Territories Cost Australia £282,000 For
pp. 18-19 · Read in the full issue
Part Of Year
Questions in the Australian Parliament
From Our Own Correspondent
Canberra, July 23.
THE Administration of Papua and New Guinea, cost £282,205 during the year ended June 30, 1946.
Mr. Ward gave this figure in the House on July 23; and continued; “Separate ac counts are not being kept for the Terri tory of Papua.
“Of the cost of the combined Admini stration (£282,205), £208,509 was for gen eral administration expenses, £43,674 for development of native welfare, and £30,022 for shipping.
Editorial Note: And £282,205 Does
not tell half the story. Between July 1, 1945 and June 30, 1946, an average of more than half the Territories was under military rule, and government was paid for by the Australian Army Department.
The Army cost is not included in the £282,000. Colonel Murray did not estab lish his civil administration until near the end of 1945. If present conditions con tinue, the cost of the Papua-New Guinea
administration, from July 1, 1946, to Junes 30, 1947, is likely to give the Australian taxpayer an apoplectic fit.
A SIMPLE question was asked of thes Minister (Mr. Ward) by Mr. Harri son: “What are the proposals fon rehabilitating white settlers in New/ Guinea and Papua?”
This was Mr. Ward’s reply: “Thes general policy of the Government in re lation to the Territories of New Guineas and Papua was announced when th© Papua-New Guinea Provisional Admini stration Act, 1945, was introduced int© this House in July, 1945. Since then, de cisions taken on various subjects have been announced and other announce ments will be made from time to time as, decisions are taken.”
Now, no doubt, Mr. Harrison, as welll as former residents, feel that they are well informed!
MR. WARD said in the House that no scheme has been evolved regard-J ing adjustment of the contracts be-; tween the Custodian of Expropriateo Property and New Guinea planters in re-; spect of the properties bought by thej planters after World War I. and before the introduction of the Government’:' present post-war policy.
Mr. Harrison asked Mr. Ward: “Will you consider the retrospective elimina-j tion of interest from the payment call culations, so that all amounts paid by the purchasers may be considered an capital payments; consider the further substantial writing-off of capital balances now nominally outstanding; and consider the opening of a branch of the mortgage department of the Commonwealth Banli of Australia to give financial accommoc dation to settlers?”
The Minister replied: “The Governr ment is prepared to give consideration td any proposals for assisting planter! generally but it is not prepared to regarr interest already paid as being in reduce tion of canital payments or to reduce thr amount of the purchase price tendered b;c the planters now owning the property The opening of a branch of the morti gage department of the Commonwealth Bank is under consideration.”
Huge Compensation For Natives*
Proposed
Canberra, July 27.
A TOTAL of £254,000 should be spen by the Australian Government ti combat dysentery among Nee Guinea mainland natives, according to “confidential” report by Mr. J. V. Barry KC, Lieut. Colonel lan Hogbin and Majoj J. L. Taylor.
They recommended that £254,000 shoulj be spent on dysentery eradication i three years, because the disease was in troduced by Allied troops, in 1943; thsi £90,000 be allocated immediately to figlf? dysentery in the Mt. Hagen and Benai bena areas: while an additional £20,00( would be needed for air freight, needeJ to reach the areas.
The committee declared that th natives of the central New Guinea plateau have not become acquainted with monei and would have no use for it. Them fore, compensation should deal with th© public health. Epidemics introduced If
the troops have taken a heavy toll, especially in the highlands.
New Guinea and Papuan natives will be compensated by the Commonwealth Government for their sufferings and losses during the war, in accordance with recommendations of the Barry commit tee. The compensation schedule Is: Deaths: Under 7 years, an amount not exceeding £5: between 7 and 15, £7 to £2O; 15 to 50, £2O to £6O; over 50, £4 to £lO.
Total incapacity: Under 7 years, a pen sion not exceeding 2/6 a month; 7 to 15, 3/- to 10/- a month: 15 to 50, 10/- to 30/-; over 50, 2/- to 5/- a month.
The lump sum payments will be de posited in Commonwealth Savings Bank accounts on the natives’ behalf, and with drawals will be allowed under special con ditions.
The moneys and equipment allotted to villages will be administered as far as possible by village councils.
The Federal Government has introduc ed this basic compensation before mak ing an agreement with the United Nations Organisation for the transfer of the man dated territories to the trusteeship coun cil.