Territories

"Eddie" Ward Is New Minister For

IF one may judge from newspaper com ment and current cartoons, the pub lic of Australia regarded the appoint ment of Mr. “Eddie” Ward, to be Minis ter for External Territories, as exceed ingly funny. The unfortunate residents of Papua and New Guinea will be excused if they find in the situation little that is humorous.

One of the reasons why Australia has so dismal a record of administration m the Pacific Territories—and a reason why any further tie-up between Australia and the Pacific Islands will be very strongly opposed, when the right time comes—is the time-honoured practice of the Aus tralian Government of tossing the Ter ritories Minister-ship to some incon spicuous politician who has never seen tne Territories.

Except in the case of Papua, Australia usually has appointed, as Pacific Ad ministrators, ex-politicians or ex-mili tary officers in need of a job—almost always men without any practical know ledge of tropical administration. Then, presumably to prevent their making great errors, the Administrators were not per mitted to make important decisions — everything had to be referred to Can berra. As the Canberra Minister almost invariably was ignorant, and lacking in confident judgment, matters of policy were always delayed, or shelved, or left in the hands of Departmental officials.

That has been the system for 20 years; and, while Australia retains her present degenerate system of so-called democratic government (which places extraordinary powers in the hands of uneducated tub thumpers) it will continue.

For a couple of years, until the last Australian election, the Australian Minis ter for Territories was Senator Fraser, an unknown and inconspicuous gentleman from West Australia. It never was apparent that he took much interest in Territories affairs. Although the latter bristled —and still bristle—with difficul ties, the Territories folk never saw and seldom heard of Senator Fraser. They, at present, are mostly evacuees in Aus tralia, or soldiers; and, for two years, they have been pushed around by De partmental officials —gentlemen who are usually courteous, and who honestly do their best, but who are bound by train ing, inclination and self-interest to “the letter of the regulations.”

God help the Territories, and the un fortunate evacuees, if the future is to be left in the hands of the bureaucrats!

WHEN it was seen that the Curtin Administration was to continue in office, Territorians wondered pessi mistically what kind of Minister Mr.

Curtin had in store for them. Mr. Cur tin has never been inendly or sympa thetic towards Territories people, so tney expected little. But they did not expect Mr. Ward.

In the past, the Territories portfolio always was given to some Assistant Min ister, after all the important portfolios had been allotted to more conspicuous men. Now, there is a new system.

Mr. Ward was the irresponsible rebel of the 1942-43 administration, and he ended by incurring the wrath of the Curtin-Evatt-Beasley trio, and getting himself turned out of the Cabinet. After the election, Caucus voted him in again; whereupon the embarrassed trio retaliated by dumping him onto Transport and Territories. Then all the newspaper clowns turned handsprings, and Terri torians spat grimly out of the side of their mouths.

AT first sight, the appearance of Mr.

Ward in the Territories Department is most disconcerting. Actually, it may turn out to be a good appointment.

The Territorians have been sickened and disheartened by a long line of Ministers who were little more than Rub ber stamps. Mr. Ward may be irrespon sible and class-conscious to a degree; but he is no rubber stamp. He is the sort of man who will examine a situation per sonally, and make up his own mind regarding it, independently of bureau cratic promptings.

If he does not allow himself to become dominated by cock-eyed notions about Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels, and “exploitation,” and so forth, Mr. Ward may prove to be the Minister for whom the Territories have been waiting for many years—a man who can make up his mind, and give decisions, and envisage Australia’s obligations to the Territories.

Mr. Ward is going to the Territories forthwith, to look around and learn what a coconut looks like, and meet a Fuzzy Wuzzy. Bureaucracy probably will swal low him, hide, hair and horns. But, if it does not, and he comes back with a mind of his own, some life and hope may be introduced into Territories affairs.

Mr. Ward may prove to be the quaintest misfit ever seen in the Territories job.

On the other hand, he may become the best Pacific Territories Minister Austra lia has seen up to date.