Peiping Peace Farce:

Indonesia And The

VARIOUS kinds of “ratbags” fromi many countries were headed for: China late in September, to attend! the “Peiping Peace Conference,”' organised by the Muscovite Com munists as part of the Cold War against the Western nations.

Among the participants was a lb men delegation from Indonesia,, Australia’s nearest neighbour on the ; northwest. The Indonesians an- • nounced that the refusal of the Dutch (supported by Australia) to hand over Western New Guinea tq, Indonesia would be a “subject of dis cussion” at Peiping.

Australia withheld passports from the little group of quaint people who wanted to go to Peiping as “dele gates;” and, at the end of September, they were gathered mysteriously on the Queensland coast. It was said they were awaiting a Red submarine or seaplane, which was to pick them up privily, in defiance of passport rules and bureaucracy, and ferry them to China.

Mr. J. L. Ballantine has arrived in Fiji from New Zealand to take up the post of Education Officer.