Naming

The Day

From a Port Moresby correspondent

Nobody has yet made any firm announcements on the date of PNG independence, but the general pre diction is that it will take place in the second half of 1974 —and possibly in October, to coincide with National Day.

Present timetable calls for the fi nal report of the Constitutional Plan ning Committee to be tabled in the PNG House of Assembly in February.

The constitution will include pro visions for the transition from self government to independence.

In April the House of Assembly will meet in special session to consider and adopt the constitution, and the bill will be reserved for assent by the Australian Governor-General.

In May the Australian Parliament will remove from the Papua New Guinea Act those parts which have been included in the PNG constitu tion as adopted by the House of Ass embly, and the Governor-General will assent to these changes and to the constitution.

Independence can then follow.

However it is not a foregone con clusion.

The debates in the House in 1974 should give a better indication just how strong is the opposition within PNG to an early independence date.

The PNG Government’s view is that the sooner PNG gets out of the limbo of neither one thing or another, and becomes fully independent, the smoo ther things will be. But the Oppo sition attitude is that independence should not be pushed, and a year or two at least is required.

When Mr Somare in November, with his cabinet, made a tour of the Highlands districts, he was besieged with requests to delay independence for periods ranging from three to 10 years.

The cabinet also heard complaints about inflation, with comments such as “when the Australian flag was

flying things were better and people

could afford trade store goods”. Fears were also expressed that things would be harder in the Highlands because expatriates were leaving.

Mr Somare told various groups that revaluation of the Australian dollar had been the main cause of in flation and that “when we have our own currency it might be different”.

He said the PNG Government had no plans for “kicking out” all Aust ralians. It was simply that in the pub lic service if a New Guinean could

do the job of an expatriate then the I expatriate would be replaced.

“I can assure you that many Aust-J ralian officers are staying in the pub lic service because they want to help us with the work of developing our country, and because they believe a J PNG government can work well,” I Mr Somare said.

“Over the past 18 months my black government has operated without trouble and I cannot see why people are worried. My government wants] people from other countries to come and invest here but they must do sol under our terms.”

On the question of law and order, he took a tougher line. He said police powers were still in the hands of the Australian Government, but when they are handed over, “I can assure you we are going to be tough. But when we get tough do not blame us because it is what the people from the Highlands have requested.”

Police powers will be handed over after December 1.

Samoans Reject

Constitution

Much to the surprise of the ad ministration, the American Samoans, who went to the polls on November 6, voted against proposals for a new constitution by a margin of more than two to one. (See p 21.) Only about half the 6,435 registered voters turned out in wind and rain. The “No” votes totalled 2,097, the “Yes” votes 1,097.

The rejected constitution, similar to the one rejected in 1972, provided for an elected Samoan governor and lieutenant-governor instead of execu tives appointed from Washington; a salary increase for members of the Fono (legislature); raising revenue by the issue of government bonds and the return of some executive powers to villages and counties.

Governor Haydon, who is threatened with dismissal following an inquiry into allegations that he influenced the result of the 1972 election, said he was surprised that the margin was not closer. He was given the figures by radio to the launch Talitiga in which he was on a week-long voyage to outer islands (see p 15). Acting Governor Frank Mockler said he was very pleased with the election result “because Governor Haydon has worked ex tremely hard here and the election will show the people in Washington and the United States that he has

provided good government”.

Some observers see in the result a reluctance by the Samoans to let go the American apron strings in case they lose the handouts.