The New Status Of New Guinea

What Does It Mean?

Chinese

Residents of Papua only now are trying to understai the real meaning of a statement made recently by the Australii Minister of Territories (Mr. Hasluck), about the status of tl New Guinea Chinese. They are seriously alarmed.

HITHERTO, the Chinese residents in New Guinea had the status of “Australian protected per sons”. They had all the privileges of citizenship in New Guinea, they had the right to vote for persons seeking election to the Legislative Council; but, so far as admission to Australia, or the Australian Terri tory of Papua, was concerned they were in the same position as any other non-European people—except in special circumstances, they could not come in as permanent residents.

Now, for reasons not made clear, the Australian Government has de cided that Chinese permanent residents of New Guinea (a Trustee ship Territory, governed by Australia under UNO supervision), who seek and are granted Australian national isation, shall have the status of Aus tralian citizens.

But the Minister, in making this official statement, added that this, of course, would not affect the pre sent immigration laws.

7TSHE highest official opinic A Papua—backed by the the legal practitioners th is that the promised Commonw enactment will give the New GJ Chinese (of whom there nov between 3,000 and 4,000) the right to enter Australia and tralia’s Territories (indue Papua), and reside there.

To say that the European Papua, and the few natives cat of expressing an opinion, are: turbed, is to put it mildly.

Always, hitherto, the New G{ Chinese have been kept out of F The establishments of the 0 prising and industrious Ch traders are all over the Ti Territory, right up to the bordi Papua. They run practically native trade stores; they an chief artisans of New Guinea;; to an increasing degree, the: becoming shipowners and plant owners.

They are not a bad influence the long-range political effe< their settlement in any count invariable. They take posse: Singapore is the largest and notable example. They are not.

British; but there is not rooc any country for Chinese se and Western European settler THE leading non-official rm.

Port Moresby are quite spoken. “If this means wll seems to mean, then it is go« to a lot of Australian enterpris Papua—the Chinese will take • they said. • When it was pointed outj the admittance of the large Jape community in Hawaii and!

Western States to full Am© citizenship had strengthened n than weakened the United S the Papuans simply pointed td White Australia Policy. “Is th;j beginning of th© end of that?”' asked. If the Chinese could ; enter Papua, they also could Australia, they argued.

It is certain that questions be asked in the next Austi; session of Australia’s Parliame;: One question probably will W the Chinese born in New Gt can so easily acquire Austr; citizenship now, why cannot

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same privilege be accorded to Papua and New Guinea natives, who are the country’s true indigenous in habitants?

The officials here make no com ment—their jobs and their future may depend upon the whims and fancies of Czar Hasluck, who is deal ing with this matter.

Some clear, explanatory statement is called for from Canberra. As people see it now, the granting of Australian citizenship to New Guinea’s Chinese is a very high price to pay for the doubtful Aus tralian privilege of ruling New Guinea for the now feeble and futile United Nations.

Gone South

Mr. and Mrs. I. W.

Marston and their daughter left Apia, W.

Samoa in June. Mr.

Marston has been Acting-Superintendent of Apia Radio during the absence, on leave, of Mr. E. Betham.

Photo: Edwards Studio.