Visit Territories

Mr. E. J. Ward To

THE Australian Minister for External Territories, Mr. Ward, and the Min ister for the Army, Mr. Chambers, accompanied by technical advisers, pro pose to visit the New Guinea mainland centres, and New Britain, when the pre sent session of Parliament ends —probably July.

Mr, Ward says he will look into the arrangements being made for the per manent joint administration of Papua and New Guinea, meet residents with grievances, and report to the Govern ment on the development of his new native policy and his plans for greater production.

Mr. Chambers will look over the Jap anese prison establishments in Rabaul and Port Moresby, and examine defence arrangements generally.

Mr. Ward was to have visited the Ter ritories in January at the Prime Min ister’s request, but the “Timber Leases” case kept him in Australia.