[?]Ac's “Wasting Members'

Time"—E. A. James

PORT MORESBY, in common with all Papua and New Guinea towns, has a nominated body ailed a Town Advisory Council, irhose function is to do what the tame implies—i.e., advise the Ad ministrator.

This is excellent as far as it goes, ’he only fault to be found in the ystem is that neither the Adminis 'ator, nor the Administration, takes he advice offered.

The Chairman of the Moresby ’ouncil, Mr. E. A. James, said at he June meeting that he was de lating whether he should resign or lot; he no longer felt competent o advise the Administrator and mtil such time as the Administra ion revised its ideas of the unctions of an Advisory Council he sit that all members were simply rasting their time.

Mr. James’ statement followed the eceipt of a letter from Acting Ad ministrator Wilson rejecting the Jouncil’s request for representation n the Town Planning and Build mg Boards.

At the present time there are bout 50 matters about which the ’AC has made recommendations to he Administration, or on which it las requested enlightenment, that ° T7 ° been ignored or remain un nswered by the Administration. (The whole difficulty might be vercome if the TAC’s were simply enamed Councils for Airing Public ipinion; under the present system f bureaucratic rule in P-NG that ; all that any of the Councils o.—Ed.) The Fiji Public Relations Officer Mr. L. G. Usher), who has been n sick leave for six weeks, follow ig an operation for acute appendi itis, resumed duty in July.