New Faces

In P-Ng

Counci[?]

The elections for the Leg;

lative Council of Papua and Ne

Guinea, which took place (

March 18, produced a few sv

prises and a lot of new fac(

particularly on the native side.

THE Territory’s first attempt at political party, the United Pi gress Party, managed to £ three of its European represent tives in—two of them unopposec but the founding fathers of t party (Messrs. Don Barrett, R.

Bunting and Simogun Peta) will seen no more, not in this 1961- Council anyway.

Mr. Barrett and Simogun w( beaten at the polls and Mr. Bui ing, who has always sat as a noi mated member, was not appoint for this Council—possibly at 1 own request.

Many Territorians were of t opinion that a political party of a sort was premature in the Territc at this stage, and that it is si necessary for non-official memb< to “stick together” and that diff( ences along party lines would or hinder this.

Planters Elected

Amongst the elected Europe members, Messrs. J. R. Stuntz, Eastern Papua; S. R. Slaughter, Western Papua, and Paul Mason, Bougainville, are making their fi: appearance. All are plantei Although lan Downs and J.

Chipper were not members of t last Council they have been mei bers previously.

Amongst the native elected mei bers, John Guise, of part-Europe descent who claims a French Con as an ancestor; and Kondc Agaundo, of the NG Highlands, w was an observer at the 1959 Sou Pacific Conference in Rabaul, a the best known.

Amongst the nominated membe the appointments that pleased m( were those of Mr. B. E. Fairfax-R( who has been a member of the Leg since its inception in 1951; and tti of Mrs. Roma I. Bates, widow of t late Charles Bates a popular D: trict Commissioner. Mrs. Bates h been a New Guinea resident sir the early 1930’s and is a woman great charm and ability.

In this Council the first nati woman member also makes h i appearance Miss Alice Wedef

(Continued on p. 144)

who looks after women’s Interests with the Administration.

The full Legislative Council 1961- 64 membership is as follows: President The Administrator, Brigadier D. M. Cleland.

Official Members

Dr. J. T. Gunther, Assistant Ad ministrator; Mr. I. F. Champion, Chief Native Lands Commissioner; Mr. H . H. Reeve, Treasurer and Director of Finance; Mr. D. E.

Macinnis, Director of Lands, Sur veys and Mines; Mr. W. W. Watkins, Secretary for Law; Dr. R. F. R.

Scragg, Director of Public Health; Mr. J. Glen, Director of Public Works; Mr. G. T. Roscoe, Director of Education; Mr. W. F. Carter, Director of Posts and Telegraphs; Mr. H. L. R. Niall, District Com missioner, Morobe District; Mr. F. C.

Henderson, Director of Agriculture, Stock and Fisheries; Mr. J. K.

McCarthy, Director of Native Affairs; Mr. J. R. Foldi, District Commissioner, New Britain; Mr.

K. M. Chambers, Acting Chief Col lector of Customs.

Non-Official Members

Elected Members;

Mr. J. R. Stuntz and Mr. John Guise, Eastern Papua Electorate; Mr. S. R. Slaughter and Mr. Simoi Paradi, Western Papua; Mr. A. L.

Hurrell and Mr. Somu Sigob, New Guinea Coastal; Mr. Paul Mason and Mr. Nicholas Brokam, New Guinea Islands; Mr. J. L. Chipper and Mr. Vin Tobaining, New Britain; Mr. I. F. G. Downs and Mr. Kondom Agaundo, Highlands.

Nominated Members:

Mr. B. E. Fairfax-Ross, Port Moresby; Mrs. R. I. Bates, Madang; Right Rev. P. N. W. Strong, Bishop of New Guinea; Rev. Father J. G.

McGhee, Sideia, Milne Bay District; I Dr. Reuben Taureka, Port Moresby; Miss Alice Wedega, Milne Bay; Mr.

Ephraim Jubilee, Raba u 1; Mr.

Maneto Kuradal, Madang; Mr.

Kibunki, Wabag; Mr. Bonjui, Korogo, Sepik District,