[?]Anter Puts Case

[?]ter to the Editor

[?]R Absenteeism

DLLOWING the editorial about so-called “absentee planters” in the February issue of PIM, I ik a few facts from the other ; of the fence would be in order, a respect of replantings and im vements, New Guinea planta is whose owners are resident for t of their time in Australia, com e more than favourably with stations whose owners live in Territory permanently, hese absentee owners, in the n, are men who have spent 30 :0 years on the job and are there ; now able to spend part of their e elsewhere. ew Guinea planters are not jssarily peasant farmers and run ? a plantation is as much a busi -5 as bringing out a magazine, editor of which does not have >e tied to a linotype, rdinary economics apply to iting as to other business —that capital, supported by sound inisation and sound management id it is irrelevant whether the er resides part-time in Aus ia, full-time on the plantation or ttle time on the plantation and t of time in Rabaul. l my own case—although I live ; of the time in Australia —all coconuts cut out of my New ain plantation by the Japs have i replanted and most are bear and what little virgin land re tied in 1947 has now been tted-up—none of the 720 acres ;he property are now left un ited. addition, the maximum number cocoa trees—7o,ooo —has been .ted and planting of this kind hed two years ago. 1 buildings, plant, vehicles and is are first-class and, in my ion, no plantation run by a -put owner is better set up or is considered normal for public ants and others to establish a e in Australia after retirement s ill draw a pension from the itory in which they invested ur but no capital, and from re, during service, they availed iselves of regular, paid leaves, le planter has invested both ur and capital and in many cases pends years in the country with any leave. hen and if the time comes when is no longer required to stick losely to the job, he is still pre d to leave his capital there and pply his efforts to the continued lopment of New Guinea (and ientally earn his own pension).

Therefore, it is logical to deny the planter the right to live in Aus tralia even part-time on retirement?

Or must he, because he is a planter, leave his bones in NG to fertilise the coconuts?

If it is the latter then interested parties should apply to the writer immediately: Under those circum stances my plantation is on the market to the first official or journalist who yearns to make a belated, practical contribution to the development of the Territory by investing his capital to buy out an absentee-planter, by saying farewell to Australia, and by spending the remainder of his days “staying on the job” in NG.

Many of the planters now in Aus tralia are old men; most of them personally re-opened their properties

in 1946 when they were in their sixties.

It is, after all, not the exclusive privilege of these older planters to keep on planting up New Guinea.

There is plenty of room for new men who are keen on investing their capi.al and labour.

I am, etc.,

Victorian Planter.

Mt. Eliza, Vic.

March 9, 1956. fl Mr. John Bennett, who was in Fiji from 1940 to 1949, first as Registrar- General and later as a Magistrate, has been appointed Puisne Judge, High Court of Lagos, Nigeria. Mr.

Bennett has been a Chief Magis trate in Nigeria since April, 1951.