Mr. Ward—A “Yes Or No” Man

New Territories' Minister Gives Evacuees Fresh Hope

THERE was something prophetic in the “PlM’s” October statement that Mr. Ward would either be the great est misfit ever seen in the role of Minis ter for Australian Territories—or the greatest success. According to the report of the Pacific Territories Association Executive,at the quarterly meeting of mem bers in Sydney, on December 7, he bids fair to being the best Minister so far encountered by Territorians, either before or after the evacuation.

A PTA delegation consisting of the president (Mr. E. A. James), vice-presi dent (Mr. N. C. Nelson), secretary (Mr.

C. A. M. Adelskold), and Messrs. Aumul ler, Campbell, Hinks, and Bellamy, met Mr. Ward on December 2, and all are agreed that it was the most satisfactory meeting with a Government representa tive yet held. Mr. Ward showed keen interest and appreciation of evacuees’ difficulties, and assured the delegation that they would receive a definite “yes” or “no” to their requests in future.

This can properly be regarded as the greatest progress yet made by the PTA: all they have been able to prize out of former Ministers and politicians was a stereotyped departmental, “We have re ceived your letter, etc. It is receiving attention and you will be advised at a later date.”

Mr. Ward also promised to make every endeavour to arrange for a PTA delega tion to meet the Prime Minister, in order that they might put certain matters, including those relating to civilian pri soners of war, before him; and he will arrange a meeting with Mr. Chiflev, Federal Treasurer, at an early date, to allow discussion on War Damage Insur ance, and plantation and rehabilitation matters Other matters dealt with in the Execu tive’s renort, submitted by Mr. James, were as follows: —

War Damage Insurance

Amendments to the regulations have been submitted to the Government and these, if adopted, will cover the main points affecting Territorians. The Minis ter is fully conversant with this subject and is submitting the amendments to the Federal Treasurer and has assured the Executive that we will receive a definite reply to our request.

Production Control Board

Our submissions for the appointing of an owners’ representative' have been continued and in this regard Mr. Ward has assured us that we have his support for our request and also that he is look ing into the matter of ALP representa tion on the Board.

Rents

Your Executive has placed full details in regard to rents of properties occupied by the Military, in the hands of Mr. Bar wick, KC, for his opinion as to the legal ity of our claim for rents, and the Minis ter had also promised to investigate the position, as well as the basis of valua tion of chattels as arrived at by Mr. H.

G. Alderman. The Minister agreed that the basis of valuation arrived at by the War Damage Commission would be a fair and reasonable basis.

Copra Pool

Your executive has asked that the amount of War Damage Insurance which has been assessed and recorded, approxi mately £BO,OOO, be made available for

distribution; and, after full explanation to Mr. Ward, he agreed that this was actually money owing to the planters, and stated that he would take the mat ter up with the Federal Treasurer with a view to arriving at some favourable decision.

Preservation Of Assets Of

Mining Industry

Your Executive has requested that qualified men be permitted to return to the Territories in order to carry out maintenance work and preserve what remains of the valuable assets.

The Minister pointed out that unfor tunately the Military would not at pre sent consider the return of civilians to the Territory, but he considered that there should be some way of arranging for a maintenance gang, covering all properties, to be allowed to return and he would go into the matter.

Post-War Reconstruction

Our submissions that men with experi ence in the Territories be included on any committee regarding post-war recon struction in the Territories was looked on favourably by the Minister and he stated that after the preliminary inves tigation of general policy, it would be the policy of the Government to allow those interested in the Territories to express their views.

, Rehabilitation

The Minister will endeavour to obtain a statement of the Federal Government’s intentions in regard to assistance, etc., to be given when rehabilitation takes place.

Gold Left At Wau

We have been advised by the Depart ment of the Army that the Common wealth Government’s legal advisers declare that the Commonwealth Government is in no way liable for the losses suffered by evacuees and others in this connec tion, and the matter has therefore been submitted to Mr. Barwick, KC, for his opinion.

Mr. Ward has promised to inquire into the matter and has suggested that it may be possible to allow the owners to include the value of this gold in their War Damage claims. He will advise us later in the matter.

Custodian Of Expropriated

Properties

The position of plantation-owners with the Custodian, in respect to War Damage Insurance, is being investigated and it is hoped to have a meeting with the Federal Treasurer regarding this matter in the near future.

Affiliations

In accordance with the amended con stitution, your Executive has extreme pleasure in announcing that the follow ing bodies have agreed to affiliate with the Pacific Territories Association: New Guinea Women’s Clubs of Sydney and Adelaide and the Queensland-New Guinea Association, Brisbane. It is anticipated that others will follow.

Social Activities

Since the last meeting, we have taken part in two joint social evenings, namely, on September 17 with the New Guinea Women’s Club and on November

26 with the New Guinea Branch of the Country Women’s Association.

Both nights have been a marked suecess and we all look forward to similar functions in the future. tvtobilf ftfi T> UNIT iviuciL*. , A proposal was submitted to the Association by Mrs E. Greenwood in regard to the organisation of a suitable scheme for public recognition of the services of the native population of the Territories I v!i ed f^ CaU f 6 ' rs ' Gr^ nw ™s proposed the formation of a mobile field oonsistmg of food, medical and rehabihtation services to the village peoples m evacuated and re-occupied areas, the unit to work behind the Army and to be responsible for the civilian native population. Such service to be financed by public subscription, if necessary with a Federal Government subsidv, to be administered by a Civilian Executive Committee and its officers to be chosen from people with experience of the natives of the Territories.

After consideration, your Executive were of the opinion that the proposal was a practical and necessary scheme for the assistance of the natives of the Ter ritories, and a most fitting way in which P e °pl e of Australia could give prac tical demonstration of their appreciation. it was decided, therefore, to support the proposal, and a committee consisting of Mrs. e. Greenwood, Messrs. E. A. James, e. V. O’Brien, W. H. Carpenter, Dr. E. t. Brennan and the secretary, was sug gested tentatively to go into the matter, The scheme was placed before Mr. Ward a t our interview, with a request for his support and assistance in obtaining necessary permission to inaugurate the fund. We have not yet learned his opinion and until we do we can do little except make plans for launching the fund should permission be given.

Mining Sub-Committee

A sub-committee to represent the min ing interest of the Territories and to advise the Executive on mining matters

has been formed by your mining repre sentatives on the Executive—Messrs.

Taylour and Hinks. Already this sub committee has done good work, espe cially in the preparation of a memo on the preservation of mining assets in the Territories, which was submitted to the Minister. The sub-committee consists of: Messrs. Taylour (chairman), Hinks, Adamson, T. Bayliss. G. Bellamy, Trav ers-Black, J. Melville, Don McDonald, Ray Parer, Lex Peadon, R. Staker, S. R.

Young and the secretary.

Thursday Is. Association

Close co-operation in all matters of mutual interest has been established with the Thursday Island Association and their representative in Sydney, Mr.

Cleveland, attends our meetings regu larly.

Discussion

APART from a question by Mr. A. Lus sick on the legal right of the Cus todian of Expropriated Property to claim war damage insurance, although the premiums were paid by the planter (he was assured that the planters’ sub committee was going into the matter), discussion centred around the proposed mobile unit.

Mr. Lussick spoke with some heat on the theme that the “kanaka does not understand gifts—he will only throw them away.”

In this sentiment he was backed up by Mr, Tex Thomas, Wau miner.

It was explained by Mr. James and Mr.

Adelskold that it was not proposed to provide a canteen, and nothing was going to be “thrown away” in the Pidgin Eng lish sense: it was a welfare unit, a sort of native Red Cross to follow the Army and ameliorate the lot of the natives who had been caught between two fires, as it were, and see to their welfare until such times as they were rehabilitated.

Mr. Thomas asked if this were not the job of the Government.

It was pointed out to him that although soldiers are a job for the Army, there was always a job for the Red Cross, and the various welfare units that followed the Army.

There was divided opinion on the part played by ANGAU in native welfare.

Major G. A. Loudon, in Sydney at the time of the meeting, stated that the natives had more food and medical attention than ever before, and he cited Yule Island as an example. Where there used to be one Magistrate, and an offi cial or two, now there were 15 officials.

Mr. Aumuller, seconded by Mr. Camp bell, finally moved that the Committee go into the question of a mobile unit, or any other scheme of native welfare.

Mr, Thomas was proposed as an addi tional member of the Committee already tentatively proposed by the Executive, and on the motion of Mr. G. Bellamy, seconded by Mr. Armit, this Committee was duly elected.