of the Club. Within a couple of days of the general meeting referred to, the trus tee-ships were cancelled by the Admin istration.

Immediately, the trustees went on the warpath. They sent a strongly-worded radio to the Territories Minister in Can oerra, asking for a full inquiry. Mean while, proclamations had been printed cancelling tjae racecourse trustee-ships, md the reserve.

Finally, at the eleventh hour, there came radio instructions from Canberra, irdering the Administration to “hold everything”. Whereupon the proclama tions were cancelled, and everything was leld, as desired.

Ail this happened while His Honour vas away on tour in the Morobe Dis trict. He was expected back in Rabaul m June 5. It then was expected that 3is Honour would hold an inquiry into he whole position.

The trustees are Mr. R. L. Clark. (LL.C., Dr. E. T. Brendan, Director of 3 ublic Health, and Mr. E. P. Holmes, Secretary for Lands.

The circumstances suggest that the lefendant in the case is Mr. Harold Paee.

Government Secretary, one of the ablest

men in the Administration, and a brother of Sir Earle Page Sir Walter McNicoll. formerly a Country Party politician with no previous experience of tropical administration, went to New Guinea as Administrator with, it is believed, the cordial blessing of Earle Page (Country Partry leader and Deputy Prime Minister) and with the goodwill of Mr. Harold Page.