From Rabaul To Lae

Progress of Transfer of New Guinea Capital

From Our Own Correspondent

0 Rabaul, Dec. 1.

N August 24, the New Guinea Ad ministration announced that the recommendations of the Stehn and the Griffiths reports would be adopted immediately.

From that announcement, the public was led to believe that the capital site was to be removed; although, to be exact, Dr. Stehn qualified his recommendation for removal with the statement that, if adequate scientific instruments were in stalled, they would (or should) be able

to anticipate any major eruption in suf ficient time to give the residents time to evacuate the town. It was Dr. Wool nough, Dr. Stehn’s co-investigator of con ditions in 1937, who was for a straight out evacuation without delay.

However, after having withstood the onslaught of the dust blitz from Matupi crater from June 6 to August 24, the Administration decided to transfer the capital. Such dec-sion was mainly due to representations made to the Adminis trator by the Public Service Association.

Early in October, the headquarters’ staffs of the Lands Office (Mr. P. Holmes) and the District Services (Mr. R. Mel rose) were transferred to Lae and Sala maua respectively. Members of the Public Works Department also proceeded to Lae, for the purpose of supervising the erection of temporary accommodation for the Administration personnel.

The number of Administration officials comprising this movement was about fifteen —mostly males. The wives of offi cials were discouraged from accompanying their husbands. They were told there was no accommodation suitable at Lae.

At the end of October a Government announcement, published in the “Rabaul Times”, stated that Central Administra tion (Mr. H. Page) would transfer to Lae about the end of December, and other departments would follow sometime in February; but it is not now expected that CA will move before February.

Arrangements were mentioned for the housing of Government officials who would have to remain in the Rabaul area. ‘‘A site was being selected outside the caldera,” said the Administrator, in the Legislative Council on September 23.

THE Administrator, with Lady Mc- Nicoll, has departed for Lae, Gov ernment House has been closed, and the Administrator has now officially taken up his residence at Lae There was no formal farewell; no pub lic goodbyes. Sir Walter folded his tent and crept silently away, and his silent going occasioned some comment. It was generally expected that the Adminis trator would remain to the last, to see that all was well. There may be a very good reason for his early departure; but people have been unable to appreciate such reason. But probably the prepara tions for the future are more important than the dispositions of the past.

Business men, professional men, Asia tic store-keepers and artisans (and of this class there is well over a thousand) are still awaiting some authoritative statement from the Government as to the plans to be adopted concerning the headquarters of the New Britain district.

Big firms seem satisfied to retain their shipping facilities in Rabaul Har bour (than which there is no better in the Territory); and it is suggested that one will go here, and another will go there, according to the location where they hold land suitable for their own headquarters.

Several sites have already been men tioned by the Administration as possible locations; most of them in the vicinity of Kokopo. And, here, let it be remem bered that at a meeting of business men held in Rabaul, some months ago, it was suggested that a temporary move away from Rabaul, as a whole, should be made to Kokopo or Bitapaka, and that the laying-out of the capital at Lae should be left as a post-war job; thus saving untold expense and time.

The police depot has, at long last, been

transferred outside the caldera, to a location resumed by the Administration for the erection of a native hospital, and over which there was considerable trouble with the native owners, who re fused to countenance the resumption, and to this day claim the deal did not go through.

At first, it was intended to erect native material houses for the police barracks and European officers; but, owing to the drought conditions, no kunai (native grass) was obtainable, so it was found necessary for the police-boys to dismantle buildings at Rapindik and utilise the iron for the police barracks.

CONDITIONS at the new capital must of necessity, for some time to come, be of a primitive nature. It is ac cepted that the temporary buildings to house officials in the immediate future will be erected on the flat near the coast at Lae, and that the town proper, with an elaborate town-nlanning design, will not be erected on the terraces, be hind, until after the war, when funds are expected to be made available.

Much depends upon the available sup plies of building materials, of which, apparently, there is a great shortage.

Meanwhile, to make everyone feel foolish, the volcano is quiet, there is no dust, there has been some rain out of the north-west and the trees and grass are sprouting green again.

Mr. George Moore, manager of BP’s branch at Port Moresby, returned recently after a few months’ visit to Australia.

Mrs. Moore will return early in the New Year, Mr. Les. Clout, of the Public Works Department at Salamaua, New Guinea, recently arrived in Sydney by airliner.

He intends to undergo a course of medi cine while in Australia.