Set-Up

Latest Cabinet Decisions On N. Guinea

Control Board to Continue Stranglehold

RECOMMFNDATIONS by the External Territories Minister, Mr. Ward, on the immediate set-up in New Guinea, were considered by Full Cabinet in Canberra on July 31.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Chifley, later announced that certain decisions had been made enabling planning to proceed so that immediate requirements in re spect of commerce and agriculture might be met on lines that “will be in har mony with the long-range policy of economic development.”

He said that the decisions would accord with the Government’s plan that in future the basis to Territories’ economy would be native and European industry with the limit of non-native expansion deter mined by the - welfare of the natives generally.

Decisions made by Cabinet that day, Mr. Chifley announced, were: • That new plantations may be established only with the express authorisation of the administration.

O That the Production Control Board con tinue for the time being to handle the marketing of products of natives and Euro peans, and that the Board continue for the time being to conduct native trade stores. • That, subject to arrangements being made with the Shipping Control Board and the Movement Control Section of the Army Department, private enterprise be advised that arrangements may now be made to re-open trading activities for the supply of stores to Europeans, subject to Price Control (essential items such as rice and flour to be obtained from the Production Control Board); and that individual Europeans—planters, missionaries and the like—be permitted to indent, direct from Australia, stores and equipment, except essential items, such as rice and flour. Im ports will be subject to payment of Territorial Customs duty. • That private enterprise be permitted to re-open hotels and broading houses.

Rumour in Sydney (mid-August) fixes the resumption of civil administration at October 1; wives of Provisional Adminis tration personnel, it is said, will be back in the Territory by Christmas.

rE decisions made by Cabinet on July 31, are, in theory, in accord with a policy designed for the dura tion of the war and six months after. . Such has been the disruption of native life that no one can quibble at the re striction on new plantation enterprises that will make fresh demands on native labour. All available native labour will be necessary to get the existing planta tions back into full production. It is universally agreed that the natives gener ally, after the demands made upon them by the Army, need a prolonged period in which to re-establish their village life and plant their gardens.

It would be interesting to know, how ever, why, if private enterprise is to be allowed to function to the extent of re opening trading activities for the supply of stores to Europeans, it should be necessary for the continued existence of the Production Control Board to handle the marketing of products of natives and Europeans and to conduct the native trade stores.

It is doubtful if the “private enter prise,” which Mr. Chifley mentions with such unction, will be really enthusias tic about returning to the Territory simply to sell over the counter, tins of meat and pounds of tea to returned planters and administrative officials, while the Government-directed Pro duction Board controls the sale of rice and flour, markets the products of the plantations, and handles the trade store business In a nutshell —while the top-heavy, bureaucratic Production Control Board remains in the Papua-New Guinea Terri tory, that Territory remains in the firm clutch of Canberra’s remote and socialis tic control. No soft, apparently reassur ing, words from the Prime Minister or anyone else can alter that fact.

A letter received in this office from a returned Papuan civilian states: “The re cent Act and Regulations have knocked everyone here sideways. I doubt if there will be any move to open up any busi

ness until the position is a lot clearer. At the moment the outlook is hopeless.”

Who Will Be the Administrator?

DAILY rumours over the last four months, that the Administrator of the Provisional Administration was already chosen, and would be announced at any moment, all came to an abrupt end when applications were called for the position in the daily press on July 28 (this advertisement, and one for heads of departments, appears on page 10 of this issue).

Applications close on August 31, there fore, although rumours are still in order, and the favourite for the position changes from day to day, Territorians will have to wait until after that date before their curiosity is satisfied or their hopes dashed or realised, as the case may be.

Salary of the Administrator will be £2,000 per annum, plus £5OO entertain ment allowance.

It is emphasised in the advertisement that this is free of income tax. It should be pointed out perhaps, to non-Aus tralian Territories readers, that a man in Australia on a salary of £5,000 a year receives about £1,300 of it —the rest goes into the coffers of the Taxation Depart ment. The new Administrator, therefore, will be paid at the Australian rate of something like £7,000 per annum.

The catch is that the war has not lasted long enough for him to enjoy very much of it. His administratorship should, according to the terms of the provisional set-up, terminate six months after the war finishes.