Preparing The Defences

GOCs Visit to New Guinea

From Our Own Correspondent LAE. June 1.

THE General Officer Commanding- Northern Division, Major-General V. C. Secombe, accompanied by Group Captain A. G. Carr, Officer Com manding North-Eastern Area. RAAF, who are visiting main centres in the Territory, arrived in Lae on May 29. The official party was accompanied by Lt.-Col. N. P.

Maddern, CO, PNGVR, and all were wel comed at the ’drome by a guard of honour of 60 native constabulary, under the com mand of Asst. Sub-Inspector F. Hoeter, who is also a member of the PNGVR. The GOC was met by Mr. H. R. Niall (Dis trict Officer) and Messrs. L. Ashton (president), J. V. Knight (treasurer), R.

Tann (secretary) and C. Hendrick, rep resenting the Lae Sub-Branch of the Re turned Servicemen’s League.

Later, at a meeting of the League, the GOC stated he was aware that there had been criticism of the policy adopted by the authorities, particularly as to the future of the PNGVR. He looked on this or ganisation as the field for potential officers and NCO’s from whom would un doubtedly be drawn staff for the PIR, as well as liaison groups with mainland units. With this end in view every op portunity would be afforded men of the

Pngvr.

He agreed that it was essential that officers of their unit, and of the PIR, should be well versed in local conditions, and the handling of native troops, but he would insist that, as well, they should be trained soldiers.

The present plan for the training of the PIR provided for Headquarters at Port Moresby. The unit would comprise natives drawn from Papua, New Guinea, and New Britain, and the initial comple ment would be 200. After between 6 to 9 months’ training this group would be moved on to an outpost area, to be de termined after consultation with the Ad ministration, and a further group would commence training. This group would, in turn, move to the outpost area occupied by Group No. 1, which would take up duty in a new area.

This procedure would be continued by the training of fresh groups, and replace ment of earlier groups until the first group had completed 2 years in out-post areas, when it would return to Head quarters for a smartening-up course, and :hen be again posted to area duties. Dur ing the time that a group was absent from Headquarters, the native troops would be trained in all classes of iungle warfare, camp sanitation, etc.

Officers at present selected had ful filled the necessary requirements of the authorities in respect of military train ing, local knowledge, and handling of natives, and, in addition had been through a military school embracing the VTotuan language, and Pidgin English.

It could be seen that the policy of itilising the PNGVR as the training rround for officers and NCO’s of the PIR would cover every aspect of essential re-, juirements. He made it perfectly clear ;hat it was not intended to train both inits together; but the standard attained 3y the PNGVR would be reflected in the 'anks of the PIR.

Commenting on the suggested Roll of rerritorians for immediate use in the went of an outbreak of war. the GOC was emphatic that he disfavoured the istablishment of “One-man” armies. He vanted the younger man, but he felt that here would be a place for the older gen sration in emergency circumstances in such

eration in emergency circumstances in such spheres as local intelligence, coast watch ing, etc. If the older men wanted to have a rifle, the way was open by joining a rifle club, and every facility would be made available by Northern Command to assist in this respect.

During the afternoon, the official party made inspections of selected sites for the establishment of permanent training quarters in Lae. The GOC inspected the Lae War Cemetery, and started he was most impressed with the new type of headstone.

Mr. and Mrs. K. Kirsch of the Lutheran Mission left Brisbane recently for Madang, NG. Their three children have gone with them.

Mr. Peter Grant (Gurudin Cawnwajia Pathak), one of Fiji’s most respected and oldest Indian citizens, celebrated . his birthday with a garden party at the Grand Pacific Hotel on May 12. There seems some doubt whether it was his 99th or 100th birthday, but in any event, it is agreed that it is a fine old age. He was born in Lucknow, and arrived in Fiji in 1882 after some years in the West Indies.

He eventually purchased property in the Colony and became a successful business man. He has a large family of whom Mr.

John Grant, MBE, owner of a picture theatre chain is the eldest. His birthday party was attended by the Colonial Secretary, Bishop Foley SM, the Mayor of Suva and representatives of the Civil Service.