J. K. Murray

Administrator of Papua- N. Guinea

Colonel Jack Keith Murray,

BA, Bachelor of Agricultural Science, Professor of Agriculture at the University of Queensland since 1927, and at present acting as Chief Instructor at the School of Civil Affairs, at Dun troon, has been appointed Provisional Administrator of the combined Territories of New Guinea and Papua.

It is presumed that he will be asked to take charge immediately of the task of restoring civil government fo Papua and that part of New Guinea lying south wards of the Markham River. As soon as the surrendered Japanese have been rounded up, and the country is safe, the Provisional Civil Government will be extended over the whole of the Mandated Territory.

Colonel Murray was born in Victoria 56 years ago; he was educated at the University of Sydney; he was a lecturer at Hawkesbury Agricultural College, NSW; he became principal of the Queens land Agricultural College in 1923; and he has filled innumerable positions on com mittees and public bodies connected with agriculture and agricultural science dur ing the past 20 years. He has taken a keen interest in defence, and he was the Lieut.-Colonel in charge of the 25th (Darling Downs) Battalion of the AMF in 1940.

There were 51 applicants for the posi tion. The names of Mr. Leonard Murray (lately Civil Administrator of Papua), Judge F. B. Phillips (late Mandated Territory), and General Sir Thomas Blarney had been tipped as appointees, in that order of favouritism; and the desire that Mr. Leonard Murray should be successful was practically universal among the evacuees of both Territories.

Colonel Murray’s appointment, there fore, came as a complete surprise. He has a very fine scholastic record in his own particular field in Australia. The appointment may be criticised on the ground that he never has been heard of in connection with tropical Territories administration, and also on the ground that he is a Professor. Labour Ministers’ tendency to run to the Universities for expert advice in wartime has made Aus tralian people generally very weary of Professors, as a class. Colonel Murray also will be under the handicap that he is a Ward appointee. Nothing good is ex pected of the Minister who produced the Provisional Government plan, the Pro duction Control Board and the new Native Labour Regulations.

The appointment is made, however — and that is the end of that. On his record in Queensland, Colonel Murray is entitled to the help and loyalty of all people who hope to see tolerable administrative conditions and standards of life restored to the Territories. Terri tories residents should, in every possible way, give him their goodwill and co operation, and withhold judgment con cerning his administration until he has had an opportunity of proving his quality in a job of extraordinary difficulty.

The appointment, presumably, is for the term of the Provisional Government.

The latter is for "not longer than six months after His Majesty ceases to be engaged in war.” Opinion of the best KC in Sydney is that that means March, 1946. But Canberra, of course, can amend the Act.