All Is Not Well In New Guinea

POLITICAL, economic and administrative developments in New Guinea in recent weeks may at last suggest to the Commonwealth authority that all is not well with the government of Australia’s Mandated Territory. Let the following facts, rather than accusation and argument, disclose the position.

First: As a direct result of the New Guinea Administration’s failure to plan and put into action a firm, soundly-based native-control policy, there is growing evidence of native demoralisation throughout the Territory. (See article, page 51.) Second: After four years of official dithering, the Administration has decided to transfer its headquarters from Rabaul to Lae, and now finds itself faced with the task of providing considerably more than £250,000 to meet the cost of transfer. The Administration says now that it is acting on the expert reports prepared by the Dutch vulcanologist, Stehn, and by Brig.-General Griffiths— omitting to add that their recommendations were made at the end of 1937 and early 1938 If the Administration had been farsighted—the 1937 report forecasted an early recrudescence of volcanic activity—it would now have been comfortably established on the NG mainland, Instead, with none-too-robust finances, it now is compelled to make a hasty transfer, under adverse conditions. Skilled labour, and building

materials now are difficult to procure, In addition, since the 1937 eruption, nearly £lOO,OOO has been spent on re building at Rabaul—a large part of it by the Administration itself, In the third place, as explained in an article elsewhere in this issue, the Administration’s insistence on the retention of its copra pooling and marketing scheme has endangered the future economic structure of New Guinea. The meagre information available indicates that a struggle is going on behind the scenes between the Administration and the big trad ing firms—the outcome of which may be catastrophic for the future of Aus tralian enterprise m the Territory, Most people, without discussing whether there is need for putting a curb on the power of the big firms in New Guinea, will ask whether this is an opportune time to engage in a struggle of this kind. The big firms have done much to keep the wheels of trade and commerce turning m the past, and their help will be needed again, before long, Finally, at the Morobe end of the Territory, an incredible development actually has occurred. From out of the blue, the goldfields industry has had foisted upon it a Labour Depart ment organisation, in the Australian fashion, complete with registrar. awards and compulsory unionism, This in a primitive, tropical country, where industry is carried on mostly by indentured native labour! And

the goldfield industry is the one thing that has saved the Territory from complete economic collapse.

The foregoing facts, even if there were no other aspects of uncertain and preoccupied administration—and there are plenty—indicate that the system of government in New Guinea urgently requires overhaul.