New Guinea

Effect of War On

Many Plans Must Now Await Post-War Decisions

JT is expected that the outbreak

of war will directly affect the

following matters of general inter

est to residents of Papua and New

Guinea:

The New Guinea Mandate

IT is early, yet, to forecast the end of the war and the character of the peace conference; but—unless Britain is completely defeated—it may be taken as certain that the present Mandate system will be revised, and that the de cision which then will be made will dir ectly affect the future of the present mandated territories of New Guinea and Western Samoa.

It may be expected that New Guinea will be converted from a mandated terri tory subject to League of Nations con trol to a territory of Australia. No other system will be satisfactory to Australia, in view of the vital importance of New Guinea in the Australian scheme of de fence.

Amalgamation

IT is known that the report of the Federal Committee, set up to inquire into the question of introducing some measure of amalgamation between the administrations of Papua and New Guinea was submitted to the Australian Common wealth Government on September 5.

Its character is briefly indicated else where. It opposes amalgamation and re commends Lae as capital.

In view of the war development, how ever, and in view of the certainty of a revision of the New Guinea system of government at the end of the war, it is expected that no further steps will be taken in relation to administration before the end of the war.

It may be expected that the respective administrations of New Guinea and Papua will now merely stand fast and carry on. without any notable change other than that indicated by the need for economy.

Future Capital Of New Guinea

A DECISION regarding the future ad ministrative centre of New Guinea has been held up, pending investi gation and report by the Amalgamation Committee. But, as it is not now practic able to consider amalgamation, in view of wartime developments, it is likely that no action will be taken in regard to the re moval of the capital of New Guinea un til the end of the war.

The Wau-Salamaua Road

IT has not been possible to obtain from Governmental sources any definite statement as to what is likely to happen in regard to the plan for the construction of a road from Salamaua to Wau. The majority of the people in positions of re sponsibility, who are interested in this matter, are of opinion that the road plan will not be proceeded with during the war period, and until the future of New

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Guinea is seen more clearly than is pos sible to-day. (See article Page 73.)

Communications Generally

ALL shipping services are being main tained; but of course the N.D.L. ser vice, between Hong Kong and New Guinea, has been cut out.

The twice-a-week Carpenter airmail service between the territories and Sydney is being continued as usual. It was be lieved. in August, that the service would be reduced to once-a-week, each way; but since the outbreak of war the pas senger traffic by aeroplane between the territories and Australia has increased considerably, and, for the present, it is unlikely that there will be any reduction in the service.