Politicians' Broken

Promises New Guinea Miners and Their Long-Awaited Road

WAU, June 2.

SPEAKERS at the annual general meet ing of the New Guinea Mining Association, held here on May 25, expressed the liveliest dissatisfaction with the position in relation to the proposed Salamaua-Wau road.

It was pointed out that, after the Road Bill had passed the Federal Parliament, early in 1939, a promise was given that work would be proceeded with immedi ately—August 1, 1939, being given as the probable date of commencement. Later, the Administrator, speaking in the Legis lative Council on April 2, 1940, made the following statement;— ‘ The route decided upon by the Com monwealth Government has been divided into four sections, and such progress has been made with the specifications for the first section that it is hoped to be able to invite tenders for this portion of the work within the next two weeks.”

On the date of that meeting (May 25, 1940), so far from tenders having been invited, specifications had not even been made available, nor tenders invited.

Speakers pointed out, in emphatic fashion, that an extra 4 per cent, royalty was levied on gold, in 1927, for the pur pose of “constructing a road to the gold fields, and general road construction in the goldfields area”. It was calculated that the Administration had received no less than £750,000* from that gold royalty; and yet, now, it was proposed, apparently, to hold up the construction of the road ow ing to financial difficulties.

Other speakers said that copra produc tion is now in such a condition that only the gold industry is saving the Territory from a serious financial flop. Therefore, it would be sound business, as well as honouring a promise, if a road giving cheap transport were built between Sala maua and Wau, so that all sorts of low grade mining propositions might be brought into profitable operation, and thus increase the numerous revenues re ceived from the gold industry. (For Association’s new office-bearers, see page 10.) Best-informed opinion in Canberra is that, owing to conditions created by the war, and the difficulty o£ financing this particular project, there now is little likelihood of the Wau-Salamaua road be ing commenced.