Losing

How Territorions Are Losing Rehabilitation Chances

“mHIS Ward Administration in Papua J. and New Guinea is one of the cruel lest things in the history of Aus tralian connections with the Pacific Islands,” said a well-known New Guinea man who arrived in Sydney late in Dec ember, and who was then awaiting his discharge from the AIF.

“The two Australian territories now have the most marvellous chance of making large profits out of their chief products, and thus getting some com pensation for all the losses they have suffered through the war. Copra is in keen demand —so is shell, and timber and rubber. Because they have not been worked much for years, the shell-beds are in splendid condition, and the price of shell to-day is sensational.

“But the Territorians who ought to be getting the advantage of these condi tions are being kept in Australia by Mr.

Ward, and the big trading concerns, whose enterprise and organisation would provide the impetus and the machinery for development are being knocked back and limited in their operations by the same gentleman.

“All over these Melanesian islands the tale is the same—huge quantities of equipment are either being abandoned or destroyed, or are being sold to the few buyers available at ridiculously low prices. Here again is another cruel in justice to the Territorians.

“These people, whose homes and busi nesses have been damaged or destroyed by war, should be among the first to get the fullest advantage from the dis

carded war materials. All of them even tually will receive war damage compen sation. It would have simplified their problem if they had been supplied with their compensation money, and permit ted to return and buy freely of as much of this now useless war equipment as they may need. That would have as sisted very much in the general rehabi litation of the Territories.

“But, no! They are being held back here, while Mr. Ward gets his Socialis tic machine into operation. When even tually they are given permits to return, the best of these opportunities will have passed; and, to a corresponding degree, they will all be making demands for Government assistance —that is, for funds supplied by the Australian tax payers. , “Serve the Australian taxpayers right for putting people like Mr. Ward into the Australian Parliament!”