[?] Speeches

[?] Legislative

[?]Uncil

[?] ief Points from [?] Speeches

E administration will again this year purchase the rice crop of European rice growers in the kham Valley. The price has yet e fixed. i tons of seed rice was provided the Markham Valley growers he Department of Agriculture, seed was not responsible for fact that “red rice” (rust?) •red. The cause of that was the seed was put into ground had previously grown rice. * * * ive and furlough conditions in »apua and New Guinea Public :e are long overdue for revision, were introduced at a time the Territory was remote and bad conditions of living and i prevailed. Under present conditions it is estimated the cent, of the PS is absent from [Territory at any one time.— Fairfax-Ross. * * * most effective and fairest of getting a more even spread collection of internal revenue) be the introduction of in taxation—and probably the

Select Committee on Finance had considered this. — H. H. Reeve, P-NG Treasurer, speaking on the Report of the Select Committee on Finance. * * * The Committee at no time con sidered income taxation as an alternative means of revenue col lection. — E. A. James, Member for Papua, and Chairman of the Select Committee.

The Commonwealth Bank of Aus tralia has given £7,000 towards the establishment of a training estab lishment for personnel of native co-operatives. The co-operatives themselves had contributed £5,900.

The basic training at the institution was in simple book-keeping and storekeeping. * * * Employers and the Administration were most concerned about native labour desertions. Deserters were most common in the Rabaul- Kokopo area and to a lesser degree in Port Moresby. Sepik natives were the most notable offenders in the Rabaul-Kokopo area and most desertions were due to refusal to pro ceed to place of employment after arrival in Rabaul from place of re cruitment. Only under regulations which applied to vagancy was the Administration able to p roceed against deserters—but when raids by police were made in Moresby in late May for this purpose, the police were much criticised.— A. A. Roberts

Director of Native Affairs. * * * No bill has been so important to the Territory as that relating to the Native Labour ordinance. It is essential that it be as perfect as possible before going to the Council as it cannot then be amended except by reference to Canberra. It is essential that representative groups of employers should be given oppor tunity to study it before it goes to Council so that its provisions can be studied.— B. E. Fairfax-Ross.

Over 40 per cent, of expenditure goes into Port Moresby but there is not one mile of good road in the area. The abortive business of fill ing the thousands and thousands of holes in the roads was part of every day life. There was great need of some sort of road that would stand up to use for at least six months.— E. A. James, Member for Pavua * * * Western Highlands labour should be available to employers in July.— A. A. Roberts, Director or Native A ff airs.