challenge on

Administration faces challenge on NG salaries

From an AAP-Reuter correspondent in Port Moresby The P-NG Administration could face its first major challenge in the territory's new House of Assembly when it begins its budget session on August 26.

At this second meeting (the new 94-member House was inaugurated in June), the government members, who are in the minority, will be faced with a private member’s bill seeking a committee of inquiry into the territory’s 14,000 local New Guinean public servants. It will be introduced by Mr. Percy Chatterton, of Port Moresby, a former missionary.

It has the support of the territory’s Public Service Association, which has for years been pressing for higher salaries for its local members. The association is confident the bill will be carried.

It also has the support of the Pangu, the House’s only party of substance, and is likely to appeal to a number of other members who are former public servants.

The Administration has not yet decided its attitude to the bill.

But an Assistant Administrate] Mr. L. W. Johnson, said: “In th past the Administration attitude ha been firmly that public servar salaries are a matter for arbitration’

If, as this indicates, the Admin stration does oppose the bill, som of its Ministerial and Assistai Ministerial Members will be in a embarrassing position.

Three of them two years ag publicly supported the association case for higher salaries at an arbitn tion hearing. But as Ministers, the will be expected not to publicl oppose the Administration.

Their only loophole would be t abstain—and even this would be see as a blow to the Administration authority.

Mr. Chatterton said he wants th committee to inquire into th appropriateness of present salarie “for the maintenance of an efficien dedicated and contented publi service”.

He would ask that the commissio: consist of five members, appointed by the territory’s Chief Justice. Th commission would report to th Minister of External Territories am the House.

The move is the latest in a battl begun more than three years ag( by the territory’s public servio association. It lost the long firs round when the Public Servio Arbitrator, Mr. L. G. Matthews rejected most of its claims.

Not a safe landing place for aircraft now is the former airstrip at Mt. Hagen in NG Western Highlands. The airstrip has been moved out of town, and new commercial buildings and roads have been built on the old airfield, which has become part of the town's business area.