Editorial Note:

EVEN before the war there was no effort made by the Administrations of Papua or New Guinea to attract tourists. Such tourist industry as there was, was fostered by the shipping com panies.

During the war, Samarai (in Papua), and all the towns in New Guinea were totally destroyed. Since the war both Territories have been labouring under the Wardist regime when all things have been orientated towards making the (now) combined Territories a fit place for Fuzzy-wuzzy. All else has taken second place which under post-war conditions has meant no place at all. Township rebuilding has been further complicated by ambitious town-plans that have thrown private enterprise and private citizens into complete confusion. Add to this the facts that until a year ago there was a totally inadequate shipping service to Papua-New-Guinea; that Com munist-dominated Australian workers have refused to supply Australia with the building materials she needs; and that Australian Communistic wharf labourers, who fix Australia’s foreign policy, have refused to let Papua-New Guinea import its just quota of this material—then it is easily understood why, four years after the war, New Guinea towns are still collections of ex- Army hutments. Some of the hotels may be “dreadful.” But this is not the fault of the licencees who want to build decent establishments —(a) if the Administra tion can make up its mind where and how the new towns are to be built ac cording to The Plan: and (b) if they can get sufficient material from Australia.

The round-trippers could have ascer tained the state of the Territories before

they left Australia. However, the trip is still worth taking if only to see how a completely defranchised, socialistic state is run. The scenery is still good, in places; the Bulolo is a fine ship; plan tations have been cleaned up and are flourishing; missions are hard at work; individual Administration officials have performed miracles in getting their par ticular areas under some sort of organi sation; and above all, Territorians, with all their problems, would not change places with any Australian suburbanite.

Ideas of attracting American tourist dollars to New Guinea are best forgot ten. Other innocents once thought along similar lines. They now know better.

If, in the next five years, Papua-New Guinea can be made a really fit place for Territorians (white as well as brown) to live in that is all that can be ex pected.