Again "Postponed"

Mr. E. J. Ward's Visit to Australian Territories

ABOUT six weeks ago, the Australian Minister for Territories (Mr. Ward) informed reporters that he, and the Army Minister (Mr. Chambers), would visit Papua and New Guinea as soon as possible after Parliament rose (this, it was presumed, would make the date early in July); and that while he (Mr. Ward) examined various matters connected with the plan to merge the two Territories, Mr. Chambers would inspect the places wherein Japanese prisoners are housed.

Early in July, Mr. Ward informed vari ous persons in the Territories that “there was no truth in the report”—he did not intend to visit the Territories at the present time.

The inference was that the “PIM” an nouncement, made in June, was published without authority. As a fact, the an nouncement was published in most of the Australian evening newspapers, in June, and apparently on the authority of Mr. Ward.

It is likely that two developments in duced the Minister to change his mind.

One is that there is now expected to be some UNO opposition to Mr. Ward’s cherished plan to merge the administra tion of Papua and New Guinea. The other is that Mr. Ward will be an im portant witness at the trial, very soon, of “Jock” and Harcourt Garden, Ray Parer and Farrell, on very serious charges connected with the “New Guinea timber case.”

It was announced, at the end of 1947, that Mr. Ward would visit the Terri tories in January to investigate condi tions there. When the Garden case came for trial, however, he could not leave Australia, but it was understood he would go as soon as possible.

It seems unlikely now that the Terriwill see their Minister this side of Michaelmas.