Australian Minister To
p. 10 · Read in the full issue
Visit Territories
THE Australian Minister for Territories (Hon. T. J. Collins) is making plans for an official visit to the Territories of Papua and New Guinea, immediately following the next session of the Com monwealth Parliament.
This Minister has taken a keen prac tical interest in the affairs of the Ter ritory and, if he is allowed a reasonable period of administration after his visit there, the results should be worth while.
There is a distinct possibility, however— especially if the Babour Party wins Boothby by-election on May 24 —that there soon will be another change of Government, in which event the Terri tories may be introduced to their seventh or eighth Minister in four years.
If only Canberra would leave its Administrators to formulate develop mental policy, and to administer in accordance therewith, Australia might expect some progress in the Territories irrespective of political changes in Aus tralia. As it is, Territorial progress is hopelessly tied to the tail of Canberra noliticians; and Canberra politicians duck into office and out again with such rapidity that ordinary citizens cannot keep count of them.