The Month in Papua-N Guinea

From Our Own Correspondent

P. Moresby, Aug. 28.

New Minister And Port

Moresby

WHEN the Minister for Terri tories (Mr. Hasluck) paid his official call on the Port Moresby Advisory Council he had a word of warning about town plan ning, but no words at all on town problems. He explained that his first brief visit had been made to gather specific information on certain subjects, and municipal problems were not included on the list.

This adroit bit of verbal fencing got the Minister out of replying to issues raised in the Chairman’s speech of welcome. So, instead of hearing what Mr. Hasluck might possibly do regarding the current shortage of building materials, the inadequacy of waterfront facilities and other immediate problems, Council members heard a neat little speech about the natural beauty of Port Moresby.

The time spent on this special meeting (called to enable Council members to meet the Minister) was not entirely lost quite apart, of course, from its social value. For one thing, the distinguished visitor gave the civil leaders a view of their town as seen through the eyes of a stranger.

Mr. Hasluck described Port Moresby as a township of infinite scenic variety, of colour and beauty, with new delightful vistas of sea and hills at every turn of the road.

Mr. Hasluck said his main im pression was of the sheer beauty of the location, and the innumerable natural advantages lending them selves to the development of a most attractive town. Then he suggested that the residents maintain a zealous watch over these assets to ensure that they were not ruined by careless or indifferent town planning.

It was an interesting half-hour, for it has not been our custom to regard Port Moresby as a beautiful town. Far too many people have accepted the wartime description, a “dump.”

Apparently Mr. Hasluck’s personal views on the present development in Port Moresby raised a few queries in his mind about town planning. He said the place seemed to be developing on a rather hit and-miss basis, and gave a friendly warning about this trend. He was unaware, of course, that our official townplanners have been playing hopscotch with blue prints for the past four years.

The Minister urged interest in the early history of the Territory, and pride among the present generation

in the record and achievements of the pioneers. He spoke of the great story of exploration in opening up the country, and suggested that a Territory Historical Society be es tablished. It might take over the erection of commemoration plaques, or cairns, at the sites of historical events in Papua and New Guinea, as well as the compiling of early Territory history. This, he said, would help promote a link between the pioneers and the present gene ration, and encourage an apprecia tion of the progress already made in the Islands.

All in all Mr. Hasluck did quite a neat job of talking at his first meet ing with the PM Advisory Council.

But, next time he comes, and Muni cipal matters get their delayed hearing, Council members would like to know his views on present day pioneering, and what the Government intends to do to ensure that the Islands have a future as well as an interesting past.

Nobody holds it against him that he did not attempt to deal with present difficulties on his first visit.

But Council members will want assurance that their queries will get a hearing on his next.

More Road Safety

Road driving standards have shown a marked improvement in Port Moresby since the new Traffic Ordinance came into effect on August 1. Native passengers who used to festoon themselves over the sides of truck bodies, on running boards, motor hoods and on the top of driving cabins, now “sit up like

Jacky” in reasonable safety inside the truck.

The spectacle of a two-ton truck loaded with about three tons of firewood and anywhere from 20 to 30 Indigenous residents, is certainly disappearing.

Some of the mobile junk heaps operated by native owners have also ceased meandering around the roads, and there is certainly a marked increase in both the appearance and mechanical standard of the trucks which survived the registration test.

A lot of drivers still have a lot to learn before thev measure up to proper road standards, but the nightmare hazards of pre-registra tion are surely but slowly disappear ing from Port Moresbv highwavs.

Our Future Tied With

Labour

Two differing points of view were expressed recently by visiting Aus tralian officials, One, from New South Wales, was so enthusiastic about the prospects of the Islands that he was think

ing more than wistfully about the? advantages of stacking his future in Papua and New Guinea. His; ideas were all along the line of : mechanised primary production, „ with a steadily decreasing percent- age of manual labour involved. His observations had not been made? from a hotel lounge, but in a short, but very thorough check of pro duction potentialities.

The second official, however, was; not optimistic about Island pros- • pects, as he considered the labour factor would continue to hinder • development. He discounted the? mechanisation theory as being over rated, and expressed the view that ; for many crops native labour would J still be essential. He considered] that in these Territories where there ? is no population pressure, and where? a native can get all his basic needs< from his own village lands, there? ■was little prospect of ever getting aru effective labour force. Another: handicap, he said, was that na< matter how long natives enjoyedl higher living standards while work ing in towns and on plantations* they readily reverted to village con ditions when they returned home..

This meant that the acquired tastesg for European foods and goods*; which might have served as an in centive to work, were not a lasting? factor in the labour situation.

He thought estimates of thea Territory’s future were often over rated through lack of considering, this difficult labour problem.

Freedom From Virus

Disease

A five-weeks survey of the Terri tory by Dr. C. Magee, Chief Biologist!; of the New* South Wales Agri cultural Department, has brought!, an official assurance that Papua and) New Guinea —especially native food) crops—are remarkably free of plant; virus diseases.

Dr. Magee who is an authority om such diseases, said that although! he checked even the banana stands] on abandoned camp sites he found) no sign of “bunchy top,” a disease; which at one time did tremendous; damage to Australian banana cropsg Old camp sites got a special checks This expert also gave a clean bill o£( health on kau kau and tapioca, anoj said that in most areas taro was; very healthy.

In the Gazelle Peninsula he noted): some incidence of “mosaic” one mottled disease, which reduced the; taro yield, but he said this was; fairly well controlled by the natives g own selective planting with suckers! from healthy crops.

He considered that the Islands! were also fortunate in that the key{ economic crops, coconuts, rubber,! cocoa and coffee, had been estab-c lished, some from imported planth stock, without introduction otc disease. He warned, however, thath this favourable position could be* maintained only by rigid plantti quarantine control.

Concerning Lamington

Late in August there was a marked increase in seismic activity at Mt. Lamington, with an accompanyirig rise in crater temperatures.

The new lava spine in the centre of the crater started to crumble after

Mvef There S2S

spiral mfnof prnntfons in the

Solfhe AmTgo River MowSg

several days’ heavy rain.

Although the Mt. Lamington Relief Fund officially closed last May, late donations kept coming in for weeks later, and only in the middle of August was it possible to announce the Anal total. This was

tJZ

nnst| estimate when the fund Th/'Pund Committee set aside £lO,OOO for European relief. £8 000 for native rehabilitation, and left the balance of around £2,500 available for anv future claims The distribution of this latter amount is to be finalised by December 31.

From the European allocation £5,850 will be used for the benefit of dependant children of Mt. Lamington victims—£3,4oo for widows, and £750 for dependant mothers. The native allocation goes to the Administrator, who has appointed a committee to decide how it can be used to the best advantage of natives affected by the eruption.

The trustees of the Lamington Fund have announced that they will

consider claims from Europeans who were in the Lamington area when the disaster occurred, to cover com pensation for personal losses.

Promotions Appeal

Committee

When this committee gets going it is likely to have a very heavy programme, since a lot of per manent appointments in the Public Service are due to be made in the next few months.

The Public Service Association has selected as its representatives, to sit with the other two committee members on Appeals:— For Second Division Appeals from officers receiving over £6OB standard salary—C. L. Anthony, and, as his deputy, G. T. Wells.

For Second Division, salaries under £6OB standard rate—G. E.

Guthrie; deputy, P. H. Clarke.

Third Division Appeals—C. W.

Thomas; deputy, W. Nicholas.

Memorial For Sir Hubert

Murray

The prewar proposal to erect a memorial to Sir Hubert Murray, Lieutenant Governor of Papua, who died in 1940, has been revived by the appointment of a Sub-Committee of the Executive Council to discuss recommendations on this matter.

An appeal to the general public was launched in Papua shortly after Sir Hubert’s death, but the Japanese invasion began before the plan reached finality.

The new committee is calling for

suggestions from the general public as to the form and location of a memorial to Papua’s outstanding statesman and colonial adminis trator. Later, an appeal for funds will be launched to supplement the £260 already on hand from the pre war appeal.

Fatal Plane Crash

A fatal Auster plane crash occurred in the Goroka Gap on August 6, when the pilot, Edwin B.

Hartwig, apparently flew into cloud and crashed on a hillside. He was a member of the Australian Mis sionary Aviation Fellowship and he was flying a Lutheran Mission plane from Goroka to Madang at the time of the fatality. He had been in the Territory only a few months but as a former RAAP pilot he had had extensive flying experience. He is survived by his widow and an infant daughter.

Indications are that the Auster was circling to gain height to get over the cloud-ridden Gap, when it was thrown onto the hillside by a sudden eddy of air.

Again: Rabaul To Rapopo!

Two senior Administration officials have been temporarily re lieved of their normal duties to devote the next few weeks to draft ing details of the proposed Adminis tration move from Rabaul to Rapopo. They are Mr. E. P. Holmes, Secretary for Lands, and the Assistant Director of District

Services, Mr. A. A. Roberts. Any time of day now they can be seen in a huddle over this new job; but when the details are going to be announced regarding the move of the Rabaul administrative head quarters is anybody’s guess.

Residents with second sight trace in this the shadow of Mr. Hasluck’s recent visit.

Another Memorial

Another World War Memorial is to be erected in Port Moresby at the site of the 1914-1918 Memorial Gates, on Ela Beach. The second memorial will take the form of an inscribed bronze plaque and sundial, and a public appeal for funds was formally launched by the Adminis trator, Colonel Murray, on August 7, As the cost of the Memorial will be only £3OO, the public is being asked to limit its donations to small amounts, so that the subscriptions will come from all sections of the community.

Rubber Flow Back

To Normal

The rubber plantations on the fringe of the Mt. Lamington blast area have now resumed tapping, and output at Sangara is just about back to normal. The Sangara general manager, Mr. T, G. Hender son, reports an excellent flow of latex after the temporary cessation of tapping July production was 10,000 pounds.

The rubber trees suffered very little damage in the eruption, and cocoa plantings have also made an excellent recovery. Native labour is steadily returning to Sangara, al though the labour line is not yet back to full strength.

Meanwhile, those tappers who have returned to the plantation are working double tasks at double pay, and are each turning in an average of around 15 pounds of dry latex daily, against the pre-eruption figure of about 7 pounds.