War Record Of N. Guinea

Police Force

UNINFORMED Inferences to the con trary, New Guinea was a singu larly peaceful and quiescent land before the war. With an area of 91,000 sq. miles, a European-Asiatic population of about 6,000, and an indigenous popu lation of perhaps one million, law and order was kept by a handful of police and (before the arrival of the Rabaul garrison) nothing more lethal than ser vice rifles. The duties of the khaki-clad police-boys were manifold and did not stop at police work: it is doubtful if the blank, white spaces on the map of New Guinea would ever have been whittled down without the help of- the übiquitous “PB.” The following figures were sent to us by W/O L. Dean, now of ANGAU: At the time of the Japanese invasion of the Territory of New Guinea, the Police Force consisted of 36 European officers and 900 native armed constables. The policing of Rabaul was done by eight European officers and 40 natives (figures do not include Rabaul gaol or police depot supervision). In the invasion, nine European officers were captured and one of them is thought to have died while attempting to escape. The remainder, with one or two exceptions, are now serving with ANGAU.

Changes in the membership of Town ship Boards in the Colony of Fiji were announced in the Government Gazette in December. At Ba, Mr. D. Crowe and Mr. A. J. Abrahams were added to the Board. At Labasa, Mr. E. Sundin re placed Mr. D. C. Andrews, who has left the Colony. At Levuka, Mr, D. Watkins replaced Mr. R. Kaad, who has resigned.