Ng Miners

Officers of New Union

Prom Our Own Correspondent At^ t t WAU, Oct. 2.

POLL for officers of the New Guinea and Papua Miners’ and Workers’

Union (set up as a result of the Visit of Mr. A. Blakeley, Commonwealth Arbitration official) was held on the Morobe goldfields on September 17. Mr.

H. J. Humble acted as Returning Officer.

Officers elected were: President, J. Pol lard; vice-president, R. Bell; treasurer, F. Anderson; secretary, K. Laurance; committee of management, J. Lappin, J.

Monteith, R. Gofton, J. Colter, R J McSween, D. O’Connor, J. Doran and G S. Franklin.

Polling figures were not made available by the Union executive but Papua, ap parently, was not included in the ballot no votes were received from that Territory.

The committee of management is com posed entirely of Bulolo Gold Dredging Co. men.

When the Union first was mooted, 90 per cent, of Morobe miners expressed themselves against it. It anpears now, however, that many changed their atti tude; though it is not possible at the moment to get information concerning the exact number who have joined.

NGG Ltd. is gradually getting back into its stride again after the hold-up some months ago. The majority of the Co.'s men are back at work—though, it is understood, some were not required again as the Co. does not intend to re open all the workings. A number of these became flooded when the strikers withdrew the safety men from the mines.

Two NGG directors, Messrs. J. Krusch nitt and T. McCullouch, have been here in recent weeks conferring with the general manager, but no announcement was made of the Co.’s attitude towards the new Union, Mr. Don Bell, planter and recruiter of Madang, New Guinea, is at present in Sydney. He joined the AIF some time ago and went to Malaya, but was in valided back to Australia and has been discharged. He will return to the Terri tory shortly. His brother, Mr. Les. Bell, well-known planter and engineer, of Kavieng, has joined the RAAF.

Mr. “Jimmy” Leahy, well-known New Guinea explorer and miner, arrived in Sydney by plane in September. Mrs.

Leahy, who preceded him recently, has been in ill health for some time. Mr.

Leahy has walked over most parts of New Guinea’s hinterland, but sadly ad mits that a few times up and down Sydney’s streets are sufficient to “knock him up”!