Some Aspects Of The Rehabilitation Of

Mr. ‘Eddie’ Ward

His Relationship With Mr. ‘Jock’ Garden

THE findings of the Australian Royal Commissioner who inquired into the bircumstances of the New Guinea Timber Lease scandal are published on another page.

They completely clear the Australian Minister for External Territories of the charges that he had some monetary or improper interest in the attempt made by the Jock Garden-Edward Farrell-Ray Parer-Harcourt Garden syndicate to ob tain a timber-lease concession for Han cock and Gore, the Queensland timber firm; and that he received some portion of the £50,000 paid to the syndicate by Hancock and Gore.

Mr. Justice Ligertwood is a front-rank jurist; and his findings may not be challenged in any respect. But there was certain ground that was not covered, by this inquiry, because it was not within the reference terms of the Royal Com mission.

None who followed the evidence will quarrel with the judge’s opinion that this was a bare-faced fraud worked upon Hancock and Gore, Ltd., by two crooks, Edward Farrell and Jock Garden.

Farrell’s record speaks for itself; he had been involved in various shady tran sactions, and he had been fluttering around the New Guinea goldfields for some time, before the war.

It was common report that Jock Gar den, during the time he was a high official of the National Service Depart ment, was involved in a “racket” under which men could get release from man power call-ups by paying a bribe to certain officials. (The editor of the “PIM,” since 1943, has held details of how a man avoided a call-up by making a payment of £lOO. of which Garden’s share was believed to be £25.) BUT few of those who know about the far-reaching crookedness and cor ruption that exist, as between venal bureaucracy and greedy commerce, will accept the judge’s apparent opinion that Hancock and Gore, in permitting them selves to be defrauded by Farrell and Garden, got just what they deserved. The suggestion is that Hancock and Gore were so eager to get those NG timber leases, and thus secure an advantage over all competitors, that they were ready to be come a party to a very improper “ar rangement” with Garden and his Minister: and, if they were prepared thus to tolerate corruption, they cannot com plain if the crooks robbed them.

There is another side to this, howevpr.

The Hancock and Gore people probably

knew that Farrell and Garden were crooks. But they also knew that Garden had been, for a very long time, a close and trusted political and Departmental associate of Mr. Ward. Garden was in volved in a racket in the National Service Department, and Ward was his Minister; and, although the racket was common knowledge, nothing ever was done about it.

They also knew that Garden still held some sort of mysterious position close to the Minister. Ward was no longer Minister in charge of National Service but now had charge of External Terri tories, with which there was no possible connection; but Garden still was so close to the Minister that he occupied the office next-door to Ward in the Common wealth Bank, although he was paid, ap parently, by the National Service Depart ment.

THERE is so much corruption in the relationships between commerce and some public instrumentalities that Hancock and Gore, Ltd.—a well-known, old-established private company—may be pardoned for believing that the only way in which they could get a lease of the valuable New Guinea timber area was to “work it” through Jock Garden, the Min ister’s offsider. Many, many Australian firms, who value their probity and good reputation, have done the same sort of thing. They speak of these matters with reluctance, and apparent shame; “but,” they say, “if we refuse to touch this dirt, we have competitors who have no such scruples, and we are left standing.”

It is an evil thing which has developed during the past 25 years of political de terioration—ever since political power has been given to men whose only quali fications for public life is their subser vience to party machines.

Not only did Hancock and Gore know of the Ward-Garden connection with the National Service Department; they also knew that the negotiations between the Garden-Farrell syndicate and themselves had been going on for a long time—the better part of three years—and it was surprising to them (as it was to many others) that the Minister knew nothing of them.

The nature of the discussions was so well known that, on page 23 of the “PIM” of October 1945, this paragraph ap peared:— “Th~ dithering: and uncertain attitude of the Department of External Territories, in relation to the forest resources of Papua and New Guinea, have caused a host of rumours, in

which Mr. Ward and his Department are accused of all kinds of bad practices, from Socialism to secret commissions. . . .

“One report says that the Government—or at least four minor Ministers, representing a little respected section of the Government—has been carrying on discussions with a ‘local syndicate,’ headed by a Wau dentist and a New Guinea aviator, and that the negotiations had gone a considerable distance.”

(Continued on Page 79)

That was not quite correct—but there was enough truth in it to make it clear to anyone that very interesting nego tiations were afoot. Many people spoke to us about it —but officialdom ignored it.

Mr. Ward is no drooling innocent. He is a man of outstanding intelligence and ability, with a shrewd and cynical know ledge of the ways of this wicked old world.

Those who know anything of Mr. Ward's character and history were astonished to learn that from 1945 until the end of 1947, he was ignorant of the fact that Hancock and Gore, Ltd., were in close contact with his trusted henchman, Garden, and ap parently confident of getting a conces sion.

We may accept the judge’s finding that Mr. Ward had no improper interest what ever in the Garden-Farrell-Hancock and Gore transactions. But that does not clear Mr. Ward of most reprehensible con duct in keeping the unscrupulous Mr.

Garden so close to him for so long a time, and in ignoring all the funny stories in circulation about Mr. Garden’s activities.

THE judge, and others of his status, may deplore the standard of com mercial morality disclosed in the at titude of Hancock and Gore in their negotiations with the Farrell-Garden set up. But what about the standard of commercial morality shown by Mr. Ward, in keeping his old political friend, Gar den, in a comfortable job, in a com fortable office, beside him in the Commonwealth offices, to carry out Mr.

Ward’s ideas and biddings, while being paid by the nation?

The relationship between Garden and Ward unquestionably led Hancock and Gore to believe that Ward at least knew about Garden’s discussions with Hancock and Gore; and, therefore, that relation ship should have been investigated by the Royal Commission. It was hot in cluded in the terms of reference. But the judge did have this to say: If J. S. Garden had been simply a liaison officer between the Ministry of Labour and National Service and the Unions, he would, no doubt, have been given accommodation at the A.P.A. building. The Department of Labour and National Service had been removed there. But apparently his duties were such that he was useful to the Federal members as well.

He was allowed to remain on the eighth floor of the Commonwealth Bank Building and was assigned a room across the passage from the Minister’s suite.

This proximity of his office to Mr. Ward’s suite “had several effects which proved most unfortunate in relation to the Hancock and Gore transaction.”

Finally, Garden was left in his office without direct supervision by his Minister or the per manent head of his department.

Consequently, Farrell was able to visit him whenever he wished, and Garden’s room at the Commonwealth Bank Building was available for their secret conferences.

I set out these facts by way of narrative only.

They are necessary to a full understanding of how Farrell and Garden were able to work the fraud. I am not in a position to criticise them and I refrain from doing so.

To do justice in any such criticism would re quire a separate inquiry as to Garden’s work as a liaison officer and as to how far the exigencies of the military and industrial position required the retention of his services.

One can be pardoned, however, %or doubting the efficacy of Garden’s work as a liaison officer during the three and a half years in which he was engaged in this fraud.

THEN there is the curious case of Urquhart. Urquhart, at the begin ning of the war, was an inconspi cuous railway clerk and, apparently, a

close personal friend of Ward. When Ward became Minister for National Ser vice, and Garden a high official in that Department, Urquhart also became an official. It was shown that, during that period, really astonishing sums of money passed through the personal banking ac counts of Mr. Urquhart. Urquhart ex plained this by saying that he had be come a consistent racecourse punter— and he was able to produce evidence to show that he had been very busy on the racecourses during those years.

Later, when Ward moved on to another Department, Urquhart (on Ward’s strong recommendation) was appointed manag ing director of a Sydney commercial firm —and is still there.

Garden, in his defence, said that Ward’s share of the money paid to the Garden- Farrell syndicate was handed over to Urquhart. The Royal Commissioner re jected that story completely, and indi cated that in his opinion Garden was ly ing. But there were some things in this series of incidents that were not within the terms of reference, and were not ex amined or explained.

MR. WARD is back in the Department of External Territories, and has re sumed Ministerial control of the more or less demoralised Administration of Papua-New Guinea.

Papua and New Guinea have been without his services for two vears. He went abroad about the middle of 1947; and, when he returned, the Timber Lease scandal broke wide open. In any Gov ernment controlled by political decencies, Mr. Ward would then have been relieved of his portfolios, pending inquiry. But Mr. Ward clung to office until the end of 1948. He might as well have been out of office, because he was so busy with the Timber Lease scandal, in all its angles, during all 1948 and part of 1949, that he had little time or interest for the Aus tralian Pacific Territories; and condi tions there, in certain respects, went from bad to worse. The worsening of conditions is seen in— • The continued functioning of the Pro duction Control Board, although its de mise was officially announced many months ago. • Failure to give the Papua-New Guinea planters any information about the Stabilisation Fund—the amount of it. what is to be done with it, and why it is being continued. • The growing discontent in the Public Service, where men are expected to keep themselves and their families on salaries based more or less on Australian condi tions, although the cost of living in the Territories is much greater. (A Public Service deputation was recently in Can berra, trying to get some improvement in conditions. The relief which they now probably will get should have been given two years ago.) • A whole set of difficult conditions created by the failure of (a) the Wardist plan of controlling native labour; (b) the Wardist plan of keeping private enter prise out of public transport.

However, political developments in Aus tralia probably soon will remove this Socialist genius from the control of a region where Socialism can least be ex pected to work. But he will not be lost to public sight. His ability, and his con sistency as a hater of everything belong ing to the Right, makes it certain that he presently will emerge as the leader of the forces of the extreme Left. He is not a Communist—but God alone knows why

he isn’t.-

R.

The return flights are made from San Francisco ivory Thursday, via Honolulu. Canton Island, 4adi and Tontouta; and from Seattle every Monday, via Portland, Honolulu. Canton Island, ladi and Tontouta. Every second Wednesday lipper leaves Honolulu for Sydney, via Canton si and. Nadi and Tontouta (flight 805 from Jan Francisco Tuesday offers connection at lonolulu).

Planes leave Auckland every Wednesday, and y via Nadi, Canton Island and Honolulu to an Francisco. They leave Seattle for Auckland very Sunday and Friday by the same* route, ares, in Australian currency, are:—

(Time-tables and fares subject to alteration ithout notice.) To convert to FIJI currency, reduce above gures by about 10 per cent.

Free baggage allowance is 30 kilos per person, xcess baggage at 1 per cent, of single fare for ich kilogram of excess.

Trans-Tasman Service

Sydney—Auckland

GASMAN Empire Airways, Ltd., operate a L flying-boat service between Rose Bay dney. and Mechanics Bay, Auckland. Large 'ing-boats, capable of carrying 30 passengers, e employed. The trip is comfortable, and kes approximately 8 hours, rhe flying-boats Leave both Sydney (6 a.m.) id Auckland (8 a.m.) every morning, including inday —seven flights each way per week. Fares: p®*** ( «i 8 NZ curf ency) single; £63 (A) ,50/8/- NZ currency) return, fn addition, this flying-boat service is, at pre nt. supplemented by a Skymaster service, tails of which are available on application to S.A.L. offices in Australia and New Zealand, Bookings may be made at Tasman Empire •ways in Auckland and at Qantas Empire Air ys. Carrington Street. Sydney

Sydney—Queensland—

New Guinea

QANTAS Empire Airways, Ltd., employing DC3 planes, operate a regular service between Sydney, Port Moresby, Lae, Finschhafen.

Madang, and Rabaul, and return, via Brisbane Rockhampton. Townsville and Cairns.

This service is now known as the “Bird of Paradise” Service. DC3 aircraft, carrying 19 passengers, are useo.

Planes leave Sydney on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 9 a.m.,’ and arrive at Lae at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wed nesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

The plane which leaves Sydney on Wednesday and arrives at Lae on Thursday then goes on to Rabaul. It returns on Friday. The plane, which arrives at Lae on Tuesdays, then goes on to Madang, returning to Lae the same day.

The plane, which arrives at Lae at 1 p.m. on Saturdays, flies on to Bulolo and Wau on Satur day afternoons, and returns to Lae.

Planes leave Lae at 5.45 a.m. on Wednesdays.

Thursdays, Saturdays. Sundays and Mon days, and arrive in Sydney at 10.15 p.m., accom plishing the Lae-Sydney run in a day.

The return plane from Rabaul leaves at 1.30 p.m. on Fridays, Bookings may be made at Qantas offices ar any of the towns named. At present, berths are available only to passengers holding official per mits to visit Papua or New Guinea.

Qantas Subsidiary Services In

Papua-New Guinea-Solomons

Qantas Empire Airways run the following sub sidiary services in Papua, New Guinea, and British Solomons:— A Douglas DC3 leaves Lae every alernate Wednesday, and flies to Rabaul, and Kavieng. and returns to Lae; but every fourth Wednes day the plane goes on from Kavieng to Manus, and returns via Kavieng to Rabaul (overnight) and returns to Lae on the Thursday morning.

Every alternate Monday, a Qantas Catalina flies from Port Moresby, westward to Daru, via

Yule Island, Kerema, Kikorl, Lake Kutubu and Lake Murray, remaining overnight at Kikori and returning to PM next morning.

Every alternate Wednesday, a Qantas Cata lina flies from Port Moresby, eastward to Samarai, via Abau and Milne Bay; and every second trip (that is, every fourth Wednesday) the plane remains overnight at Samarai, and on the following day (Thursday) flies out over the archipelagoes, calls at Esa’ala, Kiriwina, Woodlark and Deboyne Lagoon, and returns to PM, via Samarai, Milne Bay and Abau.

Every alternate Monday, a Qantas Catalina leaves Port Moresby for Rabaul, via Moewe Har

£ s. d. £ s. d ydney-Seattle ,. . 0 0 360 0 0 ydney-'Prisco . 200 0 0 360 0 0 ydney-PIJi 0 0 99 1 3 ydney-Honolulu . . 166 17 6 300 6 3 uckland-Seattle .. 184 1 3 331 5 0 uckland-Honolulu , . .. 150 18 9 271 11 3

uckland-Pljl .. ..

1 3 70 6 3 IJi-’Prlsco .. 0 0 260 18 9

bour, and Talasea (New Britain); next morning (Tuesday i it flies to Buka, Kieta and Bum (Bougainville) and returns to Rabaul; next morning (Wednesday) it flies to Talasea, Moewe Harbour and Jacquinot Bay, and returns to Rabaul; and next morning (Thursday) it re turns from Rabaul direct to Port Moresby.

Every alternate Monday a Qantas Douglas flies from Lae to Rabaul, and continues on to Honiara (British Solomon Islands), via Torokina and Munda; remains overnight at Honiara; and returns to Lae the following day (Tuesday), via Munda, Torokina and Rabaul.

Sydney-Noumea-Suva

THE following is the time-table of the Qantas flying-boat:— Sydney dep. 9 p.m. alt. Tues.

Noumea arr. 7 a.m. alt. Wed.

Noumea dep. 8 a.m. alt. Wed.

Suva arr. 3 p.m. alt. Wed.

Suva dep. 6 a.m. alt. Prid.

Noumea arr. 11 a.m. alt. Prid.

Noumea dep. 12 noon alt. Prid.

Sydney arr. 8 p.m. alt, Prid.

Intending passengers may book through Qantas offices in Australia. Burns, phllp (South Seas) Company, in Suva; and T. Johnston In Noumea.

Fares: To Noumea, £35 single; £63 return.

To Suva. £52/10/- single; £94/10/- return.

Noumea-Suva, £l7/10/- single; £3l/10/- re turn.

Sydney-Lord Howe ls.-

Norfolk Is.

QANTAS, Sydney, run a Catalina once weekly from Sydney to Lord Howe Island. Pare, single, £l2. Return, £2l/12/-.

Qantas run a land plane alt. Thursdays (re turning same day) from Sydney to Norfolk Island. Fare, £22 single; £39/12/- return. (For Norfolk Island, see also under NZ National Airways. For Lord Howe, see also under TOA.)

Noumea-Fiji-Tahiti

rRAPAS (a French company with headquarters in Noumea) ran an air service once a lonth from Noumea (New Caledonia), via Nadi Fiji) and Altutakl (Cook Islands) to Papeete Tahiti), and return.

The Trapas Co. also runs a service to New ebrides—see under Caledonia-New Hebrides.

TOA Services

rRANS Oceanic Airways run the following Pacific services:— SYDNEY-LORD HOWE IS.; A regular fort ightly service with large four-engine flying oats from Rose Bay. Pare: £ll single; £2l ?turn. Free baggage allowance 50 lb. Excess aggage and freight rate 6d. per lb.

SYDNEY-NEW HEBRIDES: A regular monthly srvice with large four-engine flying-boats from rdney, via Noumea (overnight stop), to Vila tid Espiritu Santo. Fare: Sydney-Vila, £45; pdney-Santo, £5O; Noumea-Vila. £l2/10/-, oumea-Santo, £lB/15/-. Freight: Sydney-Vila, - per lb.; Sydney-Santo, 2/3.

Sydney-Solomon Islands: A Regular

onthly service from Sydney, via New Cale mia and New Hebrides to Tulagi, Solomon lands. This service is frequently extended to ngatou, in the Russell Islands, and calls are metimes made at Vanikoro, in the Santa Cruz :oup. Pares: Sydney-Tulagi, £65. Free bag ige allowance, 60 lb.; excess baggage and eight, 3/- per lb.

New Caledonia—New

Hebrides—Tahiti

TRAPAS amphibian runs twice each week between New Caledonia and New Hebrides, ic days vary, but on the selected day the ines adhere to the following time-table:— Noumea—dep. 0630. Vila —arr. 1315 Vila—dep. 0945 Santo—arr. 1115 Santo—dep. 1145 Vila—arr. 0900 Vila—dep. 1400 Noumea—arr. 1630 ) TRAPAS plane runs monthly between umea and Tahiti.

Papua-NG Local

Services

MANDATED Airlines, Ltd., of Lae, New Guinea, and other private operators, run air ser vices between Lae and the New Guinea mainland centres of Wau, Bulolo, Madang, Wewak, Aitape, ivlt. Hagen. Flnschhafen. Moresby. Kokoda—in fact anywhere in Papua or New Guinea where there is an air-strip. These planes carry pas sengers, mails and cargo on regular schedules or charter flights. (Continued on Next Page)

Guinea Air Traders Ltd., of Lae, New Guinea, employ six aircraft on local services, and on charter work.

Under arrangement with the Administration, a Qantas plane, carrying Administration personnel and cargo, and mails, flies once each week from Lae to Rabaul, Kavieng anu Manus, and returns io Lae by the same route.