Madang, Retires

Colonel Woodman, DO Madang, Retires

Prom a Madang Correspondent

Colonel Harold Woodman, Who

was District Officer at Madang during the early rehabilitation period has departed on leave, on the ex piry of which he will retire, after more than 20 years’ yeoman service—not only to the Administration, but also to the natives and white residents of the various districts to which he has been posted.

We shall miss Harold Woodman. Those of us who have been waging an uphill battle, to bring our places back into pro duction, appreciate the assistance we have received from this just and capable officer, particularly at a time when native labour has been almost unprocurable. He was noted for his firm and tactful hand ling of the local natives. He knew natives, and applied that knowledge in assisting rehabilitation, without in any way departing from the ethics of the native welfare policy. A word from him brought natives to work, in their own areas, in constructing bridges and roads, with result that the district’s general economic position was the best in the Territory. Plantation copra was being produced in the Madang district when production in other districts was at a standstill. In no other district have the natives reached a higher state of post war rehabilitation than in Madang.

We are fortunate in having as his suc cessor, Mr. Keith McCarthy, a man well fitted in every way to carry on Mr. Wood man’s good work.

Mr. H. S. Roe, formerly Executive En gineer, Tanganyika, has been appointed Deputy Director of Public Works in Fiji.