Military Set-up in

New, Guinea Is it Within the Law?

Letter to the Editor CAN you inform me whether or not martial law was proclaimed in Papua and New Guinea, and, if so, when? There are certain indications that proper authority may not have been invested in those who established the pre sent military set-up in so high-handed a manner—and who continue, bv some means or other, to retain it against all reason or justice. Perhaps your paper has already gone fully into this point: if not. I feel that a brief survey in vour columns would be of interest to all bona fide residents.

Further: Was conscription ever legally proclaimed in those areas? We know that it was enforced there, though not in Australia. Was that procedure correct?

If so. why?

Amongst the Allied nations or terri tories. I think that Papua and New Guinea must have about the highest per centage of its population in the various Services —or in enemy hands. I would welcome anv facts you may be able to supply on that point. Our men volun teered eagerly from the earliest days of the war; and in later times those who had been asked to remain to enable necessary work and administration to be carried on. were either conscrioted or taken prisoner. ' All were dispossessed— one wonders for how long.

Altogether, the treatment meted out to this section of the Australian community (the ofnly one that has suffered real hard ship as a result of the war) does nothing to justify any confidence that our pre sent Government will anplv to their own countrvmen, the first nrinciples of justice and liberty for which so many of our Island men are fighting —or rotting in nrison camps. In fact, it rather looks as if the Islanders “stuck their necks out.”

I am, etc.,

G.R.R.

South Brisbane, Nov. 11, 1944.

Editorial Note

MARTIAL law was not declared in the Territories; but the area was de clared an “onerational area” or a war area, nr whatever these things are declared This, from the civilian’s point of view, is worse than if martial law were declared —because in that case the civi lians are usually nresent. In this case the whole area became a military pre serve and the military can do as it wishes.

Conscrintion was legally proclaimed, in Canberra, in a perfectlv legal “order” nr rpaulat.ion under either National Securitv Regulations or under Defence Peanietions. These things were made norfortlv watertight, legally—so our cor resnondeot need have no worries on that score. The Armv also had the leaal right to order civilians to depart—the PTA was instructed' so by their legal advisers months aao.

The two sons of Mr. J. G. McGmther, who was Resident Agent at Mangaia. Cook Islands, 1926-38, have rendered distin guished service. Lieut. Jock McGmther was wounded in Libya, invalided to New Zealand, and is now overseas again. Lieut.

Colin McGmther was wounded during the nursuit of Rommel in North Africa, and is now in NZ.