Highlands

New job for "King of the Western Highlands

From a Port Moresby correspondent Territory-born Tom Ellis h been appointed director of NG’s Department of Distri Administration, thus endii months of speculation. He tak over from the colourful J. '

McCarthy, who retired Septei

ber 30. He is 52. rpOM ELLIS, who has been Distr A Commissioner of the Weste Highlands since 1959, is probably colourful as McCarthy, and 1 appointment is sure to ruffle soi of the Port Moresby bureaucracy.

He is a determined and tough dividual who has earned the repu tion of being “King of the Weste Highlands”. He has won more frier than enemies there because of ] ability to allow others to exerc their own judgment in the field, a yet somehow keep a rein on the Officers have been known to tu white at his criticism.

As a man of strength, drive, capac and rugged individualism, he i tracted a kind of love/hate relatic ship.

They tell the story in Mt. Hag about the local airline which h bought four new aircraft, and w allotted the registration numbers

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Tom Ellis.

GOA, GOB and GOC for three of them, but “were too damn scared to register the fourth in case Tom Ellis claimed it!”

The big question is how will Tom Ellis fare when he is no longer a little god in his own district, but overall co-ordinator and policy-maker, who has to receive recommendations for the progression of New Guinea from a colony to pre-independence and eventually independence?

His own department will have to redefine its role. Not every district is developing at the same rate, and there are many members of the far flung District Administration empire who do not agree with the role the department must follow. In addition, lack of promotion prospects have tended to create a sub-system of in trigue and jealousy throughout the districts.

As co-ordinator of the overall picture Mr. Ellis will not always have the opportunity to back up his kiaps, as he has in the Western Highlands.

Or even the same desire, for he is a shrewd man with a mind for business.

He will give no support to what he considers inefficiency, and that is what

many districts are suffering from the moment.

To maintain his department on present lumbering lines will cr< criticism.

Pre-independence has alrea brought many new changes, local g eminent being perhaps the most : reaching, where ktaps invested v police and court powers are suppo to establish and advise local g ernment councils. Mr. Ellis, look for the kudos, could create a Dep ment of Local Government i which his enemies, drones ; sycophants, as well as some men v an efficient knowledge of local g ernnment, could be placed.

This would leave him head DDA with few troops to control, it might also reduce his influence Meanwhile, the man whose sh he fills, Mr. McCarthy, may well around to watch and criticise, has announced that after a visit his home town, Melbourne, he i return to contest next year’s Ho of Assembly elections in the F Moresby Open electorate. Of cou contesting that election and winn a seat in it may be two differ things, and Mr. McCarthy may f next year ex-kiaps aren’t g o political bets.