Fog Over Trust Territories

UN Trusteeship Council Still in a Fog Over Trust Territories

AT a time when they could conceivably be better employed, certain members of the United Nations Trusteeship Council are still criticising the admini stration of New Guinea.

On the whole, they “approved” New Zealand’s administration of Western Samoa but made several suggestions in cluding : • Efforts be made to diminish the pre sent differentiation between Samoans and Europeans; • Intensification of measures for con trol of tuberculosis; • Introduction of elementary social legislation as soon as possible; • The taking of all measures necessary to ensure that Samoan women had ample opportunities to take part in the politi cal life of the territory.

DELEGATES from the Philippines, Iraq and China charged that the administrative union of Papua-New Guinea was contrary to the aim of pre paring Trust territories for self-govern ment. The Iraqui member said, further, that commercial exploitation of the ter ritory took precedence over everything and Australia was making too much of an excuse that war shortages prevented rapid recovery.

At Lake Success this time, to defend Australia’s policy, were Mr. S. Lonergan, Government Secretary, Papua-New Guinea, and Mr. R. A. Peachey.

The Chifley-Evatt Government was un

duly sensitive to similar criticism in re cent years. It is unlikely that the pre sent Liberal Government will lose any sleep about the opinion of gentlemen from China, Iraq or Philippines as to Australia’s fitness, or otherwise, to ad minister New Guinea. While in Oppo sition the present government took the view that “New Guinea was Australia’s business.” It would be interesting to know what the Iraq Government—or the Chinese Government— have to offer their people that makes life there so vastly superior to that lived by the “oppressed” natives of New Guinea.