Territories Talk-Talk

By Tolala

A Sorry Story

AT long last the facts concerning the Fall of Rabaul at the time of the Japanese invasion, in January, 1942, have been published in book form by a cove who is well able to tell the story as an eye witness and participant. {See “This Month’s New Reading,” this issue ).

He is David Selby, the O/C of the “Ack-Ack” unit which was stationed up at the old Rabaul vulcanological observatory, above the Ratavul Pass, and consisted of old guns and young gunners.

I have not yet read the book, but from reviews it is apparent the writer has pulled no punches in his revelations of top-brass muddling, and has, at least stirred up the “ashes of the past,” which Mr.

Chifley was so eager to let lie un disturbed when repeatedly asked for an explanation in the House.

Ten years ago I was hawking much the same story (from the civilian’s angle), to publishers in Australia, England and the US, but all in vain; and the MSS still lies in a dusty pigeon-hole—a record of tactical bungling and unprepared ness by the chiefs who were respon sible for the defence of Australia’s northern ramparts.

Let us hope that Selby’s book, Hell and High Fever, will have the effect of showing our Service chiefs that what has happened can happen again unless a lesson is learned from past mistakes.

Only fools make the same mistake twice.

As I write (July 3), the Mi; ister for the Army leaves for “extended tour” (lasting fifte days) of P-NG to visit local m itary units —the “gallant £ Hundred” of the PIR and also t:

Pngvr.

One wonders whether Hell a High Fever has any connectii with the tour. Or perhaps D< Barrett’s remarks at the last Leg: lative Council meeting on the Ten tory’s defence may have had som thing to do with the tour.

Thank You,

Sir John

For the past 35 years now * have been subjected, almost eve year, to the somewhat heart-brea. ing ordeal of receiving hypercritic and adverse reports from tl League of Nations, or UNO, on oi administration of TNG.

If it was not Mdle. Dannevig cor plaining to the League, it was delegate from some South Amei can republic in UNO measuring tl living standard of the TNG-ites wi; a New York slide rule. ’Tis a' welcome change then read in the Press that the repc of the last UN mission, headed 1 Sir John MacPherson (a formi Governor-General of Nigeria tossed us a few bouquets for tl work done in TNG over the pa decades.

The mission appeared to realii what a really stupendous task it for a young nation (or any natkx

Eliuda Laen, a young man of Nabual Villas in the Duke of York Group, has been chose by the Annual District Synod of the Method Overseas Missions to represent the Nati: Church of the New Guinea District in Australia He is a fully accredited Pastor-Teacher of t Methodist Church and leaves an appointme in the Ulu Circuit to travel throughout Au tralia for 12 months.

that matter) to handle the Diems of a primitive people in ige of changing sentimentalities glaring political publicity. , has been suggested by the non that this work of “western t” these people should be shared the “international community,” ch it is only fair to assume, ns some of the subsidiary misations of UNO, and could include the much-criticised >mbo Plan. •om an economic angle this sug ion should be particularly wel ed by the Australian tax >r, who has put in—more or less nowingly—many millions of his ley for P-NG administration s since War 11. le reference in the report that TNG-ites claim they were ithers with the Australians” and jected to be treated as such,” as to be in the nature of a t dig at racial discrimination.

! Bimeby

get

acre are times, when I read of long-range target for Western r the P-NG people as a whole, enable them to take their place he modern world,” that I must ’ess to feelings of apprehension, endeavour to conjure up a pic : of thGfse presieht-day fine imens of Nature, transformed beings moulded after our own ern pattern. ae official target appears to be nake them bi-lingual, to train nselves as technicians, clerks, hers, agriculturists and what 3-you. This will at least occupy ;her 50 years, presumably, by ;h time the age of automation atomic power will be here. :e all these people going to be eful to us for having forced i them this remodelling nearer i ur heart’s desires because they pen to live in a country which at one time a German colony, fired after a world war by Aus ia as a Mandated Territory and i transferred to an international y - called UNO? is not beyond the bounds of iibility that before such a com e metamorphosis occurs, and targets reached by the guiding lences in their ivory towers, ; these NG peoples might decide ssert their own individual rights desire no part in our modern of life. seems that as Government ming progresses, and as the :s roll on, the so-called welfare cy has become so intensified and complicated that it has over :hed itself and grown to un istic proportions, nly those who have lived mgst these natives for years can ly appreciate this. Would not Dlicy of selective training be the e practical method to hand down