Pacific Islands Monthly - 18 February 1948

Early Tour of Territories Now Unlikely

IT had been reported that the Australian Minister for External Territories, Mr.

Ward, may visit Port Moresby on February 18 and there meet a large number of Administration officials, who have been called from various districts to Port Moresby for consultation. This is now stated, officially, as unlikely.

Mr. Ward’s plans to make a tour of Papua and New Guinea in January were dislocated by his obligation to attend the enquiry into the Garden timber-lease matter, which did not finish until early February.

Mr. Ward is also obliged to be present in Canberra on February 18 for the opening of Parliament. The trial of Garden may come on any time after March 1.

The Administrator of New Guinea, Colonel J. K. Murray, arrived in Sydney on February 12 for consultation with Mr.

Ward, and is expected to return to Port Moresby on February 18.

It is probable that he will then meet a conference of District Services officials.

It is reported that one of the matters to which the Minister is giving particular attention, in consultation with his De partmental and Administration officials, is the formal acceptance by the Australian Parliament of the Trusteeship Agreement in relation to New Guinea.

This is a double-barrelled plan. It pro vides for the transfer of the New Guinea Mandate from the now defunct League of Nations to the Trusteeship Council of the United Nations (already accepted by ttnO) and it is also proposed at the same time to create one permanent Adminis tration for the Trustee Territory of New Guinea and Australian Territory of Papua.

Papeete Council

Papeete, Dec, 23.

IT is formally announced that M. Alfred Poroi has been re-elected Mayor and that the following three gentlemen have been elected Members of the Muni cipal Council: Messieurs Georges Pam brun, Andre Junventin and Charles Levy.

To Work For Usa

Mrs. S. S. Boye returned to Vanikoro, Solomon Islands by flying-boat at the end of January and will remain there for a few months before taking up perma nent residence in Australia. Mr. Boye, who was flown from Vanikoro, died in a Sydney hospital at the end of 1947.

Miss L. Mansell, of Suva, Fiji, who travelled by air to Canton Island, en route to Guam, in January, to take up a post with the American forces. Miss Mansell spent two years with the American forces in New Caledonia as stenographer.

New Governor Of

Fiji

Ceremonies of Welcome

THE new Governor of Fiji and High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, Sir Leslie Brian Freeston, accompanied by Lady Freeston and their young daughter, arrived in Suva on the “Matua” on Tuesday, January 20. He was given the warm and colourful greet ing that is customary on the arrival of the Colony’s newly appointed chief ex ecutive.

The “Matua” was greeted with a salute of 17 guns as it came alongside the wharf and a large party of officials and leading residents led by the Acting Governor and Colonial Secretary (Mr. J.

F. Nicoll) immediately met the Vice- Regal Party. A guard of honour was provided by the Fiji Police Force and the band of the Fiji Military Forces.

That afternoon His Excellency was sworn in at the Legislative Council Chambers, and replied to a formal ad dress of welcome.

As usual, the arrival and inauguration of the new Governor was attended by picturesque native ceremonies.

At Nasova, on January 22, His Excel lency was greeted by a laka laka, per formed by the people of the Lau group, and was presented with a tabua and the ceremonial yaqona root.

In acknowledging the native welcome, Sir Brian said that just before leaving London he had been granted an audience by the King, who made it clear that he took great interest in the welfare of the Fijian people, and was appreciative of their loyalty and good service.

The Polio Epidemic

JUST at the time when the Governor arrived, Fiji authorities were re laxing the very stringent quarantine regulations which they had imposed to keep the NZ infantile paralysis epidemic out of the Colony. No restriction was placed upon the entry of the Governor’s daughter, although she is under 19 years of age; and members of the “Matua’s”

Company were given limited facilities for going ashore, of which they took full advantage.

A section of Suva residents made a nrotest against this relaxation of quaran tine and declared it had been arranged for the convenience of the new governor.

Officialdom ignored the protest.

It seems clear that, while there is a danger of this disease becoming an epi demic in temperate countries, there is not need for the same strict precautions in tropical countries; and this is being more generally recognised.

Visit To Solomons

SIR BRIAN FREESTON arrived at Honiara, Administrative Head quarters of the British Solomon Is lands, on February 9 on a brief visit.

New Bishop Of

Melanesia

THE Very Reverend S. G. Caulton, Dean of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Auck land, was consecrated Bishop of Melanesia in Auckland on February 2.

The Prelate of New Zealand performed the ceremony, assisted by seven New Zealand Bishops.

Dean Caulton is the eighth Bishop oi Melanesia. The first was Bishop J. C.

Patteson consecrated in Auckland in 1861.

Lady Ragg, wife of Sir Hugh Ragg, of Fiji, was holidaying in Sydney in Febru ary.

Price Rise For Fiji

Sugar

Bananas, Too From Our Own Correspondent

Suva, Jan 12

BRITISHERS will pay more for Fiji sugar. The price has been increased by £3 (sterling) a ton from Jan uary 1, according to a Colonial Office an nouncement.

The increase will be added to the price of sugar and will be distributed between the Colonial Sugar Refining Company and Fiji’s cane-growers, in accordance with the 1940 agreement.

New Zealand has raised the price of Fiii’s bananas by 1/- to IS/S 1 fob. This increase will be divided equally between the growers and the shippers.

Since January 10, the minimum price to growers has been: Viti Levu, Ovalau and Moturiki, 6/-; other areas, 5/-.

Mr. John Kerr has resigned the post of Principal of the Australian School of Pacific Administration, Sydney, in order to return to the practice of law. His successor has not yet been appointed, and Mr. Kerr will retain supervision over the School for the present. It is antici pated that, shortly, between 60 and 70 students will be attending the School.

"Matua" Passengers

Some o f the passengers who travelled to Auck land by the MV “Matua” at the end of December were:— (Top): Mrs. J. L. Smith, of Suva, travelling to New Zealand on leave. Mr. R. Stinson, who was on his way to Australia to stay with Mr.

R. Griffiths, who now lives in Sydney, but is well-known in Fiji. (Centre): Mr. Strong and Mr. L. Pender, of the Suva Boys’ Grammar School, Fiji, who will live in New Zealand. (Lower): Miss Beth Williams, of Suva, who is now holidaying in New Zealand. Major W. E.

Willoughby-Tottenham, who also intended to holiday in New Zealand.

Services

French Airways

Noumea to Tahiti

Papeete. Jan. 10,

THE newly-formed Societe Francais de Transports Ariens du Pacifique Sud (abbreviated to TRAP AS), is show ing enterprise and energy in developing and extending its new monthly Noumea- Tahiti service, carried on with Catalina amphibians.

Its plane, making its second trip be tween New Caledonia and Tahiti, arrived at Papeete on December 13 and departed on December 18 with a full complement of passengers. It is due here again about January 12.

The route now being followed is Noumea-Nadi (Fiji) Aitutaki (Cook Islands)—Papeete. It may be possible to arrange a regular call at Apia Western Samoa.

TRAPAS hopes to maintain in Tahiti a sufficient establishment to provide air services between the islands of French Oceania The founder, M. Henri Dewez, hopes soon to purchase sufficient additional equipment for a twice-a-month service between New Caledonia and Tahiti. It is also announced that M. Dewez has plans for stimulating the tourist traffic to French Oceania.

French Air Link With Nz

Auckland. Jan. 24.

DISCUSSIONS are in progress here be tween NZ Civil Aviation officials and Colonel R. Migeon (director of Civil Aviation in the French South Pacific). and it is possible that the TRAPAS service between Noumea and Tahiti will be synchronised with the NZ services to Fiji, etc.

Two TRAPAS Catalina amphibians have been here recently. (Dne brought the crew of the MV “Rosalie” from Noumea, and the other brought Colonel Migeon and various civil and TRAPAS officials.

There is some possibility of TRAPAS run ning a service from Noumea to Auckland, via Norfolk Is.

Third Trans-Pacific

Air Service?

IT has been rumoured in Australia that Australian National Airways Pty., Ltd., may start a third air-ser vice between the North American Pacific coast and Australia.

ANA have been contractors to British Commonwealth Pacific Airlines (a com bination representing the socialist gov ernments of Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain); but that arrange ment is to end and BCPA will run their own service shortly.

If ANA does introduce a new service it probably would be under charter to America’s Trans-World Airways which means that probably it would be carried on with Constellation planes.

It is doubtful if the Pacific route war rants a third service at the present time.

With dollar restrictions prevailing in Australia and New Zealand, the existing services are not being run with capacity bookings.

All-Fiji Cricket Team

Now On Tour In NZ

THE 16 members of the Fijian repre sentative cricket team arrived in Auckland by air in mid-February.

The team is comprised of 12 Fijians and four Europeans. The Fijians will play in bare feet and white lava-lavas, it has been reported from Auckland.

The 1948 Tour

From a Special Correspondent

Suva, Jan. 3.

Arrangements are complete for the All-Fiji cricket team to make a tour of New Zealand. The team will leave Fiji in February and return six weeks later, after playing in the four major provinces, Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago, as well as in minor districts.

This is the third tour in Fiji cricket history. The first was organised by the Hon. Mr. J. S. Udal, Attorney General and MCC player, in 1895, following much the same itinerary as the 1948 team will follow. That side was half European and half-Fijian.

In 1908, a Fijian team from the island of Bau, toured Australia and met with much success.

The present tour has been organised by Mr. P. A. Snow, Administrative Officer of Fiji and former Leicestershire County cricketer. He is expected to lead the team. Other members of the team are likely to be Mr. D. L. Freeman, well known in New Zealand test cricket be fore he joined the CSR in Fiji; Ratu George Cakobau who is a successful bow ler and Ratu Edward Cakobau who played first class cricket for Auckland province when he was at school at Wan ganui College.

Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna, the most out standing Fijian of the present day, is President of the Fiji Cricket Association and a keen supporter of the game.

Papuan Bore Down Over Two Miles Progress

Two Miles Progress of APC

THE Australian Petroleum Company Pty., Ltd., reported at the end of January that their bore at Kariava, Papua had reached a depth of 11,682 feet that is, slightly over two and one quarter miles down into the earth.

In spite of a rumour in Australia, last year, of an oil strike, no oil-bearing strata has yet been reached.

APC’s new general manager, Mr. L. A.

Pym, arrived in Melbourne at the end of December. He is an Australian by birth but has had extensive experience in petroleum production with Anglo Iranian Oil Company Ltd., in Iran.

Gold Co.'s Troubles

In N. Guinea

A DISMAL story of frustrations and difficulties, created by the Wardist Administration of New Guinea, was told by the chairman of New Guinea Goldfields Ltd., at the annual meeting on January 23.

NGG Ltd. hold very large areas of rich gold-bearing country in the Bulolo Valley, on the southern side of the Bulolo Gorge, and extending up Edie Creek. The Com pany have ample funds —saved from the 1942 invasion, plus substantial war-dam age compensation—and it made, in 1946, elaborate plans for resuming gold recovery operations on a big scale.

But the programme has been defeated by a multitude of difficulties, all trace able, more or less, to the muddling Socialist policy which has brought about in New Guinea an acute shortage of ship ping, of supplies and of native labour. The chairman gave the shareholders lengthy details of these difficulties —all familiar to readers of the PIM.

Gold is the one remaining commodity which has immediate and unquestioned value in all international finance. One would have imagined that the Australian Government would have done everything possible to assist gold production—such as providing a company like NGG Ltd. with ample transportation and facilities.

But the Socialists, in their hatred of pri vate enterprise, have given this and other mining companies little real help. The Company won little gold in 1947. Its native labour force in 1947, instead of being numbered in thousands, was 247. The chairman points out that this was for tunate —if the Company had had more native labourers, they would have starved, owing to the inefficiency and inadequacy of the Government Shipping Service, on which they depend for supplies.

Death Of Joseph Nobbs

Of Norfolk Is.

ON New Year’s Day a large gathering of Norfolk Island residents at tended the funeral of the late Mr.

Joseph Nobbs. Canon Rook and the Rev. Mr. Gerber conducted the service at the Chapel and at the graveside where sincere tributes were paid to Mr.

Nobbs’s many fine qualities.

Every Island family was represented.

The impressive service and the singing of the anthem written by Driver Chris tian over 100 years ago (“Come Ye Blessed of My Father”) will be long re membered.

Mr. Nobbs belonged to the Pitcairn family of that name. He was held in great esteem by the islanders and was outstanding in his knowledge of agricul ture. It is said of him that he was one of the last of the Master Ploughmen— and on Norfolk Island that still means a great deal. —AAI.

Some "Malaita" Passengers

These passengers sailed from Sydney to Papua-New Guinea ports on the “Malaita” on January 28: Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Dyer, of Rabaul; Mr. Dyer is a technical instructor at the Methodist Mission.

Mr. and Mrs. W. A, Lussick, of “Maramakas” Plantation, New Ireland. Janette and Patricia Farlow.

Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Hammett, who returned to Samarai, Papua, after an absence of 15 years; they were in England during the war. Ronald, Peter and Judith Jessup, of Kavieng.

January 23

Remembrance Services in Sydney and Rabaul

MEMBERS of the New Guinea com munitv met as usual in Martin Place, Sydney, on the morning of January 23, and placed wreaths upon the Cenotaph in memory of those men who fell in the defence of Rabaul.

It was noticeable this year, however, that those who attended the little mem orial ceremony were mostly women, many of them widows of the men who were killed in Rabaul, in January, 1942, or who were subsequently lost.

Although the floral tributes placed upon the Cenotanh made an impressive display, it was noted that, for the most part, they came from individuals rather than from institutions. Wreaths usually sent in by some large institutions were missing, this year.

Ceremonies in Rabaul IF, however, the numbers attending the service in Sydney have diminished during the passing years, January 23 was well marked in Rabaul.

A Dawn Service was held at 5.45 a.m. at the Memorial Stone which has been erected on the shores of Blanche Bay where the NGVR made their heroic stand. The Rev. Mr. Mannering con ducted a simple service after which wreaths were placed on the Stone, by the following: Mr. A. J. Gaskin, on behalf of the local branch of the RSSAILA; Matron Hanlan, for the De partment of Public Health, Rabaul; Mr.

L. Corbett, for Colyer Watson (NG) Ltd.; Mr. G. Smart, for Burns Fhilo & Co. (NG), Ltd.; Captain J. W. Backhouse, for the Ist Ausc. War Criminals Com pound; Mrs. U. Adams, for the New Guinea Women’s Club of Sydney; Miss Dorothy Stewart, for the New Guinea Women’s Association of Melbourne.

There were numerous other tributes on behalf of private individuals.

After this service most of those who had participated returned to Rabaul for breakfast, before attending the second service at 7.30 a.m. at the old Coal Wharf in Rabaul, the place from where the “Montevideo Maru” sailed in June, 1942. There was no service; but wreaths were placed there by a number of local institutions, firms and residents amongst whom were: the RSSAILA; NG Women’s Club of Sydney; New Guinea Women’s Association of Melbourne; Australian War Criminals Compound; Colyer Wat son: Burns Philo, Kuo Ming Tang; New Guinea Chinese Union; Rabaul Citizens Association, etc.

Neglected Stone A RABAUL resident has written us as follows: “The ceremony at the Memorial Stone went off without a hitch, but I still felt a little annoyed with everyone, including myself.

“On the evening before the 23rd., I took the car and drove out to try and find the road to the Stone which stands on the Rabaul side of Vulcan Island. The road was so overgrown as to be impas sible —so I returned home. On the next morning, however, we drove over a road on which the undergrowth had been freshly cut. All the area surrounding the Stone has heavy kunai. and this also had been freshly cut.

“As the service proceeded I couldn’t help but think that it was an unworthj way to remember our dead. Surely these places could be kept free of undergrowth for the entire year. If I were one of those listed for remembrance that day I would wonder at the generosity of spirit which could make a great play and hold special services on one day per* year, yet could not spare the time to keep the

jungle from encroaching on the tiny spot of hallowed ground for the rest of the time.

“I spoke to Mrs. Una Adams about it.

She said that when she first arrived last year the whole thing was so overgrown that she and Mrs. Greenwood cleared the stone with their own hands the day they first went to view it.”

In spite of dollar restrictions 11,000 cases of Canadian canned salmon arrived in Fiji, in January, on the Carpenter ship “Salamaua.” This is the first ship ment since the war.

American Citizenship

For Te Rangi Hiroa?

IT is reported from New Zealand that Sir Peter Buck (Te Rangi Hiroa) is seeking American citizenship.

This has caused some surpise in the Dominion, where Sir Peter is credited with having said: “I was born a Maori and a British subject and shall die as such.” He received his knighthood in the 1946 Birthday Honours.

He has been working with the Ameri cans since 1927 and has, for a number of years, been Director of the Bishop Museum in Honolulu.

Although he is now an international figure and has not taken any active part in New Zealand affairs for many years, he is still regarded by the Maoris as one of their leaders.

He was born in Urenui, NZ, 68 years ago, of a Maori mother and an Irish father. He qualified as a medical man and between 1909 and 1914 entered the New Zealand Parliament as Maori MP.

He served in the Maori Battalion in World War I, and won the DSO. After his return to the Dominion he became increasingly absorbed in Polynesian ethnology.

It was argued that, because of his Polynesian ancestry, he was not eligible for American citizenship. It is reported that to overcome this a special bill was recently introduced in Congress by Mr.

Joseph R. Farrington, the Congressman representing Hawaii, and that the matter has now been referred to the Senate Im migration Committee.

Fiji's Perennial Airport

Problem

Commission Will Consider The Relative Merits of Nausori and Nadi

From Our Own Correspondent

Suva. Jan. 19.

A DECISION on the question of Fiji’s international airport (Nadi or Nausori), which showed signs of be ing delayed for all eternity, may be reached in 1948.

A commission consisting of represent atives of the Governments of Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia and Fiji will start investigations in Fiji on Feb ruary 2.

Unofficial members of the Fiji Legis lative Council, town boards and chambers of commerce have been invited to sub mit memoranda.

It may be concluded that the Lautoka- Suva “war,” which broke out between re sidents on opposite sides of Viti Levu when the question was first raised, will be on again!

In making recommendations, the com mission will consider engineering pro blems, annual and recurrent costs, and social and economic problems connected with the establishment of the main air port.

The Rev. W. J. V. Saville, who spent many years as a missionary in Papua, and retired in 1935, died recently in UK.

Returning To Papua-New Guinea

Among those who returned to the Papua-New Guinea Territory by the “Malaita” on January 28 were the following; (TOP): Miss E. Somerville, of the Anglican Mission, returning to Dogura, after three months’ leave. Mr. K. Lee, going to Samarai, Papua. Mr. B. J. Marshall, who will join Burns, Philp (NG). Ltd., in Port Moresby. The Rev. E. A. Clarke, of the Methodist Mission, Misima Island, Papua; he has just spent 12 months in Australia. Lieut.-Col. O. J. Leighton, Superintendent of Shipping in Port Moresby, returning to Papua, after discussions with the Commonwealth authorities on the question of improving inter-island shipping. (LOWER): Mr. P. J. Bateson, who will visit the Lnmley family in the Trobriands. Miss Dora Wilson, of the Methodist Mission, who was going back to Rabaul. Mr. R. True, who will take up a position in Rabaul. Mrs. P. J. Jessup, who will join her husband in Kavieng, New Ireland. Barbara Farlow, young daughter of D. O. Farlow, of Buka Passage.

New Year Was Whistled In

Papeete, Jan. 3.

FOR the first time in its history, Tahiti welcomed in the New Year with a long blast on a steamer’s siren.

Captain A. van Cromphaut, of the American steamship “Charles C. Jones” was dining ashore on New Year’s Eve, and he sent one of the guests to an nounce midnight with a very long, echo ing blast on his ship’s siren.

The “Charles C. Jones” sailed to-day for Marseilles with a capacity cargo of copra and vanilla beans.

Fraud Charges

pp. 12-15

'Jock' Garden Goes To Trial On Forgery and

Fraud Charges Queer Mixture of Politics in N. Guinea Timber Case

ON January 21, Mr. “Jock” Garden, well-known in Australia as a Labour leader, politician and Government employee, was brought before a Special Federal Court in Sydney, charged with a series of offences, involving forgery and misrepresentation, connected with an application for a timber lease in New Guinea.

THE matter has particular interest for New Guinea and Papua people, be cause the forest areas concerned are on the mainland of New Guinea; the prosecution of Garden followed action taken by Mr. E. J. Ward (Australian Minister for External Territories), who called upon the Commonwealth Investi gation Service to make an inquiry; Mr.

Garden and Mr. Ward have been very close associates in political affairs for a long time, and Mr. Garden, for several years, has held a Governmental position which gave him access at all times to Mr. Ward and his staff; and at least one of the persons mentioned frequently in the proceedings, Mr. Ray Parer, is well-known in New Guinea.

The hearing of the charges lasted from January 21 until February 4, when Gar den was committed for trial the origi nal charges having been amended some what to conform with the evidence ad duced.

The matter is now sub judice, which means that the issues involved in the pending trial may not be commented upon. The following is a summary of the facts brought out in evidence in the preliminary hearing, arranged in chrono logical order, so that New Guinea readers may get some idea of what it is all about: 1944 Sept.—Farrell meets Forshaw in Bris bane, and tells him that Parer has a concession to cut and export timber from an area in the Bulolo Valley, New Guinea.

Nov. 29—Forshaw, accompanied by Biggs, goes to Sydney, and meets Farrell and Garden. Farrell says Parer’s area is 4,000 acres, carrying about 150 million super feet of pine and some red cedar, Dec. 11— Farrell, at a formal interview in Brisbane, meets H. R. Hancock, J. H.

Hancock, two other directors of Hancock and Gore (Sinclair and Hawkins), and Biggs. He produces various documents, one being a power of attorney giving Farrell authority to act on behalf of other members of a syndicate, and an other (written on letter-paper of External Territories Department) indicating that Parer had been granted a timber con cession in New Guinea.

Dec. 18 —Forshaw, with Hancock and another official of the Co., meets Farrell in Sydney.

Dec. 19 —They proceed to Canberra where an agreement to purchase the con cession is made. The concession, ap parently, is being handled by a syndicate, comprising Parer, Garden senior and junior, and Farrell. Upon signing of agree ment, the Co. pays £12,500 to the syndi cate (of which Garden’s share apparently was £4,500); and the Co., undertook to pay another £37,500 when it receives the concession from the syndicate. Alto gether, the Co., is to pay the syndicate

£Loo,Ooo.

Dec. 21—£5,000 paid into Garden’s ac count in E. S. & A. Bank. 1945 April 17 —Parer makes application for a permit for himself, Hancock, Forshaw and W. Parer to enter New Guinea for four weeks to look at mining property.

Ward is of the opinion that Hancock and Forshaw are technical men.

April 20 —Ward telegraphs Parer that, as area in military occupation, he can not give permission.

April 23 —Parer seeks permission for himself and one technical man to go in for one week to inspect mine property.

June —Forshaw and Parer receive per mit and visit Bulolo Valley.

Aug. 13 —Writing on Minister’s official paper, Garden tells Hancock that Parer’s application for a timber license would be duly registered in Parer’s name.

Sept. 7—Department of External Terri tories receives application from Parer to cut timber on area of 4,000 acres in Bulolo Valley area shown on a map, Oct. —Garden sends telegram to Han cock: “Minister instructs me application granted. Necessary papers will be com pleted first week November.”

Oct. 22—Garden writes to Parer, say ing he has been instructed by Ward to inform Parer that lease will be granted.

Nov. 20—Letter written to Parer, signed “E. J. Ward, per J. S. Garden,” com mencing: “This will serve to inform you that your application for timber license in the Bulolo Valley, New Guinea . . . has been approved.” This letter produced to Hancock and Gore.

Nov. 26 —Biggs, on behalf of Hancock and Gore, draws cheque for £37,500, which is handed to Farrell, who gives receipt.

Nov. 27 —Farrell deposits cheque for £37,500 in a trust account in Bank of NSW, Collaroy, Sydney apparently on behalf of syndicate. 1946 April 11 —Farrell’s trust account in Collaroy bank is closed.

May—Hancock and Forshaw visit New Guinea “to see how best to mill the tim ber.” At Lae, they meet Cavanagh, and show him a copy of the letter of Nov. 20, 1945. Cavanagn becomes exciteu, de clares that “someone in Sydney must have gone mad,” and says he will wire McAdam in Port Moresby.

Aug. —Forshaw tells Farrell and Garden of interview with Cavanagh. Garden says that apparently the officials in New Guinea had not been notified by Can bcrra Sept. 4— Hancock formally applied to Minister for permit for entry into New Guinea. (Ward says he never received this letter.) Sept. 19 —Garden replies to Hancock; says he has discussed matter with Minis ter, and hopes it will soon be finalised.

Between 1946 and mid-1947, on a num ber of occasions, Garden gave Forshaw reasons for the delay in producing the formal license to cut timber. 1947 June 2 (just prior to Ward’s departure abroad) —Ward writes formally to Gar den and says he cannot let him know anything further about Parer’s applica tion for a timber license, as all questions relating to timber areas in NG were under review. He would advise further after his return.

June 2—Garden wires Hancock and Gore saying Minister had stated that Parer’s apnlication was not altogether finalised blit that he (Minister) would write Garden later.

June 3 —Garden writes to Biggs on Ward’s Ministerial note-paper, giving reasons for delay, but stating that the area definitely would be granted to Parer.

At some period in 1946 or 1947 (the published reports are garbled) Forshaw was in the Waria area (southwards of Bulolo) and had noticed stands of pine which he thought might serve instead of the Bulolo River Valley timber, if he could get a sawmill license for Lae.

Farrell later told him that the Minister would approve of this and he could go ahead and put in a sawmill at Lae.

Forshaw then said that he would not go ahead with anything until he had seen the Minister.

Nov. B—Forshaw comes to Sydney and sees Ward (now returned from abroad).

Garden was present. According to For shaw, Ward said “Bulolo is out.” They discussed the alternative idea (the Waria). Ward told him to put his ideas into writing and submit them by the following Wednesday when McAdam would be present, Forshaw alleges that he was told to send his letter to Garden.

Later, this day, Forshaw asked Garden if everything was in order. Garden as sured him that it was.

Nov. 10—Back in Brisbane, Forshaw drafts a letter to Ward, complaining strongly about delay and frustration.

This is typed by Briggs’s typist, and sent to Garden. (When the letter is produced in evidence, it is shown that the last page has been re-typed, on different paper, and Forshaw’s signature forged.

One of Ward’s Departmental typists gave evidence that she re-typed that page on Garden’s instructions, before it went to the Minister. The page, as re-typed, omitted all references to Parer’s conces sion and the payment of money to the syndicate.) Dec. 6—Forshaw has another interview in Sydney with Ward. Garden and Mc- Adam are present. McAdam told For shaw that Parer had no license to cut timber in New Guinea. Forshaw, now suspicious and alarmed, reports back to Brisbane.

Dec. 15 —Forshaw again sees Ward taking with him a copy of the letter of Nov. 20, 1945. Ward says he has not known anything of this. He calls in Garden, who admits having signed the letter. - Ward says Garden had no authority to do this and then consults Commonwealth Solicitor, and places matter in hands of Commonwealth Inves tigation Service. 1948 Jan. 2—Garden is summoned to appear before Special Federal Court, on charges involving forgery and fraud.

Mr. Ward’S Evidence

ACCORDING to Mr, Ward’s evidence, Garden on many occasions in 1945, 1946 and 1947 discussed with him the application for a timber license made by Parer; but he had never approved the issue of a license. He had, on the contrary, repeatedly indicated to Garden that the grant of a concession to cut timber in New Guinea was subject to im portant Government policy, which had not been finalised. He denied that he had ever met Ray Parer, Garden had an office close to his office in the Com monwealth Bank Chambers, Sydney; but he had never given Garden permission to use his note-paper or autnority to sign his name. Garden acted for him in many electorate matters. Garden had no staff —when he wanted staff help, he made use of the Minister’s staff.

Ward, under cross-examination, denied that he saw Parer in his office in May, 1944; that Parer said he wanted a tim ber concession; that he had said he would do anything he could for Parer, because he recognised what the Parers had done for New Guinea, but that they would have to move cautiously, because there were others in the field, among them Brett and E. G. Theodore. He also denied that he was to receive £20,000 as his share from the sale of timber con cessions in New Guinea; that he had le ceived £5,000 in £lO notes, in his office, as part of the deal; that he had directed all monies for him to his friend Urquhart; that his wife had told friends that she had won £ll,OOO by backing a horse called Precise. He made his safety deposit box in the Bank of NSW avail able. and it was duly examined, and dis closed nothing that would throw light upon the inquiry.

During this cross-examination of Ward by Isaacs, there were some very angry scenes, in which Ward showed great re sentment of the questions.

No Witnesses For Defence

MR. ISAACS called no evidence for the defence he relied upon his cross examination of the various wit nesses for the Crown to prove his con tention that all that had been done had been done with the knowledge, if not the consent, of the Minister. There were

some bitter clashes between Mr. Isaacs and Mr, Ward when the latter was in the box.

Isaacs brought out the fact that Urquhart, Ward’s closest friend, had risen from the position of railway clerk to the managing directorship of a Sydney company, at some £2,000 per annum, via Mr. Ward’s former Department, in recent years; that large sums of money had

SS*to'wded b too4h OU iS- :

Ward amdlcatlons° for nermits totoDOTt mods- and that Mr Wkrd and Mr Urquhart .were together in 1947. (Urquhart in evidence said he got most of his money on the racecourse, especially in backing a horse called Precise; and Ward said that the meeting of himself and Urouhart in London was quite accidental.) The Crown, in this case, apparently made no attempt to trace the fate of the £37,500 paid by Hancock and Gore on November 26, 1945. Altogether, this Co. Paid out £50,000. £12,500 seems to have been divided up in some way between members of the syndicate (Garden, Garden junior, Parer and Farrell); but the balance of £37,500 is lost to sight after it was paid into Farrell’s Trust Account on November 27, 1945. .

A Full Inquiry Needed leadin.r artiole- g ’ as ,ts I ieaa ng article.

N 'due course a jury will determine whether Mr. J. S. Garden is innocent or guilty of the charges on which he has been committed from the Special Court.

But evidence given at the preliminary hearing has raised other questions touch ing public administration which call for the strictest inquiry, whatever the out come of the Garden case. Public opinion has been deeply disturbed by some of the disclosures made and their implications.

These clearly call for a thorough inves tigation by a Royal Commission with wide terms of reference.

The Government should need no prompting in this regard. If there has been administrative laxity, the facts should be fully explored and revealed.

It must seem extraordinary that though Mr. Garden, as a “liaison officer,” had nothing to do with Mr. Ward’s de partment, he should have had such ready access to the Ministerial suite, and should have been able, as late as November last, according to evidence given, to employ the services of a typist in the External Territories Department.

Another matter requiring further eluci dation is the relationship between Mr.

Ward and the former national service officer whose appointment as managing director of a typewriter agency he was in strumental in procuring. When this company sought a licence to import type writers from Sweden, Mr. Ward became, as he admitted, the intermediary between the firm and the Department of Import Procurement.

Is it customary for a Minister to give this kind of assistance? Does the favoured applicant thereby obtain an ad vantage not available to other business concerns?

Mr. Urquhart seems to have been most fortunate in his Ministerial friend.

(Continued on page 13)

French Pacific

Air Service

In this group. Mr. Tony Bam bridge (left) and members of his family give a welcome in Tahiti to Mr. Henri Dewez, of the Trapas Company, owner of the plane which has inaugurated a new air service between New Caledonia and Tahiti, via Fiji, and the Cook Islands.

Below, a photo by Du Pont, of Tahiti, shows the Trapas flying boat in Papeete harbour.

A committee set up in Tahiti to assist the interests of Trapas consists of MM Robert Herve, Lemaitre (Bank of Indo-Chine), Yves Martin (son of Emile Martin, well-known electrical contractor), and Anthony Bambridge (probably Tahiti’s best-known merchant).

Apart from these matters, there is ob vious need for an investigation into both policy and administration where the dis posal of New Guinea timber lands is concerned. Rightly or wrongly, grave misgivings as to the present state of affairs have been aroused by some of the evidence given in the Special Court.

For this reason also the Government has a duty to assure the public that it will appoint a Royal Commission as soon as the Garden case Is disposed of.

Possible Attack On Ward

IT was reported in the “Sunday Tele graph” of February 8, that, when Parliament assembles this month, the Opposition will move for the sus pension of Mr. Ward from Ministerial office until the “Jock” Garden trial is disposed of.

When the renort was referred to Mr.

Ward on February 9, he ridiculed it. He said: “There is nothing original in the idea. Anti-Labour forces have been de siring my resignation ever since I became Cabinet Minister. The ‘Sunday Tele graph’ had the report in the wrong sec tion of the paper. It should have been on the comic page.”

The People Concerned

p. 12

John Smith (“Jock”) Garden.—Born In

Scotland, educated for the Church; was a clergyman in his early days. Became a trade union official in Sydney; was secretary of the Trades and Labour Council for years; was an ardent supporter of J. T. Lang when Lang was causing turmoil; entered Common wealth Parliament and, with Ward, Beasley, Gander, and one or two others, formed the Lang Labour section within the Labour Party; left Parliament after three years, and became a Liaison Official in 1942 in Depart ment of Labour and National Service, of which Ward originally was Ministerial head, and held that post until present proceedings commenced. Closely associated with Ward over many years, and was Ward’s chief political adviser and executive in East Sydney electorate.

E. J. WARD, Australian Minister for External Territories since 1943.

RAY PARER, who won fame soon after World War I by flying (with Mclntosh) a small, dilapidated plane from Britain to Sydney. He took one of the first planes to New Guinea, and, subsequently, in New Guinea, engaged in commercial flying and other enterprises.

EDWARD FARRELL, formerly an official of the Department of Labour and National Service (where, presumably, he was associated with Garden).

HARCOURT GARDEN, son of J. S. Garden.

THE “SYNDICATE,” alleged to consist of J. S.

Garden, Harcourt Garden, Parer, and Farrell.

Alleged to have received £50,000 from Han cock & Gore, Ltd.

WILLIAM MORRIS URQUHART, now managing director of Sydney Pincombe, Ltd., and a close personal friend of Mr. Ward. Was formerly a clerk in the Railways Tourist Bureau, and after that (from 1942) an official in the Department of Labour and National Service. Was very closely associated with Ward in political organisations; and was re commended to the directors of Sydney Pin combe, Ltd., by Mr. Ward in 1946.

HENRY ROY HANCOCK, of the old-established Queensland timber company of Hancock & Gore, Ltd.

HENRY GEORGE FORSHAW, logging manager for Hancock & Gore, Ltd.—his Job being to keep supplies of logs up to the firm’s saw mills.

ERNEST E. BIGGS, of Brisbane, a solicitor, who acted for Hancock & Gore, Ltd.

J. B. McADAM, Acting Secretary of the Forestry Department, Papua-New Guinea.

J. CAVANAGH, a Forestry Officer in Lae, New Guinea.

MR. SHAND, KC, counsel for the Crown.

MR. SIMON ISAACS, counsel for J. S. Garden.

MR. ATKINSON, SM, presiding over the Special Federal Court.

More Politics

Less Quarantine and More Politics Polio Panic Wanes In West Samoa

From Our Own Correspondent

Apia, Feb. 1.

EXCITEMENT over the infantile para lysis epidemic in New Zealand, and the possible introduction of the disease into Western Samoa, is dying down although quarantine precautions are still being enforced.

There are no indications that the epidemic will reach here and as it ap pears now to be on the wane in New Zealand, the present strict restriction on travellers wishing to enter the Territory will probably be lifted in the near future.

Meantime, public interest is turning again to politics. In January the Samoans held large political meetings with the intention of selecting eleven Samoan representatives for the new Legislative Council.

As usual in Samoan gatherings, the proceedings were lengthy and the district representatives could not agree on eleven candidates, but submitted a list of 31 candidates, asking the Fautua (Malietoa, Mataafa and Tamasese) to pick out the necessary 11 from the 31 names sub mitted.

The date for the election of the five European representatives has not yet been announced.

Death Of An Official

Papeete, Jan. 3.

NEWS has been received here that M.

Colombel who was for many years in the service of the local govern ment, was found dead in his home on the island of Tubuai, on December 28, in circumstances which indicated suicide.

The French sloop “Durmont D’urville” has left for Tubuai with M. Alfred Ahnne,, Administrator of the Austral Group, to make enquiries.

Mrs. E. A. James of Port Moresby and Miss Lorna James arrived in Sydney in January. They will spend three months there. Mr. E. A. James will join them for a few weeks in February.

M. Louis Alexis Martin was married in Papeete on December 8 to Miss Lizette Levy. The bridegroom is the son of M.

Emile Martin, one of the leaders of the commercial community in Papeete.

Ayson

Death Of Judge

Notable Cook Islands Administrator

MR. H. F. Ayson, formerly Resident Commissioner and Chief Judge in the Cook Islands, died at his home in Days Bay, Wellington, NZ, on Febru ary 1, at the age of 63.

Judge Ayson (as he was usually known) had a lengthy and distinguished career in the Cook Islands, with which he was associated for over 27 years. He administered the territory with wisdom and kindness, which particularly en deared him to the islanders.

Judge Ayson first went to the Cook Is lands in 1916, when he was appointed Judge of the High Court and Native Land Court at Rarotonga. In 1922 he was appointed Resident Commissioner and Chief Judge, which positions he held continuously, except for an absence of one year (during which he was attached to the Native Department), until near the end of 1943, when he retired owing to ill-health. The CMG was conferred on him in 1930. He is survived by his wife and two daughters, Mesdames T. N.

N. Rogers (Palmerston North) and K.

E. Francis (Whakatane).

Judge Ayson and Mrs. Ayson, photographed at a garden party in Rarotonga in 1939.

An Historical District

Papeete, Jan. 3.

POPULAR Teamio Tehaamatai has been re-elected chief of the dis trict of Papara.

Papara is of interest to all Polynesians because it was from that coast that the canoes set out, 600 years ago, to find and populate New Zealand, and thus estab lish the famous people called Maoris.

Mdlle Liliane Miller, daughter of M. and Mdme. Charles Miller, of Papeete, was married on November 22, in the Cathedral of Papeete, to M. Frederic Ellacott, son of Mdme. W. Ellacott of Bora-Bora, French Oceania,

Remarkoble Trade Figures

W. Samoa Is Still

Booming

From Our Own Correspondent

Apia, Jan. 28.

PRELIMINARY figures for the trade of W. Samoa in 1947, show that the total trade of the Territory (Im ports and Exports) was well over £2,000,000 in value or about double the figure for 1946.

The increase is accounted for by the large rise in the cocoa and copra prices during the year, while imports showed an increase in volume and value, mainly due to price increases in a great variety of imported goods, including foodstuffs and building materials.

There are some interesting sidelights on the continuing prosperity of the com munity. Government liquor sales for in stance during 1947 amounted to the record figure of over £20,000.

The building boom continues and large quantities of building materials are im norted by every shin arriving from over seas. The Samoans, with their greatly increased purchasing power, compete now with the Europeans in buying new motor cars, American refrigerators, radios, bi cycles and other modern and expensive conveniences.

The island of Savaii, which in former times always took a back seat, against the sonhisticated inhabitants of the is land of Upolu, is no more a land of backward country cousins. They are flush with money they obtain from the proceeds of their large cocoa plantations and are treated with respect by other Samoan districts which have been less foresighted and dilligent in planting cocoa.

The recent dron in the cocoa price of £4O per ton seems'to have been of a tem porary' nature, and cocoa markets have recovered again.

The present price is £245 per ton f.o.b.

Apia, but as January is the off-season for cocoa and the new crop will not be picked before March-April, very little cocoa is offering locally.

The Rev. A. C. Hobson, of the Anglican Mission has been serving, in Apia, W.

Samoa.

Aust. Trade Mission Will Attempt

pp. 16-17

Timber For Coal

Aust. Trade Mission Will Attempt To Iron Out Difficulties With N. Caledonia

BECAUSE France is ham-strung by wild politicians who keep her gov ernment continually in turmoil, Australia has at present a unique trade opportunity in New Caledonia and New Hebrides—although this, of course, de pends to a large degree upon Australia’s own domestic set-up and whether or not her trade unionists can be persuaded to produce sufficient to have a surplus for export.

Before 1939 metropolitan France was keen to hold every economic advantage she had in her Pacific colonies. How ever, from the time France fell to the Nazis in 1940, until 1945, these Colonies were forced to turn more and more to wards Australia, the United States and

New Zealand for essential goods, and since the end of hostilities frequent poli tical disturbances in France plus lack of transport, have resulted in a continua tion of this policy.

It is interesting to note that, in the first nine months of 1947, New Caledonia imported from Australia 160,000,000 francs worth of goods, and from USA a similar amount, and from France only 74,000,000 francs worth. New Caledonia’s balance of trade is very much against her, however, and in the same period the Colony sold to Australia only 13,000,000 francs worth of woods. Australia’s main purchase from New Caledonia is nickel.

AGROWING demand for self-deter mination in Colony affairs over re cent years has made New Cale donians, as a whole, anxious to get closer to Australia in the economic field. In many respects the French colonials of New Hebrides and New Caledonia feel more closely akin to Australasia, now

than they do to Europe. They therefore will probably welcome the Australian banking and trade mission which left for the French Colonies in January.

The idea of the mission is to iron out difficulties and discuss reciprocal trade between Australia and New Caledonia and the New Hebrides.

Australia already has large land in terests in the New Hebrides which could under an expansionist government, be utilised in several ways. The present Australian Government, however, cannot be called expansionist and it is unlikely that much will be done with that land at present unless it is utilised for timber development.

Timber is probably Australia’s greatest need at present and there are hopes that the mission will at least be able to make some arrangements in that direction.

Australia would be willing to take £1,000,000 worth of timber per year from New Caledonia alone, if that colony would make it available.

NEW CALEDONIAN authorities are expected to press, in return, for in creased coal shipments from Aus tralia, upon which Caledonian smelters are dependent. That, however, is quite another matter, and one dependent upon the good-will of the capricious New South Wales coal miners.

Australian industrv itself is in a state of slow starvation because of the con tinually diminishing margin between coal production and coal consumption in the Commonwealth. Scarcely one month passes in New South Wales when either gas, electricity, train service or industry (or all of them) is not interrupted be cause of hold-ups and failing production on the New South Wales coal-fields. In dustry and services in Victoria and South Australia, which also are largelv depen dent on NSW coal, fare even worse If Australia’s chances of securing tim ber from New Caledonia are dependent upon increased shipments of coal to that Colony, the Australian mission will not only have to do some fast thinking but also some very smart work in inducing the NSW coalminers to work more fre quently and much harder. To date, neither coal tribunals, coal commissions, conciliation commissioners, union leaders, mine owners nor State and Federal poli ticians have been able to achieve this.

Recently, the Broken Hill Proprietary Ltd., decided not to exploit New Cale donia’s vast iron ore deposits, which it had been investigating. The reason given by BHP was that nickel and chrome were present in the ore; but a contribu tary factor may have been the lack of a firm guarantee from the Colony that ex port tax on iron ore would not be im posed.

It is obvious that at present Australia has a good opportunity of finding a handy market for her coal, foodstuffs and manufactured goods, by assisting in developing, if their Governments permit it, New Caledonia’s and New Hebrides’ mineral and timber resources. But it should be remembered that Australia has vast mineral and timber resources in New Guinea and Papua, also. There has been absolutely no attempts by the Aus tralian Government to develop these, even though they are in her own Terri tories.

Devaluation of the Franc

SINCE the Australian mission left for the French colonies, metropolitan France has created a specially de valued Export Franc, with a view to stimulating her exports. This, naturally, has caused devaluation of the Metropoli tan Franc. There has, as yet, been no devaluation of the Pacific Franc, although some uneasiness has been felt in New Caledonia in recent months that some thing of the sort may be attempted.

To date, it seems that trade agreements

between the United Kingdom and France will prevent undue upsets in the balance of trade at least for the present.

What affect this devaluation will have in Pacific trade particulars between Australasia and the French Pacific Colo nies is, unpredictable, at the present time.

Mysterious Outbreak of Polio

p. 17

Polio In BSI No Contacts With Infected Areas In Aust.-NZ

Honiara, Jan. 22.

POLIOMYELITIS appeared mysteri ously among the native population of the BSI Protectorate on Decem ber 15, when a native prisoner at Honiara proved to be an infantile paralysis victim.

Simultaneously in Christmas week, 17 other cases were reported from three widely separated areas at Hobu Hobu (Western Solomons), on Malaita, at Ruavatu (on the Guadalcanal coast).

There was also one more case in Honiara.

A special announcement by the SMO over the Government radio station, was made on January 5, urging all Govern ment and mission personnel to be on the look-out for cases and outlining isolation measures and treatment.

Meanwhile reports coming in from scattered areas, many of them of cases dating back as far as mid-November, brought the total cases up to 76, by January 18.

It has been impossible to trace the origin of the outbreak or to link it with outside sources. In some instances, cases occurred in remote villages having no contact with the out side world. In Honiara, where close on 1,000 natives are now on the Government pay-roll and where any epidemic might be expected to take its toll the disease has been comparatively light only 16 patients being admitted to the special ward set aside for polio sufferers at Central Hospital. The only conclusion seems to be that a mild form of polio is endemic in BSI.

Male adolescents have been the most affected age-group, with' young women and children in the minority.

It is too early as yet to say what pro portion of patients will show permanent crippling. The majority of cases have been extremely light, the patients being no more troubled than as sufferers from a common cold. Death has occurred in only two or three instances.

To protect those areas unaffected, local shipping will be controlled until Febru ary 22, when the position will again be reviewed.

The little Honiara school for eight European children is closed until further notice. No Europeans have contracted the disease to date.

No shipping from the Protectorate is allowed to visit New Guinea ports. By arrangement with the New Hebrides,

special precautions are being observed in connection with the Trans-Oceanic plane due to visit here on January 24 to pick up seven passengers for Sydney, via Santo and Vila.

It will land at Tulagi, as the Nggela area is totally unaffected.

Sydney, Feb. 2.

WHEN Mr. B. Monkton of Trans oceanic Airways returned from BSI to-day he said that Solomon Islanders had thrown off the disease in a remarkable fashion. They were mak ing full recoveries within 10 days.

No Australia-Tahiti Air

p. 17

Mail

ALTHOUGH letters from Tahiti, bear ing airmail postage, are regularly de livered in Australia, the Australian Post Office refuses to accept mail for de livery to Tahiti by air—everything must go surface mail. This, according to the Australian Postmaster General’s Depart ment, is because there is no reciprocal agreement regarding airmail postage revenue between French Oceania and Australia.

The matter is now under discussion be tween the two countries.

The Australian Department of External Territories has received over £706 from the people of Nauru as a contribution to the Food for Britain Fund.

Western Samoa's New Radio Station

The new radio station near Apia, Western Samoa. A new radio link between the islands of Upolu and Savali was expected to be in operation in the new year.

Many villages have been equipped with radio receivers.

Commission

South Pacific

USA Ratifies-First Meeting in 1948

IN the last week of January the United States Congress ratified the South Pacific international agreement. This occurred exactly one year after the agreement was made at the conference in Canberra.

Representatives of the six nations with colonial and territorial interests in the South Pacific met in Canberra on Janu ary 28 last year and, after several days in conference, agreed to the establish ment of a South Pacific Commission to act as “a consultative and advisory bodv to the participating Governments in matters affecting the economic and social development of the. non-self-governing territories within the scope of the com mission and the welfare and advance ment of their peoples.”

Great Britain, Australia and New Zea land accepted the terms of the agree ment last year; the United States has followed suit; and all that is now re quired is the concurrence of the French and Netherlands Governments for the commission to be called into being.

Acceptance by the government of the Netherlands is expected at any time. But there has been nothing lately to show that France is likelv to take further action the French Parliament has been rather deeply preoccupied with domestic affairs.

The next meeting of delegates will be the first full meeting of the Commission after ratification probatalv about the middle of 1948 and it will be held in Australia probably Sydney. One of the first decisions to be taken there will be the selection of a home for the Com mission the present headauarters, at the School of ‘ Pacific Administration, Georges Heights, Sydney, is only a tem porary arrangement. Two or three places have been considered. Suva seems to be favourite: but Port Moresby, strongly supported by the Anzac section, is second favourite.

Although Mr. John Kerr has resigned the position of Principal of the School of Pacific Administration, he will retain office as Organising Secretary of the South Pacific Commission, at least until the Commission has held its first regu lar meeting.

Lingatu, Bsi Port, Is In

Favour

THE Trans-Oceanic flying-boats which are running fairly often between Sydney, New Hebrides and Solo mons, are making considerable use of the nort of Lingatu, in the Russell Group, BSI, rather than Honiara (the new capital, where the port is not liked) or Tulagi, the old capital, which is now semi-abandoned. Quite a lot of general traffic is now going to Lingatu, which is regarded as the headquarters in the Solomons of Levers Pacific Plantations, Ltd.

New French Schooner

Papeete, Jan. 3.

THE new schooner intended for French Oceania, the “Orohena,” is now loading in San Francisco for Papeete. She will be in command of Captain Charles Bailly, who left here some months ago to take over the ship.

The schooner which is named after one of the peaks of the island of Tahiti —is expected here early in February.

Sydney-Frisco Run

pp. 19-20

No Ships Yet For

"Aorangi" May Be Back This Year But Matson Ships In definite

A SPOKESMAN for the Union Steam ship Co., has stated that the com pany’s trans-Pacific liner “Aorangi” should be back on the Sydney-Vancouver run by mid-1948. As pre-war, she will call at Auckland, Suva and Honolulu.

This vessel has been in dock in Sydney for the past two years undergoing recon version after war service. At the out set it was expected that she would take no longer than six months for refitting, but incessant dislocations and delays at the docks postponed her resumption of service, first to mid-1947, then to Febru ary, 1948, and now to mid-1948.

Even with this long delay, “Aorangi” will beat the Matson ships, “Monterey” and “Mariposa,” back into the trans pacific service.

The Matson ships were released by the US Navy in mid-1946. It was announced then that they and the “Lurline” (on the Honolulu run) were to go into dock on the Pacific coast and be completely re built from the waterline. It was expected that the job on the three vessels would cost about 20,000,000 dollars, and, that the ships would be ready for service by the end of 1946.

Constant industrial trouble caused this schedule to be abandoned altogether, and all work was abruptly halted on the “Mariposa” and “Monterey” last July, and has not been resumed to date.

Reasons given at the time were the rising cost of materials, labour, etc.

The original estimates for recondition ing were 6,000,000 dollars per vessel.

These were later revised to 10,000,000 dollars per vessel but when work on the “Monterey” was halted last July, the cost had already exceeded the later esti mates.

It was found that to reconvert the vessels in 1947 would cost more than the total cost of building them had done in 1932. (Original cost was approximately 8,500,000 dollars per vessel.) Although work was abandoned on the “Monterey” and “Mariposa,” it was de cided to continue with the reconversion of the “Lurline” which may be ready for the Frisco-Honolulu trade by March, 1948.

At the time the decision was taken the “Lurline” was nearer completion than the other ships; she was also des tined for a healthier trade Matson having the virtual monopoly of the ship ping between the Pacific coast of USA and Hawaii.

The American Government will pay 5,000,000 dollars towards the reconversion of the “Lurline” an amount calculated to cover the wear and tear that the ship suffered while she was used by the Navy.

The same amount will be paid by the Government on each of the other ships also but reconversion must be com pleted before the company can collect.

Reconversion May Resume

THE Matson Company recently decided to resume reconversion of the “Monterey” and “Mariposa” if it can be done in shipyards other than their own on the Pacific coast. Tenders were to close on January 31.

It is believed that Bethlehem, at Fore River, Quincy, Mass., might be interested in the job. Both shins were built in this yard originally. It is believed that even the considerable expense of towing the 26,000 ton ships through the Panama

Canal would be offset by lower costs of shipbuilding on the East Coast of America. To save money, however, the two ships might be made sufficiently sea worthy to make the trip under their own steam The President of the Matson Company, Mr. John E. Cushing, said in January that the Atlantic coast was much better equipped than the Pacific coast for pas senger-ship building. Steel is also cheaper, although wages are about the same. Mr. Cushing was reluctant to discuss the reasons why work on the luxury ships was abandoned in mid-1947, other than to state that rising costs had forced the decision.

IT is believed in some quarters in Aus tralia that the real reason why work stopped on the two ships was because the United States Government refused to allow the Matson Company what the Matson Company had expected for Navy wear and tear during the war.

A Presidential advisory committee re cently recommended that the “Mariposa” and “Monterey” be completed and re turned to the Australia-Pacific coast service. But whereas the existing US legislation allows the Maritime Commis sion to subsidise new passenger ships, the position is not clear with regard to re converted ships.

Air competition is now a big factor in the operation of any trans-Pacific ser vice. Pan-American Airways are run ning two trips a week between Sydney and San Francisco and one trip a week between Auckland and San Francisco, with corresponding return trips. Aus tralian National Airways are running three trips per fortnight from Sydney and one trip per fortnight from Auck land. Time taken is about 2 h days, in comparison with Matson’s pre-war aver age of 17 days. Air travel on the Pacific route is not cheap; but it is expected

that travel on the reconverted trans pacific luxury ships will not be cheap, either.

Present dollar restrictions in Australia have curtailed all travel from the Com monwealth to the United States, and it was stated recently that planes have been leaving Sydney with only one-third of seating capacity booked. Therefore, trans-Pacific passenger ships would have to depend for much of their trade upon American tourists, or travellers from in termediate ports to and from Sydney and San Francisco.

At all events, it appears quite definite that “Monterey” and “Mariposa” will not be back on their old run this year.

"Bulolo" Will Return to Pacific

THE modern motor-vessel “Bulolo,” which was well known to New Guinea travellers just before the war, should be back in the Pacific by the end of this year.

“Bulolo” was taken over by the British Admiralty at the outbreak of war in 1939, and saw a great deal of service, both in the Mediterranean and the North Sea.

She was at almost every Allied invasion in the Northern hemisphere, and became qne of the best known Naval ships. Early in 1942, she was allocated to Admiral Mountbatten, then chief of combined

operations, as the first headquarters ship.

“Bulolo” was retained by the Admiralty until recently. Now, however, she is at a shipbuilding yard in the Clyde under going reconversion. This is expected to be complete by May, 1948.

The ship, when she was taken over in 1939, was owned by Burns Philp & Co., Ltd. Since then, however, much has altered in the Australian shipping world and most of Burns Philps 4 island ships are still controlled by the Australian Shipping Board.

It is unknown, at present, whether or not “Bulolo” will be returned to the Big Firm; or what Pacific run she will under take. The Papua-New Guinea service is more in need of a ship of the “Bulolo’s” capacity now, however, than it ever was when the ship was first put on the run in 1938.

The “Montoro,” which had been re tired and virtually disposed of at the outbreak of war, is still doing the bulk of the work on the Sydney-New Guinea route.

Ng Scholarship Fund

p. 20

THE New Guinea Scholarship Fund showed a substantial increase dur

ing January. Miss Dorothy Stewart,

Secretary of the Fund, reports from

Rabaul that the following amounts were received:— Acknowledged to December 31, 1947 £3,416 5 6 Mrs. L. Pratt, 31 Alma Street, East Malvern, Vic. (Proceeds raffle fountain pen) 4 12 0 Mrs. E. D. and Miss Betty Gas coigne, 21 Clark Street, Prahran, Vic 500 Mrs. Ray and Miss Valda Youlden, 21 Clark Street, Prahran, Vic. . 2 2 0 S. M. Ruddell, Palms Theatre, Rabaul 220 Mr. and Mrs. Dal Chambers, Induna Plantation, Rabaul ... 550 Mr. and Mrs. W. A. P. Luke, Wire less Station, Rabaul 10 10 0 Anglican Mission and Diocese of New Guinea, Samarai, Papua .. 10 0 0 Total as at January 31, 1947 .. £3,455 16 6

Meaning "Experts"

p. 20

Native Races And Well

A NOTE from Dr. Francis W. Hughes, of Edenton, North Carolina, USA: I take this opportunity to commend your policy of conservation against the way present-day governments are making asses of themselves in native adminis tration, guided principally by “experts” who have never seen a native except per haps on a casual visit.

I lived two years at a MG Hospital in the Marshall Islands; I speak Marshal lese fluently, and believe that I know the people better than most Americans; and I am familiar with Samoans to a lesser extent.

We have little to offer the Marshallese culturally or economically other than medical care. Their clan form of social organisation meets their every social problem their islands, while affording a comfortable and secure living, cannot produce money to buy much outside goods. Yet our Government discourages their clan and chieftainship systems and offers but a poor substitute.

It appears to us that the ideal govern ment there would be based on that of Tonga, with a minimum of interference by officious pedagogues who don’t under stand and don’t care to understand native psychology.

I am, etc.,

Dr. Francis W. Hughes

Neglected Wealth

pp. 21-22

The Dismal Story Of The New Guinea Timber Industry

From a Special Correspondent

Port Moresby, Jan. 23

APROPOS of the inquiry concerning New Guinea leases, now proceeding in Sydney—if you will turn to page 23 of the “PIM” of October, 1945 (over two years ago) you will see that you published the following, based on an in terview with Mr. Tom Flower, the Papua sawmiller: — “One report says that the Government —or, at least, four minor Ministers, re presenting a little-respected section of the Government has been carrying on discussions with a ‘local syndicate,’ headed by a Wau dentist and a New Guinea aviator, and that the negotia tions had proceeded a considerable dis tance. It was not indicated that any of the interests concerned had any prac tical knowledge of the lumber industry— the profit motive seemed to be the main consideration.

“Well-wishers of New Guinea hope still that the Australian Government will display enough vision to use Australia’s clamant hunger for timber to establish a new and profitable industry in that Territory. The only certain way to do this is to throw the situation wide open to private enterprise, under proper con trol. But no such decision is expected from the people who now are in charge in Canberra. Thev are more likely to try to establish a State-owned industry.”

At that time (1945), Mr. Flower said he had all the plant and facilities avail able for quickly developing a big timber export industry, for the great benefit of

these Territories, but he could not get the Australian authorities to move, in his favour, or in any other direction.

It is interesting to know now, after the lapse of more than two years, that Mr. Flower is still trying to get some as sistance and co-operation from the Ad ministration, but in vain. He says he has enough equipment at hand to supply all the needs of two Territories—but he cannot get logs to saw.

He has been granted an area about 18 miles from Port Moresby—but this is on the other side of a range, and he can not get at it until he has constructed six miles of road. He cannot now work this area, in any event, because this is the wet nor’west season. When he asked permission to get logs off another area, near a river on which he could have floated the logs out, the Administration said it was agreeable—but it would have to call public tenders.

No one objected to that —but the Ad ministration is still dithering around, and nothing is done in the way of formula ting a timber policy.

Why—O why—do the powers-that-be not get on with the job, and give the Territories a chance to benefit substan tially from this world-wide clamour for timber! Inquiries for timber are arriv ing here from all parts of the world.

The demand is incredible.

Mr. Flower tells me that he is ship ning logs regularly to Australia —mostly Ilimo, from the Laloki River —and his Sydney buyers have given him carte blanche to supply as much as he can. Il imo in Sydney is commanding 99/3 per hundred super ft., fixed price, which is 47/- more than NSW hardwoods. Yet the Port Moresby experts class Ilimo as third-class timber and fix the price of

1-inch planks at 52/6, less 10 per cent, to the Government —which is 10/- per hundred super feet less than local hard woods.

Papua and New Guinea have sources of great wealth in their gold, coconuts, timber, and so forth, all more or less awaiting the magic touch of private enterprise to bring large revenues to all concerned. But the Government hates private enterprise, and does little or

nothing to help miners, planters, traders and sawmillers. But it is spending Aus tralian taxpayers’ money at the rate of about £3,000,000 per annum, in an attempt to establish a kind of Elysium for natives who are not yet out of the Stone Age.

What a set-up!

"Cheng Ho" At Tahiti

Papeete, Jan. 19.

THE French junk “Cheng Ho” arrived here in December, from Honolulu, via Christmas Island. She is in command of her new owner, Mr. Eric de Bishop. They expect to leave in a few days on the return voyage to Honolulu.

A new bi-weekly newspaper, “Le Cale donien,” founded and directed by Mr. P.

Jeanson, has made its appearance in Noumea, New Caledonia.

The Change Among The

Territories' Costs

The Change Among The Natives

Prom a Special Correspondent

Port Moresby. Jan. 17.

ALL costs in the Australian Pacific Territories are soaring, and it is be coming increasingly difficult to pro fitably conduct any kind of enterprise, in the face of an unsympathetic Admin istration.

It now costs 18/- per week to feed a native labourer, and it is common to hear of them getting £lO per month, and found.

Even so, most of them seem to have lost the will to work, and their ways of life are changing. By the appearance of some of them—who prefer a bottle of lolly-water and a loaf of white bread to their old kai-kai of rice and bully beef —the change is not to their advantage.

It is sheer folly to try to bring them from the Stone Age to the present period in one generation.

We have been accused of “exploiting” the natives, in the 20 years between the Wars. But, by comparison, the New Planners have done the natives far more harm in the last seven or eight years than we did in 20 years. Our natives were much better off, happier and healthier —they were making the grade, from Stone Age to Petrol Age, quite sat isfactorily. The present-day natives are bewildered, depressed and unhealthy— they don’t know where they are, or where they are going.

One never hears natives nowadays sing ing, as they used to do. Now, when they put on a dance or sing-sing, they dodge the native dress, and wear singlets, shorts, shirts —almost everything except a mess jacket and black pants.

They are now full of big ideas about what their pay and conditions should be —the New Planners have crippled the white employers and more or less ruined the native labourers.

I sometimes wonder what our old friend Sir Hubert Murray would say if he could see the conditions that have developed within so short a time in the country he loved and understood so well.

Outstanding Young Fijians

Returning Home

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Suva, Jan 12

TWO young Fijian leaders, Ratu Ed ward Cakobau, MC, and Ratu Penaia Ganilau, have completed their course in administration at Oxford University, and sailed from England for Fiji at the end of January.

Dr. J. A. R. Dovi, who had a bril liant career as a medical student in New Zealand and later served in Fiji and with the Fijian forces during the war, is now returning to Fiji from the British Solomons, where he has been stationed for 18 months.

He will go to England this year for further study.

Samoa's Big Surplus

Apia, Jan. 12

THE Administrator, Colonel F. W, Voelcker, reported to the Samoan Legislative Council to-day that the revenue anticipated at the end of the present year was approximately £529,760 and expenditure £442,170. It was re ported that Administration salaries and wages would amount to about £lOO,OOO, but would probably be increased by £50,000.

Paper Pulp Co's Interest

In Papua

IT is interesting to note, from the list of Crown Lease rents, published in the Papua-New Guinea Gazette of January 19, that the British Australian Pulp and Paper Co., Ltd., now has ex tensive leases in north and north-eastern Papua.

Total area of the Company’s leases is between 60 and 70 thousand acres, an nual rental amounting to over £BOO.

An exclusive right to cut kurukuru grass (called kunai, in the old Mandated Territory) was granted the company in this area last July. Kurukuru has been compared to Esparto and is capable of being manufactured into high grade paper.

There has been no indication from Papua that the company has, as yet, cut any grass or began operations on its leases.

Mahogany In Fiji

Experiments in the cultivation of large-leafed mahogany which have been carried out in Fiji indicate that it will be a useful asset to the colony.

Small-scale experiments have been started to examine the possibility of improving the natural forest by means of strip-planting mahogany at wide in tervals. Eight-year-old trees have now grown to between 30 and 40 feet high.

During the war seed was unobtainable, but supplies have since been received from Ceylon, and large-scale planting will now be undertaken.

Some years ago two trees from Fiji were sent to the Imperial Institute in London. A very favourable report on the qualitv of the mahogany was re ceived and it appeared that the tree was suited to Fiji’s needs. —“NZ Herald.”

Bishop Kempthorne's

25th Anniversary

ON March 4 this year the Rt. Rev. L.

S. Kempthorne will have attained the 25th anniversary of his conse cration as Bishop in Polynesia. His headquarters are in Suva, Fiji where he is well-known and highly esteemed.

Bishop Kempthorne is a New Zea lander, and is a member of a well-known clerical family. He took his degree at Oxford in 1914, and .later went as a missionary to West Africa for two years.

This was followed by a few years in Eng land. In 1920 he returned to the mission field, this time to the Federated Malay States. He was still there when the New Zealand Bishops chose him to succeed Bishop Twitchell as Bishop in Polynesia.

Bishop Kempthorne’s 25 years’ service constitutes a record unequalled by any Anglican Bishop in the South Pacific.

Death Of Mr. James Scobie

MR. JAMES SCOBIE, who was well known before the war, on the Morobe goldfield, in New Guinea, where he was connected with the Black Cat Mine, died in the Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, on January 21, aged 67. He served on “the small ships” in the waters north of Australia during the war, but his health by then had broken, and he did not return to the Territory.

As a veteran, he took a keen interest in the affairs of the Returned Soldiers League, and he was a foundation member of the organisation which is establishing an RSL Club at Milsons Point. RSL men were strongly represented at the funeral on January 23.

Lae Citizens Association

AT a recent meeting of the Lae branch of the New Guinea Citizen’s Asso ciation the following officers were elected! ■ President, Mr. P. Phillips; vice-presi dent, Mr. Forbes; treasurer, Mr. L. Webb; secretary, Mr. H. G. Eekhoff; publicity officer, Mrs. Phillips. Committee: Messrs.

Thompson, Boettcher, Whittaker, Peter son, Marchant, Jenyns and Mrs. F.

Stewart.

Mr. Ward Reports To

pp. 24-25

Last Year In New

Guinea

Mr. Ward Reports To United Nations

From Our Own Correspondent

I Pt. Moresby. Feb. 1

N presenting the 1946-47 Annual Report of the Territory of New Guinea to the cv.3^ steeshl ? Council, Australia has shown exemplary promptitude, for which members of the Council expressed appre ciaxion.

The report, however, does not fully cover the questionnaire issued as a guide to Trustee nations. In a brief intro ductory apologa, Mr. Ward explains that shortage of time, the considerable diffi culties of rehabilitation, and disruption caused by the war, prevented the com pilers from complying fully with the sug gestions made in the questionnaire. . A brief statement of Australian policy in New Guinea is given in the most gen eral terms, and it closely follows Mr.

Ward’s famous second reading speech of 1945. The statement is as follows “ The cardinal points of the Govern ment's policy are the fullest possible de velopment of the Territory, and the social economic and political advancement of its inhabitants, both native and non-native The basis for the economy of the area will be native and European Industry working side by side, but with the limit of non-native expansion determined bv the welfare of the natives generally.

“The Government aims to provide full facilities for better health, better educa tion. and for an increasing participation by the natives in the wealth of their country and eventually in its govern ment.”

The Report lists three major difficulties with which the Administration has been confronted since the war:— • Shipping: Apart from the general shortage of overseas ships, the number of coastal small craft was also greatly re duced by the war. To restore an adequate coastal service, eight vessels of 100 tons each have been, or soon will be, con structed in Australia. • Native Labour: The war considerably reduced native population figures, caused the destruction of villages, and generally disturbed the equilibrium of native com munal life. Therefore,, states the Report, “even under favourable conditions it will be difficult to supply fully the native labour requirements of the Territory.” • Materials and supplies: Serious short ages have prevented large-scale rebuild ing. rE Report then claims the following achievements for the present Ad ministration: — • The re-establishment of adminis trative machinery and the resumption of contact with the native peoples. • “The rehabilitation of commercial enterprises.” • The disposal of services stores and equipment. • The provision of shipping services. • Preparation for the rebuilding of the townships and settled areas: “Although major works in this connection had not been commenced at the close of the year, extensive examinations had been carried out by town-planners and other technical officers.” • The provision of wharf facilities. • The organisation of a Public Service and the appointment of officers thereto. • The establishment of the Australian School of Pacific Administration. • Re-establishment training for natives

under the Department of Post-war Re construction’s Training Scheme. • The introduction of a new Native Labour Code.

'• The organisation of a Nutritional Survey of the inhabitants. • The appointment of an Inter-De partmental Committee to co-ordinate plans for the development of the Territory.

Trade Balance

Import and export statistics have, of course, shown an extreme deterioration compared with the position in 1940.

P 1939-40 1946-47 Exports 3.247,585 415,12o Gold exports .. 2,797,226 179,000 Imports 962.129 1,151,811

They Had What It Took

p. 25

Letter to the Editor IN November “PIM” under the heading “Survey of New Guinea,” there ap peared a paragraph stating that most of the AIF who obtained their discharge here were leaving NG, as they were not suited to Islands life, with its demands on endurance and patience.

Those boys must have had endurance and patience, plus, to carry on here dur ing the war years. The inference per taining to stolen motor parts, was written in very bad taste, and the smug re mark that such thefts were foreign to this part of the world pre-war is rather amusing. I have recollections of a gold brick disappearing in this part of the world before the war.

If New Guinea was again threatened by a foreign power, we would possibly be a little more tolerant with these boys when we welcomed them back.

I am, etc.,

One Of The B4’S

New Guinea.

The Reverend Father Chervier, of the Roman Catholic mission on Ovea, Loyalty Group, recently died as a result of injuries received when he was gored by a bull.

The Rt. Rev. J. M. Aubin, Roman Catholic Bishop of the South Solomons,

left Guadalcanal in January for his first visit to Rome since his consecration in 1935. The war intervened when he was planning a visit for 1941. He will be away for six months, including a visit to his native country Prance and to England and America.

Giant Snails

Rabaul, Jan. 8.

fTIHE giant snail increases apace.

X This evil could be greatly curtailed if District Officers were instructed to make the native villagers gather and burn them. Black brother has deterior ated so greatly of late, through inactivity, that the gentle art of catching snails might be a good way to set him in motion again without administering too great a shock to his system.

Prices Rise In Fiji

rERE was a sharp increase in the controlled prices of essential com modities in Fiji in November. Flour and sharps rose from Sid. for 2 pounds to for one pound. Petrol was in creased in nrice from 2/7 to 3/- per gallon.

BSI Wet Season Begins

With Floods

From Our Own Correspondent • honi ARA, Jan. 22.

BNORMAL rams for a fortnight opening the wet or Nor’-west season i to • the worst flooding of Guadalcanal rivers on January 6 7 8 Sir C^i h6 t^ ar ' time bri dges were erected’

Rlv £- was the chief culprit. In spite of combined American and British reinforcement late last month of the br?d^ ree fhl ear "°J d A m eri can-built timber bridge, the entire 200-feet length of a^J mg and maston matting was SSrtrf&fiT?. downstream ° n «» r * ver rose more than 12-feet, over w b / nks hal - f a mile each si de, buried Henderson airfield under a foot nnr^ofi 1 * a ?i? st retched a mile wide where fnto the sea 6 separate mouths empty Luckily the little-used upper Lunga bridge stood up to the strain of the flood —mainly because the main flood channel tvJo b K 1^S b. d v, bri i? fallen trees broke over the bank higher up and made a detour n £ w . P recar i°usly carrying essential camn KjS 6 ? th s US headquarters at LST’s tS u d 1 and Kukum ’ wher e US v o S ßbna £: ly ’ he - BSI Government will fw?}% Ce missing bridge with one of the five Bailey bridges imported last year but the equipment essential for their erection has not arrived yet.

Death Of Mr. James Sim

HIS many Solomon Island friends will regret to learn of the death at his home m Chatswood, NSW, of Mr James Sim, on January 30. Death came with tragic suddenness. Mr. Sim ap peared to be in his normal good health on rising; but soon afterwards he was stricken with heart seizure, which almost immediately proved fatal.

James Sim was born in Scotland, and, after a varied and adventurous career went to the Solomons over 30 years ago as a plantation manager for Levers Pacific Plantations Ltd. At that time, the way of the pioneer was rough, and conditions were hard and precarious.

In later years, and up to the time of ms retirement, Mr. Sim was Inspector of Plantations for LPPL, a position which gave scope to his undoubted talent for efficient organisation and sound ad ministration. He is survived by Mrs Sim, their daughter Jean (Mrs P F Wilson) and grand-daughter, Helen

Anglo-French Raise £600 For