Mr. Whittaker Speaks

Out Where Are the Promised Soldier Settlements?

THE hard-fighting President of the New Guinea Returned Servicemen’s League, Mr.

George Whittaker, may not always be right; but at least he stands to his guns, and the objects of his attacks cannot ignore him.

Addressing the third annual con gress of his League in Lae on March 8, Mr. Whittaker pointedly described the frustration which had attended all the League’s efforts to get on with the settle ment of ex-servicemen in P-NG.

He reminded us that, again and again, the Canberra Government and the Territories Minister had promised that land and finance would be made available to ex servicemen for cocoa-growing and other industries on an organised plan; but nothing had been done.

There was no land and—although Australia could make a gift of £35 millions to Southeast Asia —there was no finance.

As an instance of official in difference he cited the fact that eight years elapsed before the Government did anything official to restore the land titles destroyed in the invasion—and even now pro gress was very slow.

He referred scathingly to the “disgraceful shacks” which still were made to serve as hospitals in Lae, Wewak and Port Moresby.

Mr. Whittaker’s address covered a wide field; and, in relation to settlement, development and native policy, some of his charges were startling. Some critics said his statements w§re “over-coloured”; but he was enthusiastically sup ported by most of his members, and by League officials who com mented in Australia.

As there is a suspicion that Can berra and its team of planners are much too preoccupied with native welfare, the voice of our RSL Pre sident is a welcome sound to many of us.— Special Correspondent.