Preliminary Skirmishing

in N. Guinea War Damage Investigators Go North

EVEN with the greatest will in the world, the march of time —and peace —is forcing the Army to unbend a little with regard to the New Guinea Territories.

It is understood that a semi-official party representing New Guinea mining interests left for the Territories about three weeks ago to investigate damage to mines and equipment and to survey the whole mining situation there. The idea appears to have been fathered by Mr. H.

Alderman, Army Claims Officer —but not without some pressure from mining interests —and the party includes repre sentatives of the large mining companies as well as the Pacific Territories Associa tion representative, Mr. C. J. Hinks.

Members of the party will stay in the Territories from four to six weeks.

Another party, this time to investigate war damage to property, and headed by the chairman of the War Damage Com mission, Mr. Coles, left for New Guinea about June 10. They will inspect war damage in both Papua and the Mandated Territory.