Are “Stateless”
p. 37 · Read in the full issue
New Guinea Natives
THE Australian Government is study ing the national status of New Guinea (former Mandated Terri tory) natives. This area, as distinct from Papua, which belongs to Australia, has not been annexed and therefore its natives are stateless.
The same matter was brought up in respect of Western Samoans last year.
It does not matter very much to the New Guinea natives whether they are stateless or not, as none have, as yet, shown any desire to travel abroad under their own steam. With the Western Samoans it is a more serious matter al though presumably some means have been found of docketing them for inter national purposes.
Doctor Massal, Member for Health on the South Pacific Research Council, had a lucky escape in June. He had booked through from Noumea to Paris, and was to have been a passenger in the Air Prance plane which crashed in th*e Pursian Gulf area, with heavy loss of life. Fortunately for him, he was obliged to stop over in Sagon for a couple of days,, and did not go on with that ill fated plane.