Erritories Talk-Talk

By Tolala

Eye For An Eye

ere was a considerable amount ak spilled last month in the ey Press when 40 natives were i guilty of murder in a Wewak ; and had the death sentence ded against them. They were gned for murdering 28 natives nother tribe from the Yellow :. It was purely a local affair had no political significance; iven religious sectarian import. annot remember a case where I murder and/or killings ever brought the culprits to the vs. They have usually been put le “cooler” under comfortable tions, for a few years; in inated with the serum of grn civilisation; and sent back eir homes, wiser and happier to spread the good word igst their clansmen. ; protestations in the Press to be the people’s prerogative, first example I remember was Judge Wanliss sentenced some to death over the immolation dows down Gasmata way, in arly ’3o’s. A howl rose to high in —even from England—and

the verdict was changed to a “re cording.”

God-Speed, Sir Beaumont!

The resignation of the Chief Justice of P-NG at the end of Feb luary is the biggest loss the Terri tory has suffered. Valedictory eulogies have become so cliche ridden of late years that one searches for simple, sincere words to describe the effect upon P-NG of Sir Beaumont’s retirement from active work. The high ethical standards he maintained in his official capacity gave every resident, irrespective of colour, the greatest confidence in the dispensation of Justice throughout the Territory.

And that, in a country where the powers of judge and jury are vested in the one individual, is something to be proud of.

I always attribute his unqualified success to his great love of the country and its people; and that love was made possible by his ex tensive knowledge of the natives whom he had carefully studied for over 30 years.

The older residents particularly

will miss not only the Chief Justice, Sir Beaumont Phillips, but “Monty’' Phillips the man, and a very good friend. I join in wishing him a

well-earned, restful retirement and

improved health.

From New To Old Britain There’s no doubt that when the modern Miss takes a spot of leave she gets around.

Regional Librarian in Rabaul, Miss Anne Legge, returned last month from a leave which took her by Italian liner to Naples and then, after “doing” parts of Europe, to Old Britain, Scotland, Spam, and back to New Zealand via the Panama in Southern Cross.

Not every visitor from New Britain to Old Britain leaves be hind a tangible memento in Lon don Town, but Anne Legge had that distinction. Her portrait, painted by Fleet wood-Walker, RA, was hung in the Royal Academy.

The New Ack Ack And so, at long last, the Public Service plum position in P-NG has been filled. The appointment of a home-town official, in Dr. John Gunther, should mollify the local PSA, though whether such a loss to Public Health—the all-important “welfare” unit in the Administra tion set-up—will pay off or not re mains to be seen.

The Territory could easily do

without an Assistant Administrator, but not without an efficient Director of Public Health, with the high qualifications he is credited with by Minister Hasluck: “initiative, organ ising ability, imagination, drive, determination and great capacity for getting over difficulties.”

In considering the appointl one is reminded of the Doctor’sa spoken attack on Canberra’s dill method in providing medical and the alarming situation* Public Health circles, whichri ceived front-page publicity in SP Post at the beginning of

(“Natives Die European in Jeopardy”.) may assume that had a ; teletypiste made similar tions to the Press she would been promptly stuck in the i the Doctor, however, the veil-worn Public Service a is used for eliminating an , critical officer by the pro of promotion to another of bureaucratic activity, wonders (again) whether, if irector of Civil Affairs had lied the Doctor by publish andid revelations of Can frustrating tactics regarding partment, the same formula not have been adopted and Ack” job filled by the ■ Steve.

Minister Hasluck is reported ve said about the Doctor: is a great capacity of getting faculties.” If the new Assist iministrator continues to be tspoken of Canberra’s de es, where does he go from i luck to the Doc., anyway. I have liked to have seen him spot of leave before assum ‘ Ack Ack mantle. He gives ch of his nervous energy to untry.

3rs Of The Past

ing back into the Past, it me that most of the Directors ic Health in TNG have been f a pain-in-the-neck to both :al Administrator and Can ifficialdom. Theirs is an ex lb, and you can’t blame them r object even to Canberra jrats messing them about, lel Honman, TNG’s first and a carry-over from the 7, was a most outspoken ie fought tooth and nail for c amenities which he couldn’t

get, and described the Admin istrator of that time (Brigadier Wisdom) as “too much general and not enough Wisdom.”

“Jock” Flood followed him and resigned because he could not get medical requirements.

Raphael Cilento (later Sir Raphael) was for ever plugging for bigger medical allocations in the Budget, and left in disgust. (He didn’t use the Press to further his claims, nor was there any Legis lative Council in those days, where services could be publicly castigated.) Tom Brennan was another out

spoken medico, deploring lack of support for his Department from Administration funds. Of course, TNG was living within its income then (and showing a surplus at the same time), so he did not feel too happy in demanding huge grants.

Australia had not then become TNG's Santa Claus.

A Target Date

Once again UNO is attempting to put pressure on us over our New Guinea time-table, just about six months after its previous resolution.

To me it appears to be the voice

a ceremony at the Pacific Island barracks, near Moresby, on February Administrator (Brigadier Cleland) pre [?] e British Empire Medal to Sergeant

ro but the hand of “Indonesia,” gh the Afro-Asian bloc, with pproval of Moscow. A wheel i a wheel for “Indonesia’s” of Dutch NG.

'thing can happen up there in days, and Soekarno, with his to the wall, yet may call on le Commo aid to overthrow the ns rebelling against Javanese lance. If that happens the fat e in the fire. Even Casey and olombo Plan cannot mitigate langer of the Red Threat in orth. for the “target date”; The ihing we can do is to tell the eeship Council to go jump in ike —Lake Success for prefer-

Pieces

ked the Duke of Edinburgh’s nee in his Mansion House i to the P-NG Administra eiforts to disarm the natives one-axes when the civilised s of the world were, at the time, toying with A- and H- There was certainly a moral for those who cared to read P-NG’s trade balance is over in the red. Not so hot, de the increased trade figures of on last year’s, and the 222.5 mt. increase over three years ports . . . Gone West: C. W. C. as, on February 16, at West- NSW, a well known “Lik-lik