PTA President to Go North Mr

Go North Mr. E. A. James for War Damage Job

MR. E. A. JAMES, who has been pre sident of the Pacific Territories Association since its inauguration in Sydney in early 1942, will be leaving for Papua shortly. He will undertake cer tain work on behalf of the War Damage Commission in relation to claims in Papua and New Guinea.

The fight put up on behalf of Terri tories’ evacuees by the PTA, and the measure of success that has come their way, are attributable in no small measure to the leadership of Mr. James.

He will be missed from the Sydney end of operations but he will not, in any way, be severing his connections with the PTA; on the contrary, he will continue to assist in its activities, and in view of the proposed resumption of civil administra tion in Papua and part of New Guinea, he will no doubt be able to carry on his good work even more effectively from Port Moresby.

Prior to the evacuation, Mr. James owned Papua’s only newspaper, “The Papuan Courier.”

Statement By Chairman Of War

Damage Commission

THE chairman of the War Damage Commission, Mr. A. W. Coles, returned to Australia on April 9. after looking over areas in Papua and New Guinea which will shortly come under the administration of a provisional civil body yet to be set up.

On the following day in Melbourne, Mr.

Coles said that the War Damage Com mission hopes shortly to begin paying claims made by plantation owners.

Already claims for personal losses are being made so that people can return to the areas which will be available for civil re-occupation. He said, also, that by June an officer would be appointed to Port Moresby to help in the work of finalising planters’ claims.