In Sight

Papua N. Guinea

Many Changes Are In Sight

Prom a Special Correspondent ALL reports indicate that the April visit of the Australian Minister for External Territories to Papua and New Guinea was of a character never before experienced in those Islands.

He went through Australia’s Pacific Territories like a strong, cold, blustering wind. He blew the dust out of offices, wrenched apart the most sacred files, and upset the equilibrium of many gentlemen who never before had any doubt about the soundness of their stance. He has been called everything from “a first-class reforming Minister” to “an arrogant little Hitler.”

Whatever he is, Mr. Spender’s visit, after years of the frustrating and paralysing Wardist policy, has done immeasurable good in the Territories.

Everyone now, from the highest official to the humblest toiler, is more or less on his toes. Much has happened already— and much will happen soon. I shall try to summarise, indicating what are official announcements, and what are not.

The government shipping monopoly has been wiped out. Privately owned vessels have been competing with Government ships for available business. The trans port position already has been greatly improved. The Government ships will be sold, as soon as a suitable buyer is found. (Official.) ♦ * * The forest reserves of Papua and New Guinea are to be opened to development by private enterprise, under reasonable safeguards. A plan is now being prepared by Forestry officials. The position in re lation to the development of timber resources by Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd. is being investigated. There will be a Ministerial announcement shortly. (Official.) * * * The native-labour one year indenture will be wiped out, in favour of a labour contract system. The Department of Native Labour will be abolished, and native labour will be controlled instead by a small branch of the Department of the Government Secretary. (Official.) ♦ * • It is believed that the new native labour contract will be for a period of 18 months, with two provisions. If the contract has proved unsatisfactory, the labourer can be dismissed, and the Government will bear the cost of repatriation. If it is satisfactory, it may be continued for a further period of six months. (Unofficial.) * * » Deputy Administrators, stationed at Port Moresby and Rabaul, will be ap pointed very soon. The authority and prestige of the District Officers will be increased. (Official.) ♦ ♦ ♦ It is not believed that the position of the Administrator (Colonel J. K. Murray) is affected. He was appointed by the Labour Government for ten years, and only four years of that term have gone.

It may be significant that his name was mentioned two or three times as an “ideal” representative for Australia, when the representation of Australia on the South Pacific Commission was under un official discussion in Fiji recently. It is argued that the S.P. Commission is Aust ralia’s “baby”, and that it will die if Australia is not more vigorously rep resented in the future. (Unofficial.) * • * Names freely mentioned in connection with forthcoming major appointments to the Papua-New Guinea and SP Com

mission services include Mr. D. M. Cleland (formerly head of the Production Control Board, and now a high official of the Australian Liberal Party), Mr. J. H.

Jones (formerly a Colonel in ANGAU, and head of District Services, and now head of the Planning and Development Department), Mr. S. Lonergan (Govern ment Secretary in Papua-New Guinea), Mr. Leonard Murray (pre-war Adminis trator of Papua) and Mr. J. C. Archer (now of the External Territories Depart ment, who has held important posts in the Territories). (Unofficial.) ♦ * * Taxation —probably of incomes— will be imposed in Papua and New Guinea at an early date. It is held to be unfair that heavily-taxed Australia should have to spend some £4,000,000 per annum on Papua-New Guinea, while private enter prise in the Territories is enjoying large incomes, despite all its troubles. (Official.) * * * Education policy in the Territories has been under review, but no immediate changes are contemplated. The Minister, however, in response to Territories’ rep resentations, cancelled the plan under which the children of all races were to attend the one school in Rabaul. (Official.) * * * The future of the Production Control Board, the future method of implement ing the copra-purchase agreement as between Britain and the Australian Pacific Territories, and the best method of dealing with the Copra Stabilisation Fund, are now under close investigation but, as they present several difficulties, an ,official announcement regarding them may not be made for some little time. (Official.) k * * * The Rev. J. W. Burton has resigned his position as Australian Commissioner on the South Pacific Commission; and it is unlikely that Mr. J. R. Halligan (Sec retary of the Department of External Affairs) will also act in that capacity in the future, as he did in the past. There fore, two appointments to the Commission will be made by Australia in the early future. The senior Commlssionership has carried a salary of £2,000 per annum, and expenses. (Official.)

The Australian Government is deter mined that, as Australia is responsible for at least 30 per cent, of the cost of the South Pacific Commission, Australia shall in future be represented thereon by men with an intimate knowledge of Australia’s Territorial problems, and a sense of re'; sponsibility regarding the Commisr financial obligations. (Unofficial.) ’y