Independent

They'll Be

Or Bust!

As expected, it was a busy New Year holiday period for anybody who had anything to do with the organisation of

Naum’s independence plans.

Naum will become an indepen dent republic on January 31.

The territory has been designing its own flag, and a coat of arms; arranging to overprint stamps; ap pointing senior public servants to run various departments; organising the guest list and other arrangements for the big day of celebrations; and working on the draft constitution.

The constitution has been the greatest and certainly the most im portant task. A team of experts in Canberra, led by Professor J. W.

Davidson, Professor of Pacific History at the National University, had the draft completed by January 1, in time for it to be discussed by Nauru’s constitutional convention, which was to begin its deliberations on Nauru on January 3.

Convention sits

The convention comprises the nine elected members of the Nauru Legislative Council, together with 27 other Nauruans who were elected at special general elections on December 16. There were 96 candi dates for the 27 seats.

There was also an election to fill the vacancy in the Legislative Council left by the resignation of Mr. I. V.

Eoaeo earlier in December. Mr.

Eoaeo had told the council that Nauruan independence without a relationship with Australia was too hazardous and that he and others wanted full independence to be deferred “for another year or so”.

He got no support in the council for his views. No reason was stated for Mr. Eoaeo’s resignation, but pre sumably it was in protest at the present course of events.

Approval of the draft constitution is not likely to be completed before Independence Day, but until the con stitution comes into effect Nauruan affairs will be managed by a Council of State.

The appointment of the council is a short cut method of obtaining legal

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independence by January 31—a date on which Head Chief Hammer Deßoburt had set his heart.

Early in the new year there will be general elections for the new Nauruan House of Assembly and for a President of Nauru, who will also be Chief Minister. Head Deßoburt is expected to be elected to this dual post.

Meanwhile, suitable men appear to have been chosen for four of the six senior executive Public Service positions on independent Nauru, which have been widely advertised.

The selections, which have yet to be confirmed, are for the post of Chief Secretary ($lO,OOO a year, negotiable), Financial Secretary ($9,000), Secretary for Health and Education ($8,000), and Secretary for Works and Community Services ($8,000). All these salaries are tax free. Applications are still being sought for the jobs of Secretary for Justice ($8,000) and Secretary for Industry and Island Development ($8,500).

Because of all the frenzied activity.

Nauru has been making great use of chartered aircraft lately. There is no regular air service to Nauru but there is an airstrip able to take DC4 air craft. There was a special DC4 flight from Sydney on November 6, others on December 14 and January 1, and there will be others on January 14, 28 or 29 and February 4.