What Australians

Know About P-N. Guinea!

P. Moresby, May 12.

A PLEA for more and better publicity in Australia for Papua and New Guinea was made at the Legislative Council here this week by Mr. Don Barrett (elected member for the New Guinea Islands).

In Australia during the Royal Visit, Mr. Barrett evidently had an unhappy time permit-seeking down in the wilds of West Circular Quay, where the Sydney branch of the Department of Territories has its being. He said that although the room he entered had about 14 people in it, none of them seemed at all anxious to come to the counter to find out what was wanted: and that when they did they obviously had little or no knowledge of Papua and New Guinea, and present con ditions there.

Mr. Barrett said the Departmental staff were just any public servants picked at random —few had had any Territory experience. If they had even a year in P-NG it might help them considerably in their job of supplying information to people seeking information and to intend

ing settlers. He urged a centrally situated office in Sydney, where photographs and posters could be displayed, where visitors would be treated courteously and where young prospective settlers could be given authentic information.

He said Australians were very in terested in the Territory, but their real knowledge of it was small in deed.

Mr. Barrett could also see alarm ing indications that the powers and functions of the Legislative Council were being restricted by some per son or persons in Canberra. He did not blame the Minister; but there was evidence that the De partment occasionally worked with out reference to him.

Editorial Note:

Mr. Barrett is quite correct: the average Australian knows little about P-NG —and the majority could not care less. And the citizen of Melbourne (and Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, etc.) knows as little as the Sydneysider, and is equally deserving of an information bureau.

We have never heard that the Administration wishes to “attract young settlers”—most of its efforts might have been designed to keep them out! —but it does have a perennial shortage of staff, and if it and private enterprise got to gether along the lines suggested,

something might be accomplished.

The young settler, starting out to get himself a plantation to pro duce copra—or rubber, cocoa, coffee, etc.—would need substantial funds and infinite patience to get any where in P-NG under present con ditions of land tenure and costs.

He would be better off with a sheep or cattle property outback in Aus

traiia.

Before the war, of course, no re sident of Papua or New Guinea thought it was necessary to teach Australians about their Territories —with some unfortunate results during the War. The only reason that it is considered desirable now

is because it is hoped that Aus tralians, being better instructed, will take a more intelligent interest in seeing that the Territory is cor rectly governed. But that is in deed a forlorn hope—Australians have not yet succeeded in running their own country intelligently.