[?]Rari Power For

Final Decision —Yet

[?]Mina

SLL-INFORMED paople dis count the report (widely publicised in Australian papers in June, and referred i page 19 of June PIM), that lan Krupp interests are likely evelop the North Queensland Atholl coalfield; and that r generated on that coalfield would serve in refining alumina from the vast bauxite deposits itly discovered in North nsland. ; have been definitely in ed that the proposal that ina ore be taken from Weipa k Peninsula) across Torres t to a port behind Yule Island »t of Papua), to be refined with hydro-electric power the Purari River (which southwards out of New ea and Papua), has not been doned. rveys still are being made (as ated in PIM, May, p. 13), of ossibilities of (a) Purari hydro pic power; (b) the use of the large quantities of gas tapped il-boring in Papua; and (c) ise of power generated by coal le Blair Atholl field; and no ion has been reached, or yet dicated. is beyond question that the Weipa bauxite field is of value, and will be worked very large scale. Also, it is that some source of almost lited power must be tapped, ovide the massive heat needed the final stage of producing inium. is believed that the final e will be between Purari D-electric power and Blair 11 coal-generated power; with chances—at the moment—in ir of the Purari.

A couple of indirect references by the Australian Prime Minister (Mr. R. G. Menzies) to the import ance of the oil and metal riches still to be exploited in North Queensland and Papua, strengthen the belief that the two plans which aifect Papua (oil boring and hydro electric generation) will not be readily abandoned.

Many believe that Australian Government grants will take the place of Vacuum Oil. Co. (which is withdrawing) to enable the APC to carry on the boring programme in Papua.