Months Developments in

New Guinea Industrial Chaos in Papua-Rabaul Civilians' Heavy Deathroll

THERE have been_ various important developments, during the month, 'affecting the future of the Terri tories of Papua and New Guinea.

They are reported at length in dif ferent parts of this journal. The follow ing is a The new Administrator of Provisional Government, Colonel J. K. Murray, is expected to proceed to the Territories this month. See article, “Personal Impres sion of Territories Administrator,” page 10.

Papua, and all New Guinea southwards of the Markham, will be placed under the Provisional Administration in October; and the terms under which private enter prise may re-enter the Territories are announced. Mr. Ward retains complete economic control. See article “Terms Upon Which Traders May Return,” page 12.

The administrative centre, for the pre sent, will be Port Moresby. Page 63.

An official announcement, to indicate when civilians may return to the Terri tories, and especially to plantations and mines, still is awaited. It is supposed that some statement for the guidance of the many hundreds of Territories resi dents marooned in Australia, may be made before the end of October by the new Administrator.

All labour contracts between Europeans and natives in the Territories have sud denly been cancelled, and a revolutionary new system introduced. Plantations are in danger of ruin, and conditions are chaotic. Papuan planters and commer cial interests have cabled to the British Prime Minister, in London, an appeal for protection against the Australian Gov ernment. See article “Papuan Planters Appeal to Great Britain,” page 15.

Residents of Papua and New Guinea, after appealing in vain to the Australian Government, over two years, for advice and assistance, decided at a large meet ing in Sydney to petition the Governor- General of Australia for help. They want permission to return to their homes.

See article “Evacuees Appeal to the Governor-General,” page 56.

There is now little doubt that the great majority of civilians taken prisoner by the Japs in Rabaul were drowned on a torpedoed ship off the Philippines in June, 1942. See article and list of names, nage 9 49.

A demand is made that there should be an official inquiry into the failure of the Australian Government to order the evacuation of civilians from Rabaul, in January, 1942, when it was known that the Japs were coming. That failure is directly responsible for the loss of hun dreds of valuable lives. See article on Australian forces have occupied the Gazelle Peninsula end of New Britain, and New Ireland. They have placed the Jans in prison camps, and are cleaning up the town of Rabaul, which was prac- . tically obliterated by Allied bombings.

There is very little information from these" districts. See article on page 59.

Mr. G. E. Watson, a well-known mem ber of the Pacific Islands Society, died recently in Sydney, aged 86 He took a keen interest in Pacific affairs. He had been a jute merchant, in India, for 35 years, and he served in World War I.

His son, Dennis, is a distinguished officei of the Indian Police, and recently was decorated with the Order of the CIE.