Governments Plans In New Guinea

Basis of Copra Price-Kokopo to be Built—The Rice Market Explained

THE Department of External Terri tories, Canberra, has compiled the following defence and explana tion of its policy in connection with the Administration of Papua-New Guinea, and sent it to the Planters' and Traders' Association, Rabaul.

The Association has sent the memorandum to the “Pacific Islands Monthly ” with a request that it be published, for general information. It is published accordingly, without alteration or annotation.

Copra Prices

The price in Australia, which was £36/10/0 in April, 1947, was increased to £4l/15/0 in May, 1947, and, following a further review, the maximum price has now been increased to £5l/5/0 per ton.

The allocation of the amount of £5l/5/0 paid is shown hereunder: —

In order to assist planters during the rehabilitation period, when facilities for making the higher grades of copra may not be available, it has been possible to maintain only a small differential in the price for smoke-dried copra; but it may be necessary in the near future to re view this arrangement.

Reserve And Stabilisation Fund

The following information is furnished in regard to the above fund:— The balance of the fund, as at June 30, 1947, was £37,512/12/9.

The amount other than direct levy paid to the fund is £35,240/10/3.

The levy of £l/0/0 per ton commenced on December 1, 1946; was in creased to £2/12/0 from May 1, 1947; and further increased to £6/17/6 per ton, from August 1, 1947.

Copra Control Board

Following the collection of the war damage claim of the former Copra Con trol Board (or Pool), notice of a final dividend was distributed. The finalisa tion of the accounts is complicated by variations in the records, incomplete ac counts and other factors. Where the claims of planters vary from the records, careful examination and enquiry is neces sary before a decision is taken for the finalisation of accounts. Further, in many cases planters lost their lives following the Japanese invasion, and the establish ment of personal legal representatives is often necessary before payments may be completed. Despite these difficulties, the greater part pf the claims have been finalised and, in other cases, action is in course towards completion.

Building Materials

You mentioned that supplies of essential building materials have been inadequate for Territory needs. Unfortunately, this

condition is not peculiar to Papua-New Guinea, and the Department is continu ally watching the position to ensure that the Territory obtains its share of the materials that are in short supply.

Native Labour

The Government policy in this matter was decided only after very full considera tion of every aspect, including the obli

gations undertaken by the Commonwealth in regard to its dependent territories.

The Minister is very pleased to have your assurance of the planters’ interest in the welfare of the natives, and to know that practical stens are being taken by private employers to assist in furthering the edu cation and welfare of labourers employed at plantations. I understand that the Administrator has been in touch with you and with other members of the Asso ciation on the question of recruiting and labour matters generally.

Future Administration

The form which the permanent ad ministrative set-up for Papua and New

sdsd £ s d Handling 1 0 0 Administration sds 13 4 Freight to Australia .. .. 1 19 5 Marine Insurance sds 8 2 Shrinkage 1 11 3 Australian Handling .. .. sds 7 2 Brokerage of Selling Commission sds 2 7 Contingencies sds 8 1 A/c Customs Duty 2 7 6 Reserve and Stabilisation Fund 6 17 6 Planter — price ex ships’ slings, Territory Concentration Port 35 10 0

sds

51 5 0

Guinea should take has not yet been de termined. but you may be assured that full examination of all aspects will be made before a final decision is taken.

In this connection the views of your Association have been noted.

Fishing

In its approach to the question of authorising the dynamiting of fish, the Administration’s attiude has been in fluenced by consideration of the danger ous nature of the practice and its general effect on fishing grounds both native and other. The Administrator explained this in his recent letter to you.

Livestock

The Government and the Administra tion are fully alive to the need for re placing livestock destroyed during the war, and for the building up of herds in the Territory and action in this direc tion has been commenced with the im portation of selected stud stock. As the position in regard to shipping and materials improves larger scale opera tions will be possible.

A special Division of the Department of Agriculture, Stock and Fisheries has been established to handle this activity.

Kokopo

It is intended to push ahead with the establishment of Kokopo as the adminis trative centre of New Britain. Surveyors, town planning experts, engineers, etc., have already inspected the site and plans are being drawn up in collaboration with the Commonwealth Department of Works and Housing.

The Navy recently completed a hydro graphic survey, which was undertaken to provide information for the siting of a wharf at Kokopo.

In. the meantime, wharfage facilities will be maintained at Rabaul.

Shipping

Additional vessels and staff for the Coastal and Inter-Island Shipping Ser vice are steadily becoming available and within a reasonable period, it is expected that the Territory will be adequately served in all areas.

Your representations regarding the sea carriage of motor trucks have been brought to the notice of the Shipping authorities in the Territory, and every effort will be made by them to meet this and any similar request your members place before them.

The 25-tons limit on privately-owned vessels is based on a survey of the ton nages of vessels registered in the terri tories of Papua and New Guinea pre war. The figure is not inflexible and up ward variations have been approved in individual cases where the circumstances have been shown to warrant an increase.

Rice

The price of rice has been the subject of considerable enquiry since the restora tion of Civil Administration to Papua- New Guinea. It appears that rice sup plied to the Territory prior to the war came mainly from Rangoon and was cheaper than the Australian product, the comparative price being about £B, as against £24 per ton. These cheaper rices are no longer available and I am in formed that, even when conditions be come normal, they are unlikely to re turn to their pre-war price.

The price of rice to the Department of External Territories, and merchants handling allocations of rice in Papua-New Guinea, has now been fixed by the Com monwealth Prices Commissioner at £35/12/0 f.o.b. Sydney. There is no ex port levy or trade equalisation contribu tion, and freight, handling charges, duty, etc., incurred after the rice leaves the millers’ possession are the factors which bring the cost up to the higher figure payable in the Territory. Australian authorities in close contact with the sub ject state that the price of local rice, as

compared with world parities, is cheap, and supplies from other sources would be nearly double those charged for the Australian product.

The work of reconstruction and re habilitation .in the Territory, notwith standing tremendous difficulties, has achieved considerable success. The Government and the Administration, for their part, have had to attack a many sided problem and efforts have been dir ected towards assisting all inhabitants of the Territory consistent with the inter national obligations that Australia has accepted in respect of her dependent peoples.