Achievements

Pmg Men’S Notable

In Papua N. Guinea

Letter to the Editor AN article appeared in your July issue under the heading, “Invaluable Equipment Lost in New Guinea.” It was a report of statements made in the Federal Parliament.

This article, whilst containing some vestige of truth, is nevertheless a gross mis-statement of the true position.

The supposed Labour Senator has been very much misinformed, or else his in formant has some personal axe to grind.

The whole article, can and no doubt will, be shot full of holes. I, myself, will endeavour to refute any suggestion of incompetence or inefficiency on behalf of the Postal and Telephone staff, and leave other points to more competent critics.

The Civil Administration took over Postal and Telephone services late in 1945, and out of chaos a small band of technicians and Post officials did a man size job in getting the service going at all. The technicians in the main were fully trained PMG personnel, with many years’ experience in Australia, and the equipment they used was, as stated, sal vaged from the bush, or where left by the Army, and without exception was in a deplorable condition.

The telephone services have been main tained and improved, despite the fact that very little if any assistance has come from Australia in the form of men or material. For four years we have been unable to procure any telephone material whatsoever; and the wages paid to tech nical personnel are not sufficient to at

tract anyone from Australia, other than those of high ideals who place country first. Amongst these are men from Bal larat, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Brisbane. Some have returned to Aus tralia owing to frustration: but some still remain, and I can assure you these re maining men rank high in the estimation of the PMG’s Department. Australia.

In Port Moresby there are a PMG en gineer, three PMG technicians, one PMG line inspector, and several PMG lines men; and many other PMG men are dis tributed throughout the Territory, doing a really miraculous job.

If the Senator would direct his energies into obtaining for us some supplies and help, I am sure he would be doing his country a better service than that which will result from such an article, riddled with so many untruths, and completely at variance with facts.

A Training School was established for the training of natives in telephone tech nical work; but, unfortunately, this School was established bv men un acquainted with the native mind and habits, with the result that, despite the

most strenuous efforts of men who fol lowed on, the training scheme is just a shadow of what it set out to be. The scheme is most laudable—and I am sure will ultimately reach fruition, but only through a combination of technical ability with anthropological or local knowledge.

In conclusion, let me once again state that if the Senator could give us material, we, even though 80 per cent, understaffed could, and would, stifle all criticism I am, etc.,

Pmg Technician.

Pt. Moresby, 8/9/49.

Mr. D. McMillan, of Overseas Tele communications, returned to Rabaul, New Guinea, in August, to resume duties as Officer-in-Charge of that station.

During his leave in Australia he under went an operation on his eyes.

Noumea has a new suburban cinema.

It is the Cine Tropic, opened by M.

Auguste Mercier in the Valle des Colons, the suburb leading to Magenta airfield.