Use Of New Guinea

Land

More Details of Australian Plan

P. Moresby, Dec. 5.

AN order that all the uncontrolled areas in Papua-New Guinea— about 30,000 square miles, contain ing at least 150,000 natives—be opened up within three years, is said to have been given the Administration by the Territories Minister in Port Moresby at the end of November.

This seems to be part of Australia’s plan for the rapid development of New Guinea, as a barrier against Asia.

Senior officials in Port Moresby said that it simply cannot be done in the time—not through unwilling ness, but because there are not sufficient trained patrol officers and District staff to penetrate and take over the uncontrolled areas, and be cause of lack of suitable air-strips, materials and means of communica tion.

In Papua on November 21, Mr.

Hasluck said that a land settlement plan was being examined at Ministerial level, and the main pro posals were:— The War Service Land Settlement division should provide funds and certain plant and equipment.

The New Guinea Administration should acquire, develop and subdivide land and give guidance and technical advice to settlers.

A credit authority comprising repre

sentatives of both the division and the administration should administer advances to settlers.

The Territories Minister should deter mine settlement policy.

The original proposal was that eligibility should be confined to ex servicemen resident in the Territory but this might be widened if the supply of blocks of land exceeded demand.