The Back-Load Factor in New Guinea Transport

Editorial Note: The Back-Load Factor in New Guinea Transport

THE plan is very interesting, and it has some factors which must com mend it; but Australians in New Guinea probably would like some further information.

The effective development of the New Guinea timber industry does call for a big and powerful organisation; and Bulolo Gold Dredging, Ltd. —the efficiently managed Canadian company which con tributed so much to the successful estab lishment of the gold industry and of aerial transport in New Guinea—seems to be well equipped for this enterprise.

Ever since 1930, people have pointed out the waste in the fact that expensive transport, going in with supplies for the goldfield, comes out empty; and as long ago as 1933 it was urged that the great stands of timber around the Bulolo Valley would make admirable back-load ing—not the logs, perhaps, but something made from logs, like plywood, such as is now proposed. Nowadays, timber is so scarce and valuable that it might pay to send even the logs by plane out to the coast. Since the war, there has been a trafficable road in from the Markham to the Bulolo Valley, and timber would make a suitable and profitable back-load for the lorries which use it.

Something like this should have been arranged years ago. It probably was held up, first, by the Australian Government’s hatred of private enterprise and, secondly, by the Territories Minister’s deep in volvement in the Timber Lease inquiries.

There will be a wail —and a justifiable one—if the new plan.means only that the Canadian Co. (BGD) is going to develop the timber industry in order to send ply wood to Canada, and that there is to be no opportunity afforded Australian enter prise on the Bulolo timber, and no New Guinea timber for the hungry Australian market. If BGD is to supply the operating agency in the new set-up, it will be cer tain of efficiency, and of financial success. But, to get those things, it would be a tragedy if Australia, whose taxpayers now are finding millions of pounds per annum for New Guinea administration, gets none of New Guinea’s much-wanted timber.

It is typical of the professional poli tician who runs New Guinea that he should make this announcement on the eve of a general election, in which there

is at least a 50-50 chance that he will be ejected from office. It could quite easily have awaited the result of the poll on December 10. Presumably it is made now to be a sort of silver lining to the dark and dismal cloud that represents the wardist administrative record in New Guinea.

One cannot imagine that there is any bond of love between the BGD, Ltd., and Mr. Ward, to encourage a plan like this, But Mr. Ward, since all the Hancock and Gore excitement, is under a sort of obligation to see that the Government

somehow shares in the exploitation of the NG timber industry; and, if efficiency and profit therein are the chief con siderations, then the tie-up with BGD is probably the best thing in sight.