West Of The

The Dutch

Dig In

West Of The Border

THERE are apparently no ogres on the other side of the border.

Brigadier Cleland, Administrator of Papua-New Guinea, who went off to visit Dr. Van Baal, Governor of Dutch New Guinea on February 29, with the reluctant blessing of Canberra (“It’s on a personal basis,” he said—see March PIM), returned March 13, “impressed.”

Brigadier and Mrs. Cleland spent two weeks in D-NG, travelled 2,700 miles and visited Sorong, Hollandia, Manokwari, Steenkool, Biak, Wissel Lakes and other centres.

A nautical school in which D-NG

natives are trained in the handling of small-craft so interested the Administrator that he is going to try to get a similar establishment set up in Papua and New Guinea.

He was also struck by the advances being made in housing construction in Dutch New Guinea, particularly in the building of homes with foam-cement and hollow-cement bricks, locally made.

This construction is part of the development by the Netherlands- New Guinea Petroleum.) Company whose Administrative Headquarters, main workshops and other buildings are in Sorong.

The Administrator found that the native people and the environment of the Wissel Lakes district not unlike those of Telefomin, in the Sepik head-waters area of New Guinea.

He said also that his visit to the producing oilfields at Mogoi

and Wasian gave him a spea background which will help meeting any problems that r arise should oil be discovered developed in Papua on a c«c mercial scale.

Brigadier Cleland came ai impressed by the vigour foresight of the Dutch in tJ post-war planning and rebuild!; The Dutch half of the Island) New Guinea seemed not to hi the same potential as the East? half, but its problems, he said, , being tackled with great wisdon Brigadier Cleland said that tour resulted in greater co-op«< tion and understanding and looks forward to a mutual exchas of visits by departmental technical officers of both Admr strations.

For more about Dutch-Austral relations, see article, page 105 issue.