Mr. Alderman’S

£6,000 .

Legal Fees for 'Adjusting' Territorians' Claims

A WAVE of deep emotion swept over the exiled residents of New Guinea and Papua in September, when the Australian Government, under pressure of questions in Parliament, disclosed that it had acknowledged the following fees as due to Mr. H. G. Alderman, KC, of Adelaide: 1942-43 £1,109 1943-44 3,500 1944 2,312 £6,921 It was stated that Mr. Alderman’s fees “on the Darwin bombing inquiry” were 20 guineas per day while he was in opera tional and bombed areas; 15 guineas per day while he was in Melbourne and Syd ney; with 30/- per day for expenses.

Dr. Evatt defended the payments by saying that Mr. Alderman’s Adelaide practice was “very considerable”; and the Secretary for the Army said that Mr.

Alderman had worked long hours, and undergone fatiguing travel “at some risk” to himself.

This is the Mr. Alderman who, having survived the post-blitz terrors of Darwin, was brought east to clean up the grasp ing residents of Papua and Morobe, who had had the impertinence to claim against the Army for compensation in respect of property occupied, or seized, or impressed, or stolen. The methods of the Adelaide lawyer drove the people to fury; because he apparently assumed, until they could prove otherwise, that they all were dishonest, and deliberately over valuing their properties. He constituted himself appeal court, judge, jury and prosecutor, and he had his own arbitrary methods of calculating values. In the early stages of his negotiations with the Papuan bandits, his attitude was regarded as intolerable; but, as Territorians’ resentment grew, he became more con ciliatory.

AGAIN and again, this, journal pro tested against the way in which the Adelaide gentleman was treating the ruined and homeless people of the Ter ritories, in his eagerness to chisel down their claims to the last possible shilling; and against the unfairness of his “take it or leave it—that is my last word—there is no appeal.”

But no one took any notice. Terri torians have no votes —so the Canberra politicians were indifferent. Australians generally had escaped the horrors of war —so they were not concerned with the plight of the unhappy people who had lost everything in the invasion.

And so the busy Mr. Alderman settled the Territorians’ claims, down to the last twopence—at a fee of 15 guineas per day, plus 30/- expenses—plus another five guineas per day when heroically entering bombed areas. He perhaps has saved the Australian Army (which wastes millions every month) a few hundred or a couple of thousand pounds; and then he col lected, as his fees, no less than £6,000 in a little over two years!

This piquant disclosure might never have occurred had not Mr. Alderman come into the limelight through his association with two B-class radio sta tions, the sale of which was surrounded with a resounding political stink. Some one wanted to know something more

about this Mr. Alderman; and then the Attorney-General reluctantly made the statement about his fees.

YET even his bitterest* critics in the South Australian Club must acknow ledge that Mr. Alderman, in all these matters, has behaved with the utmost King’s Counsel rectitude—there is not a blemish upon his professional escutcheon. He entered the bombed areas without flinching (at an extra five guineas per day); and, by metaphorically shak ing the ruined Papuan exiles until their financial teeth rattled, he saved his appreciative country many hundreds of pounds. The Army has nothing but praise for his methods and achievements.

And how much better it is that that money should go into the grateful pockets of Mr. Alderman, at 15 guineas per day, than that it should be frittered away in making over-generous payments to the unhappy Territorians —who would only have wasted it in rebuilding their homes or re-stocking their stores, anyway!

AND, while we are on the subject, here are some comments by a former Port Moresby resident, who has been stirred to letter-writing by the newspaper story of Mr. Alderman’s fees: “The Army took over my house on January 1, 1942. I was allowed to occupy one room, with three officers, with three native servants. Towards the end of January, there were four officers and four batmen in the house.

“I was compulsorily evacuated at two hours’ notice on February 9, 1942. How many men were in it afterwards I do not know. The Army authorities in Port Moresby agreed to pay 1/- per officer per day and 9d. per day for batmen.

“Some months afterwards, I received a cheque for £5/16/-, for rent to February 5, 1942, and I was informed by circular from Mr. Alderman that no further rent would be paid, but the house would be put in as good condition as when they took it over (two years and nine months ago). You can imagine what a condition a place in the tropics would be in after that lapse of time without a coat of paint or any minor repairs.

“The house contained over £4OO worth of furniture and effects, which were inspected by Mr. Alderman on his visit to Port Moresby. On his return, he made an offer of £175 for goods the Army could use, which I accepted, leaving out such things as piano, wireless, gramophone and 110 records, 100 books, linen and personal effects, etc. For these, he made a further offer of £3O for the lot in final payment, which I did not accept, and I have heard nothing from him since, although he stated all letters re claims would be replied to. I have been informed that everything has been removed from my house.

“No wonder the Army are well satis fied; I have no doubt there are hundreds of folk in the same, or worse condition regarding treatment of claims, than I am.”

Mr. W. Simpson, formerly of Public Works, Port Moresby, has been in Sydney, on leave. He carries the distinction of “PX1”; and his ribbon discloses service in North Africa. He actually left Aus tralia with the original 15th Battalion; and, when the Australian Divisions came back to protect the homeland from the Japs, he was transferred to ANGAU, where he now carries the rank of ser geant. He has many war memories, but his most enthusiastic stories describe how he proved to Yank units on the North east Coast of Papua that magnificent food gardens could be established, in a mat ter of weeks.