Allegiance To Queen
pp. 131-132 · Read in the full issue
inistration Herds Official Sheep
Allegiance To Uno Put Before
Port Moresby, May 30.
Twelve top ranking Papua-New Guinea public servants (including : Assistant Administrator) do not consider it necessary that they, the terms of the traditional oath, should “well and truly serve Our yereign Lady the Queen”; they think that to “well and truly serve r Majesty the Queen” (Queen unspecified) amply covers the lation.
[S Battle of the Oath, between fficial and unofficial members f Papua-New Guinea’s Legis ; Council: — Created a “first” in the ry of the Council; Caused unofficial members’ pressure to rise; High-lighted the cynical ler in which official sheep jump the legislative hoops prepared hem.
And showed the three native Ders solidly behind other icial members. 3 form of oath to be taken in loyal Papua and New Guinea ;abulary was discussed in the cil in 1955. As New Guinea UN Trusteeship Territory DUgh administered together Papua, an Australian fcory), it was decided that it mfitting that subjects of this tory should be called upon “to nise the Queen as his eign.” The Council got over its own satisfaction by pro l two oaths—“to truly serve lovereign Lady the Queen”; or to render true and loyal e in the office of member of loyal Papua and New Guinea abulary.” ; Governor-General’s assent withheld from this Bill because s considered advisable to have me oath. ; current legislation deals that oath —viz: “well and serve Her Majesty the i.” . R. BUNTING, nominated nember for Papua, said that le did not see why a British zt should be denied his right ke the oath in its traditional Mr. E. A. James, elected >er for Papua, said that he d entirely with Mr. Bunting went further in that he ed the bill in its entirety. It quite apparaent that the mor-General’s advisers, in olding assent, had not taken consideration the feelings of Punch which had debated the ast year and had agreed on wo forms of oath. He said the Bill as passed in 1955 d be reintroduced.
The Rev. Mr. Ure, mission member for Papua, said that the words “Elizabeth II” should be inserted in the new oath after “Her Majesty the Queen”—as the oath stood, an alien, for example a Dutchman, could regard it as being another Queen.
Other speakers—all unofficial made it clear that they resented having what was regarded as a
birthright trimmed down to size to fit the tender susceptibilites of the UN trusteeship Council.
However, ignoring the arguments of the unofficial opposition, the President of the Council put the matter to the vote and, scarcely before the loud “noes” had died away, declared the poll for the “ayes.”
Unofficial members called for a division whereupon the official members to a man—although some individuals had difficulty in getting their hands above their shoulders —voted for the exact wording of the Administration edict.
Four official members are absent from this meeting of Legco, and as all the three native members voted “Our Sovereign Lady,” the count of hands resulted in 11 ayes, 12 noes.
The President (Assistant Admini strator Wilson) then cast his vote which made the score 12 all; he followed this by exercising his prerogative of a casting vote bringing the final count to 13 for;
12 against. It is understood tih this is the first time the Preside has made a casting vote in tl way.
It might have been imagined! course, that on such an issue! least one official member with sense of history or merely for hell of it, would have cast his V( with the unofficial members.
It is difficult to understand h the P-NG Administration c reconcile the incorporation “Royal” in the name of I Constabulary when it is apparj that the official view is that N Guinea members should sh allegiance to UNO and not!
Queen Elizabeth 11.
It is obvious from brushes of! kind that occurred, that Austral! persistence in keeping the t Territories as separate entiti while trying to administer then! a joint territory, is going to becd more and more legally complied as time—and masses of laws-i on.