Stronger Production Control Board

"Blue" Allan and A. J. Gaskin Are New Members

THE following statement was made in Canberra on May 10 by the Minis ter for External Territories (Mr.

Ward): “In view of the change from military to civil control, that is now in progress in Papua-New Guinea, the Australian New Guinea Production Control Board has been reconstituted on an entirely civilian basis and now comprises: Chairman J. C. Archer Production Member .. H. T. Allan Finance Member .. F. J. McKenzie Commerce Member .. A. J. Gaskin “This Board was established in 1943 under iNational security Regulations to promote and control tne production of copra, ruboer and other tropical produce required for the prosecution of tne war.

Practically ail of the plantations in Papua have now been re-possessed by their owners, and the Boards principal function in tnat area will be the control and marketing of the produce.

“In the New Guinea areas, however, the Board’s activities will, in addition, be directed towards assisting planters in the renabihtation of their properties and ensuring the maximum output of copra from tnose areas at the earliest possioie date.

“Amending National Security Regula tions have been issued to enable the foregoing changes to be made in the constitution of the Board.”

The New Members

rERE have been various changes in the Board since its creation. More recently, it consisted of Messrs.

Archer and McKenzie, and Brigadier Graham. The latter retired last month.

The new members are Colonel H. T.

Allan, MC, OBE, and Mr. A. J, Gaskin.

The appointment of Mr. Gaskin was un officially reported some weeks ago. The announcement of Colonel Allan’s selec tion comes as a complete—but very wel come—surprise.

In spite of the cautious phrasing of the Minister’s statement, it is believed that the purpose of the new set-up is definitely to assist and hasten the return and re-establishment of New Guinea civilians. All four members of the Board are experienced Territorians; all are respected and personally popular; and, working as a team, they should be able to do a great deal for New Guinea.

The Board had an apparently Socialis tic birth, and an uncertain place in the scheme of things. It was generally re garded by Territorians, between 1943 and 1945, as an instrument created by Minis ter “Eddie” Ward for the punishment and destruction of private enterprise. Its purpose, it seemed, was to control the trader, planter, miner and transporter from daylight until long after dark. And it was cursed accordingly.

But the Minister and the Departmental bureaucrats appear to be learning by ex perience. The personnel of the new Board is non-bureaucratic and full of promise. If its new functions are as out lined in an article on page 11 about the rehabilitation of New Guinea it is likely to be of considerable assist ance in the rehabilitation of the Ter ritories and the encouragement of the private enterprise and industry which previously contributed much to the pro gress of both Territories.

“Blue” Allan’S Career

rE appearance of “Blue” Allan in this job is unexpected, but it adds an other step to what has been a re markable career; and his many Territory friends will wish him every success.

Mr. Allan spent three years with the 17th Battalion of the AIF in France in World War I, and emerged with a captaincy, a well-earned Military Cross and MID. Between wars, he was a well known figure in New Guinea —latterly, a successful goldminer at Wau. In 1939, he passed the mine over to others, don ned the old uniform, presented himself in Sydney—and was informed that “old blokes” were not wanted in this World War 11. All “Blue’s” tenacity and selling power were needed before he was taken on the strength—but he sailed away with the first AlF—and, by a remarkable coincidence, he was again in the 17th Battalion, in charge of “A” Company.

He was promoted major before he reached the Middle East; he was awarded the OBE for his work at Tobruk; he was at El Alamein; he returned with the 9th Division to Australia; and he went on to New Guinea with the rank of lieut.colonel. He had charge of various bases in 1944-45—Finschafen, Madang, Jac quinot Bay, Aitape and Wewak, in the course of which service he was promoted full colonel, and mentioned in des patches four times. He returned to New Guinea at the end of 1945 to take charge of the Pacific Islands Regiment; left that command four months later; and, at the end of April, he returned to Rabaul, to be discharged from the Army, and take his place on the PC Board. While in

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Sydney in April, he received his QBE at the hands of the Duke of Gloucester, Australia’s Governor-General.

Colonel Allan has been a tenacious fighter for the Returned Soldiers’ or ganisation; and, thanks to his represen tations, in Canberra in April, it appears likely that the Administration and the returning Territorians will in future have first call on all surplus equipment and stores in the Territories, through the Production Control Board.

A. J. Gaskin

Every Territorian who suffered the horrors of evacuation, and four years’ residence in the Australian jungle, will be happy to hear of the appointment of Mr. A. J. Gaskin.

A veteran of World War I. Mr. Gaskin went to New Guinea many years ago, and eventually settled down as a business man in Rabaul, where he became the owner and manager of one of the prin cipal hotels. He, like his fellow-member, Mr. McKenzie, was one of the civilians who were almost trapped there by the Japanese invasion; but who, by personal initiative and quick thinking and acting, was able to escape via the South Coast of New Britain.

Unfit for further military service, Mr.

Gaskin took a job in the External Ter ritories Department in Sydney and. thenceforth, devoted himself to the task of assisting, in every way possible, the thousands of unhappy Territories people who had left most of their property— and a large slice of their lives—behind in the Territories.

Every Territorian who was in Sydney

during those black years will remember, with gratitude, the services he rendered.

Nothing was too much trouble. Working in association with Mr. Harry Downing (a former District Officer), Mr. Gaskin personally interviewed hundreds of dis tracted people; and the two of them to gether worked early and late, until the end of the war, to make Territorians’ conditions better. Their last job (October-December, 1945) was the tragic one of compiling the list of civilians who were lost in Rabaul.

Like Colonel Allan, Mr. Gaskin has been a very active worker on behalf of the returned soldiers’ organisation.

£30,000 For "Research"

IN another official statement, on May 11. the Australian Minister, Mr.

Ward, said: • The Australian External Territories Denartment would make substantial con tributions towards the South Seas Regional Commission (see article on pages 7-8). ° The Australian School of Pacific Administration (the institution which has functioned successively at Duntroon Holdsworthy and George’s Heights, Sydney) would be moved to Canberra, where it was expected that Colonel J.

R. Kerr (formerly a Sydney barrister) would be nrincipal. The School would be available to the Governments of Britain and New Zealand.

About £30.000 would be spent during the commit year by the Australian Paci fic Territories Research Council in making investigations to further the develop

ment of Australian Territories, including New Guinea, Papua, Norfolk Island, and Nauru.

EDITORIAL NOTE: The “Australian Pacific Territories Research Council” was something new to the “PIM ” We tried to find out something about its consti tution, location, and purpose; but none of the officials we approached in Sydney knew anything about it. One bright lad suggested vaguely that “it may have something to do with the Army show run by young Conlon.” However, what ever it is, it seems to have been entrusted with the expenditure of £30.000 of Aus tralian taxpayers’ money.