Progress Report by Minister

Development Of Australian

Territories

FOLLOWING his announcement in June of policy covering the Terri tories of Papua and New Guinea, the Australian Minister for External Territories. Mr. Spender, late in July, re viewed administrative activities in the Territories, up to date.

The Minister said that Australia must hold those Territories, and she can only justify her hold by developing their re sources as rapidly as possible. He made the following comments:—

Treatment Of Natives

With the recent promulgation of Native Village Councils Regulations, the native peoples will for the first time have an opportunity for a measure of self

government.

The Regulations provide machinery for the functioning of Native Village Coun cils which will be charged with the main tenance of peace, order and good govern ment among the natives of the areas in which they are set up. Each Council is empowered to collect fees and taxes to be paid into a village treasury fund which is available for expenditure for the well being of the local people.

The native labour indenture system is to be abolished by the end of the present year and will be replaced by a system of written agreements to be known as “Native Employees’ Agreements” under which the native may be employed up to a maximum of two years. The Agreement will be entirely a civil contract and the native will not, as he was under the in denture system, be liable to penal sanc tions for failure to carry out his contract.

In order to work out the details of the scheme for the use of the “Native Em ployees’ Agreements” a conference met in July in Port Moresby, representative of the Administration and the employers.

The revised scheme in relation to the payment of War Damage (under which the native is not to be paid in cash directly, but the assessed compensation is to be paid into a bank account upon which the native may operate with the authority of the District Officer) is in operation. It will ensure that the. compensation is not frittered away.

£7,000,000 For Health

An expanded health service with base and other hospitals and ancilliary estab lishments is needed and proposals were made to the Government which involved an estimated expenditure of £7,000,000, to provide the buildings for those establish ments.

In order that the Government might have the best technical advice, a com mittee comprising Dr. J. T. Gunther (Director of Public Health in the Terri tory), Dr. W. Kirkland (of the School of Tropical Medicine) and Dr. E. T. Bren nan (a former Director of Public Health in New Guinea) was appointed to review requirements, and is expected to com plete its investigation in August. The Public Health services have been aug mented by the appointment of 38 medical officers from the New Australians.

Economic Development

Consultations are in progress with the Commonwealth Bank, seeking extension of bank and credit facilities to private enterprise. “It is pleasing to note that since this Government announced its in tention to foster private enterprise for the development of the Territory, in quiries already have been received

regarding the possibility of extensive production of cocoa, manila hemp, jute and mangrove bark in the Territory.”

Uniform customs tariffs for Papua and New Guinea were brought into operation on July 1, 1950, with the object of re lieving basic costs of living and general industrial costs and to encourage further development. Previously, the separate tariffs differed materially. The new tariffs provide for duty-free treatment for necessary food and clothing items.

This reframing of the tariffs is designed to reduce cost of living and stimulate economic activity.

Control Op Copra Industry

Responsibility for marketing copra will be transferred from the Australian New Guinea Production Control Board to private enterprise. Until that transfer is completed producers will be given repre sentation on the Board by the appoint ment of Mr. T. Nevitt (Port Moresby) and Mr. D. Barrett (Rabaul).

Companies and individuals who were formerly interested in the marketing of copra, or who might now be interested, have been approached in the matter of the transfer. The sale of copra from the Territory is covered by a nine years’ con tract with the United Kingdom Ministry of Food and for that reason certain con ditions must be complied with by any person engaged in the export of copra from the Territory. The acceptance of these necessary conditions is still being considered by them.

“Other aspects of the copra industry in

the Territory require to be adjusted. Thoj are the question of the price paid by Ausi tralia for copra from Papua and Ne’e Guinea, and the details of the Stabilise; tion scheme for the industry in thl Territory. Since 1946, a levy'has bees imposed upon the copra exported from thri Territory, and the amount of accumulates funds is at present £830,000.

“The industry is being asked tf nominate representatives for committee; which are to advise the Government iii regard to these two important

Reluctant Shipowners

Since the war, the Government has. established and operated the coastal anc inter-island services; but it is the desirx of the Government that these service should be controlled by private enteir prise.

“Extensive inquiries have been madb both in Australia and overseas to ascen tain the extent to which private shipping organisations would be interested iii taking over these services. This action, except in one case, has not produced i practicable proposition. The matter isi however, being further pursued.

“Coastal shipping has already benefited as the result of the lifting by the Govv ernment of restrictions previously operatf ing on private enterprise.”

Land Settlement

Land in the Territory belongs to thri native inhabitants and development b;d non-native interests will be dependenn upon the extent to which land can bd made available without detriment to thr natives’ welfare. “It has been determineoe that the present procedure for obtainr ing land will be overhauled and for thiij purpose a committee has been appointee in the Territory and is examining thr matter.”

One cause of considerable delays anw difficulties is the absence of surveyors td carry out the very extensive survey worL required. Efforts to secure surveyors iii Australia have not been successful. It ii now hoped that it may be possible to obc tain suitable qualified surveyors from tlur ranks of the New Australians, to be ape pointed to carry out survey work in tlur Territory.

Fisheries

Although the Territories’ fisheries reo sources are believed to be of great im-r. portance, it is only recently that any ac-o tion has been taken towards developments The MV Fairwind, a vessel special!:! equipped for the purpose, the tragic los;a of which occurred only recently, haoi completed an extensive fisheries survey of Territory waters under the direction of CS&IRO, whose report on prospecU: is now under consideration.

An investigation by a specialist on fisltc farming emphasised the possibilities oo the industry as an important means oo improving the diet of the native people..;

New Public Works

Port Moresby, as capital of the twtv Territories, is planned to be much larger than the former Port Moresby. Owingr to the nature of the area, this developq ment has presented a number of engine eering and other difficulties. These am being overcome and the plan for the towirv is now before the residents, for any sug§ gestions they may wish to make.

Plans for other major township areaus are in course of development.

All wharves require re-buildingi Wharves at Lae, Samarai, and are either in course of construction oo the subject of accepted tenders.

Timber

Increased technical staff is beinjn sought by the Department of Forests. A policy of enabling timber to be won fo:o Territory purposes is being given effecD; to. The valuable pine stand in th{ri Bulolo Valley is to be dealt with soon.

him Mr. McKenna has now been trans ferred to the Government Secretary’s De

partment.)

ANEW company, J. Wyatt, Ltd., has been formed in Moresby. It aims to expand the Hunter Street business for merly carried on with Mrs. J. Wyatt as sole proprietor. The company has a nominal capital of £20,000. Directors are Mr. W. E. Wyatt, Mrs. J. Wyatt, Mr. W. r Frame and Mr, J. Adler. Mr. Adler is manager of the Hunter Street store.

A NATIVE, Ipai-Ako, of Kikori, was sentenced to eight years hard labour in the Supreme Court at Moresby for indecently assaulting a European woman. The offence occurred in Moresby on June 27. Mr. Justice Gore heard the case.

MORESBY’S long-awaited power Im provement arrived on July 17 when, after 11 months idleness, the main engine again took its share of the load. There will still be small power cuts while other engines are being over hauled.

THIRTY-FOUR children have now been enrolled for Wau High School in 1951. Construction of the school has not yet begun. Designs of school uniforms and samples of school colours have been sent to parents.

Miss Bettina Wright And Mr.

Oliver de Coulon were married at St. Johns Church of England, Port Moresby, recently. Miss Olive Featherstone was bridesmaid, and the bride’s brother, Mr. Bill Wright, was best man.

Miss Betty Henderson, of APC, Moresby, has returned to Sydney.

A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs.

Ross Treadgold at Moresby recently.

Miss Pat Anderson and Mr. Bill Floren-

tine, both of the Treasury Department, were married in Moresby recently.

On July 27, Sister Jean Pringle, of the European Hospital, married Assistant Sub-Inspector Jim Dutton in the Ela Protestant Church, Moresby. Sister Pat Lumley and Sister Brenda Allen were bridesmaids. The honeymoon is being spent on a round trip to Rabaul on the Bulolo.

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Jefford, of Mores by, returned from leave on the last Bulolo.

Mr. Jack Pettifer, of Post and Tele graphs, returned from leave recently, He married while on leave, and his wife will come up later.

A son, Stephen Andrew, has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Nigel Moon, of Moresby.