Mr. Ward’s “Socialistic Toy”

W HEN Australian Territories Minister Ward announced, with a flourish, at the end of October, that civil government had been restored to the Territories, the following state ment was sent to the principal news papers by the editor of the Pacific Islands Monthly.” Only one news paper, the “Sydney Morning Herald,” accepted it; and, in this case, only three paragraphs were published. It sums up the position accurately, however : MR. WARD’S smug announcement that civil administration is restored in Papua and part of New Guinea as on October 30 will deceive no one who knows anything of present conditions in the Territories.

Nothing resembling the civil govern ments which were “suspended” early in 1942 has been introduced. Those gov ernments were carried on by Adminis trators, assisted by Legislative Councils, and responsible to the Australian Governor-General. The new set-up has been specially designed by Mr. Ward, so that the Legislative Councils have been wiped out, and the Administrator is responsible directly to the Minister for the Territories—namely, Mr. Ward.

The so-called Provisional Government is nothing more or less than a socialis tic toy, put together carefully for the pleasure of Mr. Ward. All private enter prise on a big scale has been wiped out.

The well-known trading firms—Burns Philp & Co., Ltd., W. R, Carpenter & Co., Ltd., Steamships Trading Company, Ltd.—have not been permitted to resume their activities, and have made no effort to do so. A very limited permission is to be given to small traders to operate, but the restrictions proposed in their case are so severe that it is unlikely that many will seek permits.

A very small number of rubber and copra planters have been allowed to re turn to their plantations; but all their operations are subject to the Govern ment-owned Production Control Board, which controls all transport and labour, supplies food and equipment to the planters, and handles all the products of the plantations. There is no room any where for private enterprise LATE in September, Mr. Ward an nounced in the Territories that all native labour contracts under the old system would be terminated on October 15, when the natives would be graciously permitted to sign on again under a new and Utopian native-labour plan devised by Mr. Ward.

The contracts were duly terminated on October 15—but I am informed in pri vate letters dated October 19 and 20 that not 5 per cent, of the natives signed on again On the contrary, they sat back and demanded wages six times greater than were proposed by Mr. Ward—and the great majority had already set out on their return to their villages.

One planter, writing on October 20, reports absolute chaos in Papua Thou sands of natives, who have left their work, have been clamouring for transport home; but the coastal ships are all tied up because the crews have left them.

Practically all work on the rubber plan tations is at a standstill. All the plan tations of Steamships Trading Co., Ltd., have been closed down. This is a good example of the new regime that has been introduced to the Territories by Mr Ward.

rE comparatively few planters and traders who are back in Papua held a public meeting early in October, and sent a long and urgent cablegram to the Prime Minister of Britain begging that they be -wen some relief from the op pressive rule of Australia. But the appeal to that particular Caesar seems to have borne *io fruit. Mr. Ward is plunging straight ahead with his precious “Pro visional Government.”

Mr. Ward’s stubborn refusal to allow Papuan and New Guinea people gener ally to return to their homes and pro perties was the cause of the Pacific Ter ritories Association, in September,

resolving to appeal for help directly to the Governor-General; and that petition is now in course of formulation. The cruelties and rebuffs which these un happy people have suffered at the hands of Canberra during the past three years would fill a book.

Territorians have one course open to them, and I think they will take it.

Sooner or later the United Nations, hav ing liquidated the League of Nations machinery, must deal with the mandated territories, including the great territory of New Guinea. Territorians will be able to put before the United Nations an appeal for removal from the oppressive mad-headed administration of Aus tralia, which no reasonable body of men can ignore.