Ward: "Future Prime

Minister of Australia"

New Administrator Startles Port Moresby

From a Special Correspondent

Pt. Moresby, Oct. 29.

rpHE new Administrator, Colonel J. K.

X Murray, has not made a good first impression. Before going off to Army headquarters at Lae —he is there now—he called all his Administration staff together and gave them an address.

He said a number of things which doubt less were admirable. But he took it upon himself to defend his Minister, Mr. Ward, against the criticism being levelled against him as the author of the Pro visional Government. He praised Mr, Ward’s ability, and he said that in the opinion of some people, Mr. Ward was the next Prime Minister of Australia.

That was the only part of Colonel Murray’s address that really “registered”; and it flew through the community like wildfire. There are a lot of “old hands” among the newly-appointed officials, who know the Territory, and whose sym pathies are entirely with the “evacuees” who have had such a raw deal from Mr. Ward and the Australian Govern ment. You can imagine their reaction to the new Administrator’s statement.