New Journal On New Guinea

THE publication of a new, serious journal is always an event and the appearance of a new quarterly called New Guinea, which concen trates on Pacific affairs, is of special interest at this stage of Pacific de velopment.

New Guinea, first issue of which appeared in April, is the journal of the Sydney-based Council on New Guinea Affairs, which was estab lished last year by public subscription and with the support of the Commonwealth Government to create an active awareness of the prob lems of the emerging territory. The Council’s executive officer, Mr.

Peter Hastings, who was editor of the Sydney Bulletin until last year, is editor of New Guinea, and the appearance of this handsome maga zine—well worth the 5/- asked for it—certainly will do no harm to the reputation of either the Council or Mr. Hastings.

The 96 pages of this first issue contain 14 articles on New Guinea affairs, including defence, salary cuts and tea production, one on what the Australian newspapers are printing about New Guinea, one (by Denis Warner) on doings in China and how these can be related to New Guinea, and only one other article (on New Caledonia’s Lenormand) which has no New Guinea connection. This concentration on New Guinea will no doubt be altered in subsequent issues to keep faith with the journal’s sub-title, “Australia, the Pacific and South-East Asia”.

Editor Hastings says it is necessary for the journal to take in these other areas because the time has gone when New Guinea can be considered as a Territory on its own. In that, of course, he is right.

The articles on New Guinea are worthwhile contributions, sure to bring some reactions. Tom Mboya, Kenya’s Minister for Economic Planning, criticises the absence of a deliberate plan by Australia to help New Guinean public servants take over from expatriates; Oala Oala-Rarua keeps the pot boiling by stating bluntly that the majority of Australians who work in New Guinea are the wrong types anyhow who would find it hard to earn the same money in Australia; and Peter Hastings him self, in probably the most thoughtful piece in the magazine, skilfully analyses the Territory’s present social and political problems and con cludes that we must be both thrilled and dismayed.

New Guinea is distributed by its printers, the Sydney and Melbourne Publishing Co., on behalf of the Council for New Guinea Affairs.