Admin’N

Why Not Keep The

School In N. Guinea?

SOME experienced observers of Territories conditions are in clined to argue that the Terri tories Department’s School of Pacific Administration should be in a central place in Papua-New Guinea, instead of in Mosman, Syd ney. I am told that academic gentlemen connected with the School ridicule the idea that it should be anywhere else. lam no expert in these matters, but I have some sympathy with the critics.

The young men selected for this training put in a brief time in the Territory, and then are sent South to the School for two years. The weakness of this system, according to the critics, is that the young officials, during this period of train ing, are completely out of touch with the natives. Yet they, above all, are the men responsible in the future for satisfactory European- Native relationship.

The critics also say that too many of these cadets come under the in fluence of academic sociologists, whose idea of what should be the white-brown relationship is gener ally idealistic, rather than practical.

Events of recent years give some colour to that argument. No one can rule this country satisfactorily unless he has learned about natives through direct personal contact with them.

The critics contend that most of the specialised knowledge provided by the School could be given just as well in the Territories (where the chief lecturers would have to reside); Chat the School’s curriculum should be revised, to keep the students in more constant touch with natives and native activities; and that the students could, in some degree, be available for limited help in the Administration during their two years’ specialised training.

I found that in the District Offices in both Lae and Rabaul there is a serious shortage of per sonnel, and administration is suf fering accordingly. Yet there are scores of able young officers im mured in Sydney, undergoing special training.—R.W.R.