Commentary

tustralia and Dutch

lew Guinea

1 VENTS are moving steadily to I the point where Dutch New Guinea may be handed over by e Netherlands to Australia, or to e Trusteeship Council of the lited Nations, to be administered Australia in trust, along with fc former German New Guinea. \ survey of public opinion made Holland, early in March, indica l that the great majority of the itch people were in favour of iting rid of West New Guinea, a political embarrassment and unnecessary expense, rhe Dutch cannot see that the £e, undeveloped region can be of y use to them. Even if it were reloped, and made valuable, it ; right in the path of new Asia, v thrusting southwards. ?he only sections of Dutch who lose these views are the nmunists, who wish to attach st New Guinea to Indonesia, i certain commercial interests 0 hope that, by giving the •ritory to Indonesia, they may over some of the huge properties ich Indonesia has confiscated tn the Dutch. ’he Dutch, after what they have fered, will never give the ’ritory to the Indonesians.

Lustralia is deeply concerned, but es its official attitude behind Jens of words. The agreement de last November provided for exchange of administrative and v Guinea expert personnel ween Netherlands and Australia; the nature of the agreement was den until early March, when it disclosed by the Dutch. A night later, Australia’s Foreign lister, Mr. Casey, lifted the veil ttle, and showed how and why tralia is moving in. ustralia deeply fears the “Com oisation” of East Indies, which take place as the political and nomic structure of “the Republic Indonesia” collapses. Australia not interfere in the present '! but it is preparing for the jrmath. s has been pointed out scores :imes since 1945. in this journal, East Indies provides a handy d-bridge over which the Asian Is can invade the half-empty l . Peaceful countries of the South ffic The safety of Australia, 1 of all the South Pacific nines eastwards, depends on the hty of the government which ds the East Indies and New Dea. i a statement made in Canberra nediately after his return from

the SEATO conference, on March 22, Mr. Casey made it clear that Australia now recognises its respon sibility in guarding that gateway, and accepts its obligations.

Developments will be attended by terrific squawking from Soekarno cum-Communist sources; but there is little doubt that developments are coming, or about the shape they will take.

Australia thus must guard America’s Southwest Pacific flank.

Can Australia depend upon Ameri can help in resisting any Asian invasion of the Pacific? ☆ ☆ ☆

Red Vultures Wait

In Djakarta

THE indifference of the Western Powers towards the ultimate security of Australia and the South Pacific countries is shown rather strikingly by events in Indo nesia Soekarno, Jap-made dictator, al ways has hated the West; and, since the blundering Anglo - Americans (actively aided in the crucial years by Australia’s Leftists) allowed him to establish the “Indonesian Republic”, he gradually has moved into the Red orbit, especially in the last two years. Today, at Djakarta, the Com munists sit around the decaying body of the “Republic”, awaiting the feast, like a mob of vultures.

The Sumatra rebellion was a squib, apparently dead before it was born. But, for a few weeks, it seemed seriously to challenge Soekarno’s power: and in those weeks, ships and war-machines and technicians poured into Indonesia from Communist countries. They seem to assure (a) the re-establish ment of Soekarno’s authority and (b) the establishment of the Indo nesian Communists as the chief organised party behind Soekarno.

Any experienced observer can see what this means to Australia and the South Pacific.

It was foreseen, months ago.

But, although the Reds moved smartly to Soekarno’s aid, making it almost certain that a Communist administration will begin to function as the “republic” dis integrates, there has not been one counter-move from United States, or Britain, or any of the other Western interests which have been so systematically defied and humiliated by the Red power in South-East Asia.

It is not difficult to read between

the lines of the recent despatches of Denis Warner and other expert commentators on Far East-Pacific affairs. They do not actually use the words Western Demoralisation, and Abandonment of Australia; but much of what they say adds up in a way that gives the future an ugly look. ☆ ☆ ☆

Not a Number to

Call Their Own

IT is a remarkable thing that in both capitals of the S. Pacific’s two largest Territories —Fiji and Papua-New Guinea—there is no street-numbering and, of course, no letter delivery. Yet Suva now is a tidy and compact little city; and Port Moresby is getting close to that category.

Fiji’s daily newspaper exposed Suva’s shortcoming when it changed to early morning publication in 1956, and the citizens sought the usual amenity namely, early morning newspaper delivery. The publishers tried hard to comply— but it just could not be done.

Suva has five communities— European, Indian, Fijian, Chinese, and mixed. Necessarily, the names of residents confused the most painstaking paper deliverer. If there were to be prompt and accurate delivery, it had to be by street numbers. And there were no numbers—not a semblance of identification of houses.

The newspaper eventually got over the difficulty, in a sort of way, by persuading subscribers to pur chase from its publisher a tin container—the name of each sub scriber being painted on his little box and fastened in front of the residences. Up to a point, it works.

But it is a lot easier to find a number in a consecutively numbered street, than to locate John Smith or Ram Lai in a long thoroughfare.

Towns only a quarter of Suva’s size have regular letter-deliveries.

Suva is a town without this amenity.

Similarly, Port Moresby is without street-numbers, and until quite recently, a number of its built-up streets did not even have names. ☆ ☆ ☆

They Should Stop

Fooling About Manus

IT is about time that Australian politicians came right out and called Manus what it is—a refuelling depot—and stopped fool ing the electorate back home by calling it a Naval Base.

No one in New Guinea who has seen Lombrum, or has heard about

H from someone who has, was deceived by Mr. Casey’s duckings when he made a press utterance on his way back from a SEATO meet ing in March (see page 142 this issue) though thousands of main landers swallowed the line that Manus was still “vital to Australia ’.

Denuded of political rhetoric, Mr Casey’s statement meant precisely what a PIM correspondent said in the March issue—that Lombrum is a convenient place for dispensing fuel oil and hospitality to any US ship that happens to come along.

It is this persistent verbal sleight of-hand by Australian politicians, who just won’t own up, that leads Australians to believe they still have some sort of minor Gibraltar there —a base with offensive as well as defensive power.

Lombrum has neither. A moderate-sized block-buster of London blitz vintage would wipe the whole thing out—and if the enemy called during the few hours that Bulolo or Malaita are un loading stores, and everyone is on the wharf, a few mills-bombs would do the job.

In view of the development of long-range weapons, there had to be considerable reassessment of bases in the last 10 years. Even if the Americans had not been cast out of Manus by Dr. Evatt, it is problematical whether they would have maintained Lombrum as it was in 1945. Since then they have closed Pago Pago, which was their advanced Pacific base for 50 years.

We have to assume that SEATO and Australian defence chiefs are satisfied with Lombrum as it is at present, and that, if they were not, something would have been done about it. So its role is minor; in its present attenuated state, it could not be “vital to Australia ’, or anyone else.

It might—as the politicians are fond of telling us—be capable of rapid expansion if necessary; but it looks as if it could, with even less effort, fade away completely.

It has some assets beside its oil tanks: it didn’t cost anything; and it’s a way out where few people get to see it. But Australia has no “Bastion of the North” that couldn’t be taken by a couple of well-armed sub-chasers, and it is tune that someone said so.

World Affairs: A

Pattern of Oil

THE, world, divided into two totally irreconcilable camps— Individualism and Totalitari anism-goes charging ahead into a terrifying future—terrifying because it seems to be so completely un predictable. There is nothing in history to guide one.

But there is one almost constant factor in these world crises, as they arise. It is oil.

There was the Suez crisis, 18 months ago. It became acute when Nasser seized the Canal and Western Europe’s tankers could not get through. The Middle East crisis followed immediately, because a vast disturbance among the Arab States threatened to cut off or destroy the oil installations.

The developing trouble in Indo nesia is seen most in Sumatra — and the great oilfields of Sumatra supply much of the Pacific demand.

A president-toppling revolt in Venezuela has thrown that country

out of gear—and it is one of the Wests’ biggest oil producers.

The outburst in Tunisia last month came almost immediately after the first trainload of oil came out of the Sahara Desert for ship ment to France —a most important new factor in world oil supply.

To a degree that few people visualise or understand, the world’s transport is motivated by mineral oil. Nothing will more quickly paralyse a modern state than cessation of oil supplies.

That is why the situation that has developed in Papua is so up setting. If an oilfield is brought in, it could be of great tactical as well as economic importance to ah South Pacific countries. If boring is now to be abandoned, after 20 years of effort, it not only is a heavy blow to Papua: it also means that the South Pacific’s trans portation system remains in

definitely out on the end of a lin We then must continue to go Indonesia, Borneo and the Persi.

Gulf for our supplies, and thi places are far too close to t growing power in Asia. ☆ ☆ ☆

The Mystery of

Nikita Khrushchev

THE emergence of Nile Khrushchev as unchalleng Dictator of Red Russia, hes lined in the usual way by a scaj mongering press, represents notht new. This extraordinary peass. has been the complete boss of t Soviet Union for at least a coui of years. He is as unpredictable u as he was when he came out ii the limelight after Stalin’s deatW All that is new is that the danp can be seen more clearly. There danger to the whole world in ■ fact that this individual, by o turn of his finger, can prolong i Cold War, or plunge the natio into World War 111, or take defin steps towards disarmament and ' ending of atom-bomb research.

For what they are worth, indications are that he will try follow the last course. But it; anyone’s guess.

All that is certain is tl; Khrushchev is exceedingly cunnl and has had phenomenal suco in getting his own way. The mam in which all the prominent figix of the post-Stalin set-up—especis Malenkov and Molotov and Zhulj have been thrust silently ii obscurity, is most remarkable. A new departs Bulganin, so long chosen partner of Khrushchev,, many a drunken political frolic. , the Old Guard, only the Armeni.

Mikogan, remains.

With most of the famous lon national leaders of history—NT oleon, Hitler, Lenin, Mussol Peron—there was a personal histe a record of character, from whi it was possible to predict certf developments and events. W Khrushchev, there is nothing guide us. There is a peasant bae ground, an apparently coloun personality, a total absence of ; evidence of culture, or of statj manlike thinking. Yet Khrushcs must have something, to get wH he is.

Khrushchev, in his present sition, unquestionably is v dangerous to the West. But, s he is very dangerous to the Et There is much restlessness behl the Iron Curtain, grimly suppress out of sight. One lucky pot-shot ; of the dark, and the Soviet wt\ would be leaderless, and at mercy of the wolves.

No wonder the Anglo-Amerr air-bomb stations, which ring Communist Empire, maintain a i hours watch!

10 Shoulders With

hips for Nino

Nino Culotta, alias John (“Tusi ,la”) O’Grady, currently of West n Samoa, but author of Australia’s ;st-seller They’re a Weird Mob, ■educes letters that are as amusing i his book.

He modestly attributes the success his novel to publicity produced f the publisher . . and my n John. The same son, to ither with his younger brother, mis, are issuing exaggerated and Idly inaccurate statements about eir old man, and no doubt chort ig evilly when they think of him ting in Samoa fuming. Good >kes, my sons, but mighty leg llers—a characteristic probably lerited.”

For those who have been in iring: Nino is not going to visit ;stem Samoa but his creator is rd at work on another book. It 11 be treated with a similar mula —that is, it will supposedly written by a Samoan. As Author jrady remarks—there have been re than enough books written ?ut Samoans by Europeans and is time the other side had a go.

Ve fancy that he is going to have harder job with this than with 10 —especially as he expresses the ention of ignoring those local iticians who have a chip on their tulder. In W. Samoa this might Uy restrict the field, but Mr. 3-rady says he’s having a lot of i wilting the book as a spare ie job, and in due course we hope have a lot of fun reading it.

Defence Of

hovah's Witnesses

rom Mr. D. E. Hild, who de bes himself as “Presiding Min r for Australia and Pacific inds”: 'he first letter in my March copy Pacific Islands Monthly (page says that “ ‘Jehovahs’ Are In ma”. As the presiding minister Jehovah’s Witnesses in Aus ia and the South Pacific Islands, '■ould like to send a brief reply, /hen the writer of the letter ;es that Jehovah’s Witnesses used waylay passing troops and call b m potential murderers and liar names, he is certainly letting imagination run away with it • He would find it very difficult prove such a statement. Enemies r ehovah’s Witnesses try to accuse ni of doing such things, but the h Court in 1943 cleared us com ply of all such false charges.

'he letter continues: “These oyah’s Witnesses are in this dtry now and are causing trouble Jady.” Just what is he talking ut? The officials in Papua are .e aware of the work of Jehovah’s

Witnesses in the Territory and have not accused us of causing any trouble.

We are not out to cause trouble in any nation. Jehovah’s Witnesses are solely interested in Bible education and they spend their lives preaching and teaching the doctrines of the Bible. I suppose the “trouble” caused by Jehovah’s Witnesses in the mind of this individual is that they exercise their right to preach and teach what they believe.

Enclosed is a copy of our publications Awake! and The Watchtower.

Our publication, The Watchtower, is entirely religious. Awake! serves another purpose and it is not intended that all of the articles in it

Christian teachers? What was wrong with the Sir Hubert Murray plan of dividing the country into Mission areas, limiting the number of acceptable sectarian bodies, and admitting only one such body to each area?

That Pannan frncc d rapuail Liubb a Sydney reader says that the cross that “Sanasi” wrote about in March PIM (p. 21) is on Mt. Yule.

In clear weather it is frequently pointed out to passengers travelling on the regular Qantas service be tween Port Moresby and Lae. Why it is there he does not know, and a Qantas pilot with whom PIM

< 7 /te (sdlito.'Li,'

are religious. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not claim that the article referred to in this individual’s letter is a religious article. in conclusion, let it be stated that there is a lot of trouble in this world and none of it can be attributed to the uplifting spiritual work carried on by Jehovah’s Witnesses world wide. .

Just Another Unnecessary Sect Uvon which fhp Publisher nf "PIM" mates ms commenU ' TTr .., , ... 1 we. knew little , J ®J lovahs Witnesses -except that it appeared to be another of many aggressive little sects that have come out of the world’s “advanced nations” in the last few decades for the confusion and bedevilment of nrimitivp nprinip? devilment ot primitive peoples.

Howeyer, we now have had occasion to examine the activities of this Sect among the Islands of the South Pacific, and we are of opinion that it should be kept under strict official surveillance and, where circumstances justify such action, it should be banished.

There may be particular reasons for keeping this particular organisation out of the Islands; and obviously it is not possible to discuss them here. But there is a general reason, also The Melanesians of New Guinea are quite incapable of understanding the differences which divide the various sects—and a large percentage of Europeans probably are in the same category. Why, therefore, should we permit all these different brands of Christianity to be introduced to these natives? Our generosity in this respect leads simply to waste, inefficiency and v • -x f sn ? e j ol ™ religious mstruction is desirable; but why should given by one or two or— at the mo s t—three kinds of

checked this information does not know either, T

»erntorians bather

n AAolhnurno m WieiUOUme Original members of the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles have been meeting for an annual reunion in Melbourne for the past three years —and other old members visiting l l lat clty are cordially invited to attend, writes Mr. A. G. Vagg.

The reunion takes the form of a luncheon a few days before Anzac Day and then members meet again on April 25 for the march, w oni . „ - .. ..

Twr d n 2 W M elb o Mr VL Edwards,

?f r r ’ Clar Jf;

Duncan, Mi. J. Glover, IVIr. F.

Halford, Mr. K. Baker, Mr. J. Chis holm, Mr. J. Murphy, Mr. A. Wood, Mr. K. Gross Cant D Umnhelhv Mr A Vaee P y> ‘ „„„ . . , , = contacted at a Bluff Ave., Elwood, Victoria, .

Ownership of Well

w c . .

IxHOWn oUVB Hotel A . . . * Suva Professional man writes Jf. stll y x to Point out that Mr.

Vincent Costello is not the “owner” of the Garrick Hotel in Suva—he 18 lessee and licensee, The error was in a paragraph on Page 147 of February PIM, wherein it was stated that Mr. Costello planned extended amenities for the Garrick, especially on the ground floor. The sentence was “the large an d well-known Garrick Hotel, owned and conducted by Mr. Vince Costello”.

Most people in Suva are aware, of course, that the Garrick Hotel is part of the Garrick Estate, which includes several valuable properties in Fiji.