Who Controls

Shipping

In Territories?

A CORRESPONDENT points out that, in its forthright denunciation of the shipping services in Papua-New Guinea (January issue) the PIM is not quite accurate in allotting the blame.

The Australian Directorate of Shipping is officially responsible for the conditions in the Territories. The Director of Ship ping in Port Moresby exercises control over the shipping there; he is responsible to the Minister for External Territories; and the latter, in turn, passes responsi bilitv to the Australian body.

The first Director of Shipping in Papua-New Guinea was Mr. Jack Thurs ton; but he resigned the job in order to attend to his own affairs. He was suc ceeded by Captain Hayen; and, when he retired, he was succeeded by his Deputy, Mr. Leighton. It is stated that these men gave of their best, and Territories residents are indebted to them for the way in which they kept the services going, under severe post-war difficulties.

EDITORIAL NOTE: The PIM learns with surprise of the extraordinary dele gation of authority. Most people imagine that the Territories Director of Shipping is responsible only to the Territories Minister—few can see the hand of the Australian Directorate in the unfortunate set-up. And Mr. Leighton was a former political associate of Territories Minister Ward; and he did irritate a lot of people by assisting Labour Party propaganda in Port Moresby while he occupied a high public service position.

The control of the Australian Director ate of Shipping over the Burns Philp and other overseas ships running to New Guinea ceased early in 1948, and it was generally supposed that that was the end of the Australian shipping control. What does the Australian Directorate of Ship ping do, anyway?