P-Ng Administrator
pp. 131-133 · Read in the full issue
leries of Farewell Functions
rvURING the latter half of June, \J the retiring Administrator, Col onel J. K. Murray, accompanied y his wife, visited all parts of ►apua and New Guinea, and said arewell to the officials with whom te had worked during the last six ears, and to all classes of the ommunity.
He was entertained at numerous unctions arranged by Europeans, Chinese and natives, and many farm tributes were paid to his un paring industry, his determination o see justice done to all the peoples n his care, and his unvarying cour tesy. In some places, speakers rankly expressed their great regret hat he was about to retire.
Colonel Murray made many peeches in reply, in all of which he ixpressed his ardent wish that all dasses should co-operate, in the lifficult present and the possibly lifficult future, for the protection md development of the Territories, ind the assistance of the natives o a better standard of life.
At a public meeting in Port Moresby on June 27, Colonel Murray /as presented with a Territory Resi ients' Testimonial. Messrs. A. L.
Davidson, B. Fairfax-Ross and J.
I. Ahearn were the chief speakers m behalf of the citizens.
A final farewell was said by Colo nel and Mrs. Murray at Govern ment House, Port Moresby, on the evening of June 30, when they were at home to all citizens who cared to call.
Colonel and Mrs. Murray later de parted for Australia, attended by the warmest good wishes of the members of the Port Moresby com munity.
Minister Explains Why
HAVING been “nagged at” per sistently by the leaders of the Papua-New Guinea Anglican and Methodist Missions on the sub ject of the retirement of Colonel J. K. Murray from the Adminis tratorship, the Australian Terri tories Minister (Mr. Hasluck) on July 2, issued in Canberra a state ment of about 500 words. Its pur pose was to explain why he had thought it was desirable that Colo nel Murray should retire. It was summed up in these two paragraphs: “The Government does not regard the Administrative capacity of Colo nel (J. K.) Murray, at the present day, as adequate for the duties of his office.
“We have a full appreciation of the heavy demands made on him during the past six years, of the toll which life in the tropics takes, and of the fact that he is well past the a.ge at which every other official in tlie territory retires. Surely the official who occupies the most oner
ous post of all in the territorial administration can be regarded as being affected by the same circum stances which have led to the fixing of a comparatively early retiring age for all other officials in the territory.” (A sharp reply by Colonel Mur ray is reported on page 16.)
(Continued on Page 131)
Presentations
At some of the innumerable func ms of farewell, valuable gifts were lade to Colonel Murray. Mr. D. :. Cleland, Assistant Administrator, i behalf of Konedobu Club and iblic servants, presented Colonel iurray with a cheque and a me lento. At a public meeting, Mr. •avidson presented a cheque on ;half of the citizens. Colonel Mur ty received a wallet of notes from le Chinese community in Rabaul. he District Commissioner of Ra mi, Mr. J. K. McCarthy, a weli lown artist, gave Colonel and Mrs. [urray a fine portrait in oils of a ative police sergeant.
In the history of New Guinea, nee 1920, no other departing Ad dnistrator evoked a public demon ration such as that accorded olonel and Mrs. Murray.
The Administrator visited Wau nd Bulolo on part of his farewell >ur. He stayed overnight, and was le guest of the management of GD during the afternoon.
During the evening he was the uest of Mr. H. P. Seale, Assis int District Officer, Wau, and Mrs. eale. Colonel Murray was accom anied by Mr. N. M. Tolhurst and Ir. E. Glover of the South Paci c Post.