Production Control Board For Papua

AND N. GUINEA (See also Page 9)

THE new Australian organisation which is to control and stimulate the pro duction of rubber and copra in Papua and New Guinea is called the Australian New Guinea Production Con trol Board (Australian New Guinea is the new official name of the combined Territories.) A full description of the Board’s functions will be found in the May issue of the “PIM”; and there are further details in the report of the Pacific Ter ritories Association meeting (see page 8).

The Board, during this war period, so far as the planters are concerned, is virtually the controller and ruler of the Territories. Its personnel, therefore, is important. It is:— Brigadier D. M. Cleland, MBE, chairman.

Brigadier Cleland, prior to his enlistment in 1939. was a prominent lawyer in Western Aus tralia. He had a distinguished record with the 2nd- AIF in the Middle East, and has been with the forces in New Guinea for some months.

Mr. W. Kirkhope, OBE, Finance.

Mr. Kirkhope has been granted leave from the A IF. He is a chartered accountant of many years’ standing in Victoria, and has served with the Finance Section of the AIF in the Middle East, Australia and New Guinea since 1939, rising to the rank of colonel.

Mr. E. J. Frame, Commerce.

Mr. Frame has had over 20 years’ commer cial experience in Papua, and some months ago was appointed to ANGAU, where he holds the rank of major. He has been granted leave without pay to join the Board. For many years, he was manager of the British New Guinea Development Co., in which Burns, Philp & Co., Ltd., have a controlling interest.

One to be appointed, to be experienced in Tropical Agriculture.

It will be seen that this is a military body, which will work in close associa tion with ANGAU, another military body, now under the command of Major- General Morris.

Most Territorians appear to regard the prospect of the successful operation of this scheme pessimistically. Messrs. Cle land and Kirkhope are unknown to them, and there is nothing to show that these gentlemen understand the peculiar con ditions surrounding the planting indus try in New Guinea. The inclusion of Mr.

Frame in the team gives them some hope, however. He knows New Guinea, and is a man well liked and respected.

If the two first-named are reasonable men, and Canberra, on the one hand, and ANGAU, on the other, leaves the Board alone, to do its job. the plan may work out as desired. But there are many “ifs.”

In Territories affairs, the ways of Can berra are past all understanding. If it was in order to nominate a Burns Philp man, in Mr. Frame, to direct Commerce under the Board, what could be wrong in seeking the services of Mr. A. S.

Fitch, representing the other big trading company in the Territory, to direct Agri culture under the Board?

That would have given a fair and proper balance to the Board, while the Commonwealth would have gained the services of a man well versed in Papuan rubber-growing. Why go outside of Aus tralia for a rubber-growing expert, as apparently is proposed? There are at least three prominent Papuan men —Mr.

Fitch is one of them—any one of whom could worthily fill a place on the Board as the member in charge of Agriculture.