An Indonesian

West New

Guinea Soon

Although Indonesia formally takes over control of West New Guinea on May 1, the take-over was in fact almost completed by early April.

Practically all fields of administration in the former Dutch territory were under the control of the Indonesians.

Indonesia had also issued a Pre sidental edict explaining the situation expected after May 1.

A MONG other things the edict said that the Governor of West New Guinea may, in the event of physical disturbances, call in the help of the military. Whether this meant that President Soekarno was anticipating the “enemy’s” next move, nobody knew.

According to an official statement from the Indonesia Information Ser vice at Canberra, Soekarno would pay a visit to West New Guinea soon after the take-over. Mr. Sudjarwo Tjondronegoro. Chief Indonesian Representative with the UN in West New Guinea, was quoted as saying, “The people here are anxiously await ing the visit.”

Officially, the West New Guinea people are going to nominate Presi dent Soekarno as “Mahaputra” (eld est son) of their area at a traditional ceremony when he arrives. And, says the same official source, the West New Guinea people are “eagerly an ticipating the date of May 1, when only one flag—the red and white of Indonesia—will fly in West Irian.

They see it as a symbol of the unity of the Indonesian people from Sabang to Merauke”.

The Presidential edict says that West New Guinea will take the form of a province.

It says that pending elections, West New Guinea will have a Legislative Assembly which will be made up of persons who, before the transfer of the territory to Indonesia, had func tioned as members of the existing leg islature and who will be officially confirmed as members of the West New Guinea Regional House of Rep resentatives.

To keep things under control there will also be an executive of five to be appointed by the President, in con sultation with the Governor.

And in another announcement in March, Holland and Indonesia agreed to resume normal relations and to ex change diplomatic missions with min isterial rank.

Visiting

Pilot

Unlucky

The man with the bandaged head has reason to be unhappy.

He is Mr. Raymond Lambert, of Miami, Florida, who crashed his five-seater Piper Apache aircraft in Fiji on March 13 while he was de livering it from the US to Christchurch, NZ. He had 23 stitches put into a wound on his forehead but considered he was lucky to be alive. The aircraft was a complete write off.

The plane crashed near Nausori airport, not far from Suva, when Mr. Lambert was giving a demonstration to Fiji Airways chief pilot, Capt. M.

J. F. Morrissey, who was also aboard. Capt. Morrissey es caped with a shaking.

Photo: Stan Whippy.