P-Ng Affairs Given Top Priority

Outspoken Servicemen in Congress

One of the outstanding features of the Federal Congress of the Returned Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmen’s League, in Hobart, Tas., in October, was the time given to problems asso ciated with Papua and New Guinea and the solid support promised toward rectifying same. Principal among these were the defence, or rather lack of defence, at Manus Is. and the implementation of a Land Settlement scheme for returned soldiers in the Territory.

r:E Papuan and New Guinea sub-branch was represented at Congress by its president, Mr.

R. F. Bunting, and by its secretary, Mr. J. V. Knight.

Addressing Congress on the Manus Is. question, Mr. Bunting said his sub-branch had appointed two delegates to visit Manus Is. and inspect it from the angle of defence preparedness. They had reported back that the base at Manus is used only for re-fuelling Qantas planes, that there is no modern radar equipment installed; and no provision for bulk storage of petrol.

There is a boom defence and target, and a water lighter at Manus; an air strip at Momote

suitable for future use, after repairs, but not suitable for heavy aircraft; there is a small Navy wharf for vessels up to 5,000 tons; the Navy has two or three bulk tanks at Lombrum but no road connection between them.

It was ascertained also that there was no actual Naval vessel stationed at Manus and the small floating dock at Seeadler Harbour could accommodat.e vessels only up to 3,000 tons. With both old American wharves at Lorengau not fit for use, this left that port without a wharf. Water was also a major problem as there were no facilities for water storage and only one water lighter.

A water treatment plant was

capable of supplying the needs c the base only. It appeared ths both the Air Force and Nav personnel are purely a maintenanc team and that the Mokerang aii strip had been allowed to fall int complete dis-repair although th: strip is longer than the one e Momote. The only vessels at Mann to give chase to Japanese poachin craft were a motor water lighte (top speed 8 knots) and a dies* tug.

It was quite apparent, reporte Mr. Bunting, that Manus Islan was not adequately maintained a an advanced defence base.

Although the results of thei inspection had been placed befor the Defence Minister, the explana tion the latter had made in letter in reply was entirel unconvincing and it was for thi reason that he appealed to Congres to pass a motion expressing dis satisfaction and asking fa immediate reconsideration of th whole matter.

Soldier Settlement

MR. BUNTING on anothe occasion stated flatly that Nct Guinea’s growth was sabotage* by the Federal Government’s soldie settlement policy.

Ex-servicemen in NG, he saic had been forced to the conclusio: that the Government did not wan Australians or Europeans in tin area. He said the Government wa treating the territory like ai

thropological zoo, safeguarding i whole of P-NG for unborn lerations of natives, and exposing to Communistic influences, tfr. Bunting pointed out that :sonal representations were made the Prime Minister by himself d Sir George Holland but despite Menzies’ protestations of rsonal interest in the matter of a ;isfactory land settlement scheme, thing tangible had been forth ning. hdeed, it appeared as if the mmonwealth would not listen to juments for financially assisted id settlement for servicemen in * Territory. Despite this apathy, urned soldiers had gone ahead d opened up coffee and cocoa ates but some were now be ning heartbroken and were on ; point of giving up.

Delegates gave Mr. Bunting an ition at the conclusion of his lech. rhe NSW president, Mr. W. Yeo, d Papuan and New Guinea ex vicemen had right and justice on dr side but this, in the face of vernment apathy, availed them aght.

Congress decided to send a tele im to the Prime Minister which 1: Express its deep concern at i lack of action on the scheme, d press for implementation of suitable scheme without further

delay—“because of its importance to New Guinea and Papuan ex servicemen and defence”.

Increased Strength For

Pir

The urgent defence necessity of increasing the PIR to two battalions was forcibly argued by Mr. J. V.

Knight who stressed that this, like other territory matters, received scant consideration in official circles. His motion that the Federal Government and Defence Minister be requested to give this matter further consideration and also to examine the arguments already placed before them, was agreed to by Congress.

Assistant Administrator

Makes Statement

Administration policy in Papua-New Guinea was to encourage sound farming when ever and wherever land could be made available, said the Assistant Administrator, Dr. John Gunther, on November 1.

He was commenting on the allegations made by Mr. Bunting at the RSL Congress in Hobart.

Dr. Gunther said the Admini stration believed that native people had an inalienable right to their

land but wherever land was avail able and could be bought without causing ill effects to native owners, it was bought and released to farmers “as Bunting personally well knows”.