£5 Millions For Papua-N. Guinea

Australia Provides Nearly

What a Budget Analysis Disclosed

AN analysis of the Australian Budget figures for 1950-51 —especially the estimates of receipts and expenditure —show that Papua-New Guinea are benefitting hugely at the expense of the Australian taxpayer.

Before the war the administration of these Territories cost Australia very little:

they were virtually self-supporting.

Today, they are costing nearly B 5 000,000 that we know about, and a ?ood deal that is not disclosed.

Here are the 1950-51 estimates of ex penditure. with the 1949-50 expenditure ilso shown:

That gives a total of £4,500,000 for 3 apua-New Guinea in 1949-50, which is ncreased to £4,900,000 in 1950-51.

It is impossible to assess the cost of Vorks and Housing in Papua-New >uinea. The total cost of administering he Department in 1949-50 was £1,058,035, md this year £706,000 is provided for administrative.” Of this, Papua-New Guinea will cost £20.571 made up thus:

But there is nothing to show what Vorks and Housing are actually spending »n works and housing in Papua-New >uinea. It is cleverly hidden away— •ut it must run far into seven figures.

In 1949-50, Australia set aside £157,000 for “joint acquisition with NZ Govern ment from Christmas Island Phosphate Co. (Indian Ocean) of assets and lease-

S6.Tt2? , A , Sl3A

, h He i r qVS some interesting Items from the 1949-50 records of expenditure: bum South Pacific Commission, 1949-50 45,387 (£53,500 in 1950-51) New Guinea civilian war pensions and education benefits 25,965 (£27,900 in 1950-51)

1949 1950 Dept, of Ex. Terr.— £ £ Salaries 77,224 85,000 Gen. Exes 11,228 12,000 Papua—Int. on Loans 4,479 4,580 STG —Int. on Loans .. 1 817 1,850 3rant to P-NG Ad’m’n 4,183.121 4,578,000 Printing P-NG Laws . 1,250 6,000 Report on Ad’m’n .. . — 4,000 School of Pac. Ad’m’n 17,753 22,500 Shipping Services .. . 85,146 60,000 Payments on behalf of former Ad’m’n .. . 19,014 22 500 Restoration of plantations, lands & roads 31,242 35,000 Library service .. 1,000 1,000 lighthouses & Beacons 1,855 11,000 Vudit staff of 8, P-NG 6,407 7,148 Buildings and works for coastal and inter-island shipping 30 000 Purchase of new vessels 3,511 lighthouse services, new vessel 23,663 10,000 -.ighthouse services, buildings and works 1,125 3 000

£ Director 1,571 Assistant Director 1,230 Engineers, etc 12,190 Clerks, etc 3,773 Accountants 1,807