Silence On The South Pacific Commission

Dr. Evatt Does Not Explain Why Colonel Kerr Has Gone to UNO

A REMARKABLE silence has fallen upon the subject of the South Pac ific Regional Commission.

Representatives of the six countries (Britain, United States, Australia. New Zealand, Prance and Holland), at the in vitation of Australia, assembled in Can berra in January last, and formed the Commission. This had been the pet plan of Dr. Evatt, Australian “Foreign Min ister”—he advanced it first when Aus tralia and New Zealand made their Pact in relation to Pacific affairs, about 1944.

The main object of the Commission is the study of all matters affecting the South Pacific Islands in common, and

the co-ordination of the administration policies of the six countries named —all of which have territorial responsibilities in the South Pacific.

The plan was accented, the Commission was formed, and Dr. Evatt was applauded.

There was some liveliness when Aus tralia tried to induce the other countries to agree that the headquarters of the Commission should be Sydney, or alterna tively, Port Moresby. But there are many important Territories outside the Aus tralian sphere; and non-Australian countries were determined that the Aus tralian tail should not wag the whole Pacific dog.

It was finally agreed that Sydney should be the headquarters for six months; and that the Commission should assemble in Sydney in June or July, 1947, and select a location of the Commission, and take various other decisions needed to make the Commission function. The delegates disoersed, and soon afterwards Colonel John Kerr, principal of the School of Tropical Administration, Syd ney, was appointed Organising Secretary, pro tern.

Since then, there has not been one word from Dr. Evatt or anyone else con cerning the Commission. The Commis sion did not assemble in Sydney, in July, as was arranged in January.

Dr. Evatt, of course, is the directing force of this new organisation; and he has been exceedingly busy with world affairs.

Early in September, an ANA Trans pacific plane was diverted from ordinary traffic and, on orders from Canberra, was held at the disposal of Dr. Evatt, who was headed for a United Nations session in New York. Ordinarily, this plane carries 36 passengers. Australian tax payers sadly watched it take off with Dr. Evatt, Mrs. Evatt, the usual bunch of officials —about 10 altogether.

Included in Dr. Evatt’s party was Colonel John Kerr, organising secretary of the South Pacific Commission. News paper reporters wanted to know what this meant—was the Commission plan to be dealt with in some way by UNO? But the Australian “Foreign Minister” had nothing to say.

Although Australians are paying for it all —Australia is footing most of the South Pacific Commission bill—Aus tralians are not permitted to know more than what their ponderous trade-union dictators think is good for them.

Mr. C. Saunders, general manager of Australian Petroleum Co. Pty., Ltd., has accepted the position of London manager of the newly-formed Middle East Pipe line Co. He left Melbourne in mid- Aug ust. His nlace, in Australia, will be taken by Mr. L* A. Pye, of Anglo-Iraman Oil Co., Ltd., who is expected to arrive in Australia early next year.

Owing to the stranding of the steamer “Reynella” off Eastern Papua, passengers were transferred to MV “Merkur ’ and arrived in Sydney on September 6. They included; Mrs. F. M. Gilmore (and child), Mr and Mrs. A. J. Long, Miss O. Welch man, Miss M. C. Crampton, Major L. J.

Kvngdon, Messrs. M. Fyfe, R. J. o.

Schmidt, S. E. Goudie, N. W. Brain, W D.

Goodsir R. G. Bowmaker, A. Steele, E J M. Dermott, J. W. Welch H A.

Honebin, J. Dickie, A. H. Mitchell, Chow Kin, See Too May King, _Ho Sang Lai Wah, Lai Ming, Lai Kui, Quan Kong, Ouan toor, Kwan How Yuan, Sa Kai Young. Un Kit, Pi Suen, Pi Ling.