The Evacuees' Fight Goes On

A GENERAL meeting of members ol the Pacific Territories Association will be held at 8 p.m. on March 10, in the Teachers’ Federation Hall, Phillip Street, Sydney.

The Association has continued its cor respondence with the War Damage Com mission, the Minister for External Ter ritories and certain Federal departments on the subject of evacuees’ claims, but little progress has been made.

Inquiry Into Civilian Claims

In a letter to the Pacific Territories Association, dated February 3, Mr. H. G.

Alderman, who has been inquiring into civilian claims against the Commonwealth Government, in New* Guinea and Papua, stated that he expected to visit Sydnev in two or three weeks, and when in that city he would confer with the Associa tion, and persons owning property in the Territories.

Prime Minister’S Reply

Last month the Pacific Territories Association again approached the Prime Minister, pointing out that it had been entirely unsuccessful in obtaining from the Federal Government any information concerning the control of properties or the matter of compensation to owners, following action taken in New Guinea and Paoua, under the Industries Control Order issued on April 24, 1942, by the military authorities.

In a letter dated February 2, Mr. Cur tin informed the Association that all aspects of these matters had recently been discussed with the Commander-in- Chief, Sir Thomas Blarney, and that he, the Prime Minister, had asked the Minis ter for External Territories to advise the Association fully in all the matters as soon as it was possible to do so.

Value Of Chattels For War

Damage

In response to an inquiry by the Asso ciation. the War Damage Commission has forwarded the following advice regarding the method of arriving at the values of private chattels for purposes of claims for compensation under the War Damage to Property Regulations. This advice was asked for in view of the fact that there

appeared to have been some confusion generally, as to the basis of such values: “The amount of compensation payable for private chattels would be the reason able and proper cost, as at the date of the occurrence of war damage, of replac ing or restoring the damaged goods to the form in which they existed immediately prior to the occurrence of war damage.

In practice, this would be the replace ment cost of goods, less an allowance for the depreciated condition of the destroyed articles; in short, the value of the goods at the time of damage.*’

As regards plant, the basis is the same, but in cases where items are unprocur able at the moment, the value would be the cost of such items when last avail able in reasonable quantities, less depre ciation.

Deferment Of War-Damage

Premiums

During last year the Association made representations to the War Damage Commission and the Minister for Exter nal Territories for the deferment of War Damage Insurance contributions on pro perty situated in Papua and New Guinea, where it could be shown that the owners were quite unable to find the money for such payments, or payment would cause serious hardship. Eventually the authori ties agreed to this request and in numer ous cases contributions for 1942 were deferred accordingly.

The War Damage Commission, how ever, recently notified the Association tnat where contributions for 1942 had not yet been paid on property in New Guinea and Papua voluntarily insurable, such contributions must be paid immediately, otherwise the Commission would not be b<^ n i*? consider claims for damage which occurred to such property in 1942 —such decision not to apply to owners who are prisoners of war.

Against this decision the Association has made a strong protest, pointing out the serious hardship this would cause some Territorial residents now in Aus tralia, and unable to find the necessary money for contributions—in some cases comparatively large sums—also that Swv, residents of the Territories are still there in the forces, and there are others whose whereabouts are unknown.