Absurd Status of P-NG

Governor

IT has been noted lately that if the Administrator of Papua-New Guinea should have much to do with his neighbours and colleagues —the Governor of Dutch-New Guinea and the Resident Commis sioner of the British Solomon Islands—the official set-up could be embarrassing for him and bad for Australian prestige. Don’t be mis led: in personal quality, Brigadier Cleland is a match for all-comers.

But, as a mere lowly Administrator, he is junior in rank to both of his neighbours.

Although, in fact, governor of what is by far the biggest Territory in the Pacific, Brigadier Cleland, because he is classed by Canberra as an “Administrator” ranks below Gov ernors , High Commissioners and Commonwealth Ministers and —believe it or not—even below State Ministers. That is an absurd posi tion.

In the smallest United Kingdom Colony, the Governor takes preced ence over everybody, except a Gov ernor-General or High Commis sioner acting within his jurisdiction.

He takes precedence over the Prime Minister, the Colonial Secretary, and even the Heir to the Throne.

What is good enough for Sir Winston Churchill and Mr. Oliver Lyttleton should not derogate un duly from the position of Messrs.

Menzies and Hasluck.

But, United Kingdom protocol apart, there are two sound, prac tical reasons for adding to the dignity, if not to the power, of the Queen’s Australian representative in Papua-New Guinea: the natives are likely to misunderstand things if every Tom, Dick and Harry who comes up from Canberra for a week or two takes precedence over their governor. Either he is “Namba wan” or they are confused by the fact (mentioned above) of his per man e n t inferiority on official occasions to neighbouring Governors.

If St. Helena (population approxi mately 800) can boast a “Governor

and Commander-in-Chief,” why not Papua-New Guinea?

Sir Herbert Murray was Lieut.- Governor of Papua. Since then, Canberra has kept the Territories’ heads on a lower official status than the Territories Minister—B