Warning On Independence
p. 37 · Read in the full issue
WESTERN Samoa’s Minister of Agriculture, Haufili Time, warned the native people of Papua- New Guinea in November not to be too quick to ask for independence from Australia.
Time arrived in Port Moresby on November 3, for a five day visit, accompanied by the New Zealand High Commissioner for Western Samoa, Mr. J. B. Wright.
“It could be 50 years before Papuans and New Guineans are ready for independence,” Time said.
He added that there was a great deal of hard work yet to be done by the people of the Territory before they could expect to be self governing.
Before the New Guineans decided on independence they must be certain they were ready for it, and they needed and should be grateful for the guidance of European people working with them.
He said his people in Western Samoa had found that this was the case.