Territories

By Tolala

ONCE again we read of P-NG administration work being “speeded up” and “stream lined” as another ministerial hand takes over the controls of the Territories and starts out on a tour of those areas under his charge.

These cliches have become so time-worn that there is little wonder residents up there have be come somewhat cynical and view these “hand-outs” with jaundiced eye.

Exactly what Minister Hasluck meant when he said “I hope to see much closer contact between the Territory and Canberra,” must be left to the imagination. It would be hard to have closer contact between these two centres than has existed in the past.

At least ever since Sir Hubert Murray passed on, as regards Papua; and since Tom Griffiths left in New Guinea. For those two ad ministrators were certainly not “yes” men, nor did the Territories then suffer in that respect.

A little more Papua-New Guinea and a little less Canberra would make more people up North happy more of the time.

I SEE that the new Legislative Council is to have its first* sit ting in November and is to con sist of 29 members. There will, of course, be the usual Administration (or Canberra) majority.

It will be interesting to see whether it functions more success fully—as a public mouthpiece— than its predecessors in Papua and New Guinea before the War. Leg islative Councils were never really popular institutions with non official residents, owing to the fre quent practice of railroading Can berra dictates through the Cham ber, willy-nilly.

It makes good reading for the UNO, however, to see that the Territory has its own Legislative Council.

OSMAR WHITE well-known author and Pacific war corre spondent—recently published some rather alarming facts about the general deterioration of former Allied air bases and roads in the Pacific areas.

He refers to the Pacific Defence Pact and Australia’s earmarking of £2OO million for war preparations next year, and then mentions that when the war with Japan ended, Northern Australia was ringed with great naval, military and air bases costing thousands of millions of pounds.

In nearly every instance, he says, they have now gone back to the jungle in New Caledonia, New Hebrides, the Solomons and New Guinea.

More millions down the drain?

A NEWS-FLASH from London recently referred to over £lOO million earmarked for the re lief of Korean refugees.

It has been collected or promised by the UN member countries.

I have never heard of any assist ance being offered by UNO mem bers to New Guinea after its long occupation by the Japs and severe strafing, despite the fact it was a Trustee territory.

Australia had to foot the bill and, from the proposed Peace Terms, it seems that she is not getting much in the way of reparations. There is, of course, the strategic value of the vanquished foe becoming the new ally against Communism. But must individual claimants against the Japs reduce that down to pounds, shillings and pence?

NOTICED in last month’s PIM (page 31) where the Hanuabada natives have instituted a form of village tax for local amenities.

It amounts to over £1,400 a year,

which shows a step towards self support.

But turning to the next page, my eye caught the story about the an thropologist who was worried about the economic position of the Hanuabadans.

I don’t think he need worry too much over Hanuabadan economics.

What about some of our own centres in Australia? They are problems which need ironing out by some expert.

IF the time ever comes when the bonds of red tape that strangle P-NG are cut, and Australia is seeking a man to carry the respon sibilities of Territories’ administra tion with a free hand, it could find no better person than Sir Raphael Cilento, with his vast tropical knowledge, legal qualifications and post-war experience with the various United Nations activities.

He is back home in Brisbane now.

MY old friend Bill was unburden ing his soul to me the other day, as we sat on our stain less steel tubular chairs at the glass-topped tables In a Sydney caravanserai, sipping our drinks.

For six months he had been vainly trying to have an additional room put on his Sydney suburban bungalow, and he spoke of the ramifications of permits, contrac tors, material, labour and he was still exactly where he had started.

No amount of money could solve his problems. (Apparently he did not know the right bloke, who knew a b10ke.)...

The years slipped away and in my mind I saw us both seated on the verandah of his large native material home on his Buka trading station.

“I think I’ll put another room on this place,” Bill had said, and call ing his store-boy, explained his requirements—mangrove piles, adzed bush planks for the floor, river sac sac for the walls and sac-sac “true” for the roof.

I went away and returned some few days later. The additional room was completed. “What did it cost you?’ I asked, as he looked up from daubing pot. perman. on a meat case.

“Three quid for labour and four pounds of tobacco for the material.” he replied. “And everybody happy?”

I queried. “Everybody happy,” he repned ...

“Do you remember—” I began across the glass-topped table. “Yes, I was just thinking of it,” said Bill with a faraway look in his eye. “I remember alright. But this,” he waved his hand to include the modern fixtures of the lounge and the whole of Greater Sydney. “But this is Civilisation and Progress, and the natives are learning, too, don’t make any mistake,” he added bitterly.