New Guinea Planters Meet in Rabaul
p. 133 · Read in the full issue
DURING the second day’s sitting of the Annual Conference of Delegates of the Planters’ Asso ciation of New Guinea, which com menced in Rabaul on August 9, the £1,600,000 locked up in the P-NG Copra Stabilisation Fund was again discussed and it was resolved that an urgent radiogram be despatched to the Prime Minister of Australia as follows: “The Annual Conference of New Guinea Planters now in Session in Rabaul desires im mediate information for what purpose the moneys deducted prior to first August, 1951, under the heading of Copra Stabilisa tion Fund are to be used.”
Two resolutions passed at the meeting were; 1. “That this Association is prepared to assist the Papuan Planters, morally and financi ally, in clarification of the sensational Press statements on Papuan desiccated Coconut, if it be found that contamination did not occur in the Territory. 2. “The Conference, appreci ating the necessity for the pro duction by this Territory of the highest standard of copra, re quest the Administration to put into immediate effect the appointment of Copra In spectors.”
It was decided to inform the Ad ministration that pending the con struction of a wharf, the Bougain ville Branch would be in full accord with a Concentration Store and Lighterage facilities being provided in Kieta as soon as possible. „ The Balance Sheet and Financial statements were presented and
these showed the Association to be in a very sound financial position.
Office Bearers
Office bearers elected for 1953-54 were:—President, Mr. E. T. Fulton; vice-presidents, Messrs. J. L. Stokie and J. K. Dowling; executive coun cil: Messrs. J. Joyes (Bougainville), E. Stanfield (New Ireland), J. Dun bar-Reid, F. R. Wilson, J. Back house, G. J. McPhee, R. E. Arrow smith, D. Barrett, W. T. Thomas, J. A. Thurston, J. T. Allan, T. M.
Garrett.
Delegates from New Britain, New Ireland and Bougainville attended the meeting, which formally passed a vote of thanks to the retiring president, Mr. D. Barrett, who had given four years of untiring effort to the Association.
In this group are the delegates to the Annual Conference of the New Guinea Planters’ Association, held in Rabaul on August 9-11. Left to right, they are:— Standing: P. K. Murray (New Ireland), R. McKillop (Bougainville), C. F. Batt
(New Ireland), M. E. Babbage (Bougain ville), J. Dunbar Reid (New Britain).
Seated: W. R. Paul (secretary), J. L.
Stokie (New Britain), E. T. Fulton, pres. (New Britain), E. A. Stanfield (New Ireland), A. H. Cresswell (New Britain), Mrs. Scharberth (asst, secretary).