Indonesia’s Intentions

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29909, 24 August 1962, Page 11

Indonesia’s Intentions

(M.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright)

DJAKARTA, August 23. Indonesia had no intention but to “continue to nurture the closest of friendly relations with Australia” the "Indonesian Herald,” unofficial voice of the Government, said today.

The paper was commenting on a statement by the Australian External Affairs Minister, Sir Garfield Barwick, to Parliament in Canberra. He said that it would be wrong to start closer association with Indonesia in West Irian “in any sense of foreboding or recrimination.”

Indonesia could not have asked for a more favourable statement from an official spokesman of the Australian Government, the paper said

The Indonesian Foreign Minister. Dr. Subandrio. who returned tonight from New York, was asked by reporters about the possibility of an Australian - Indonesian defence pact in the future. “I expect that, as a result of the solution of the West Irian problem, our already good relations will improve in a very short time. “But I think friendly relations can be maintained without a pact." he said.

In Port Moresby tonight, leaders of the United Australia Movement said Papua-New Guinea would be the next target of Indonesian aggression. They told a public meeting that the only alternative to a future in Indonesian take-over was for the people to vote in a pleb-

iscite for closer union with Australia.

The movement seeks permanent union of Papua-New Guinea with Australia. The movement last night sought, but tailed to get. from the predominantly - Papuan audience of about 400. the approval of a resolution stating that the meeting accepted the ideals, aims and principles of the movement Most of the Papuans followed the lead of the presi-dent-of the Papua-New Guinea Workers’ Association, Oala Rarua Rarua. and cast a negative vote

Mr Lloyd Hurrell, a member of the Papua-New Guinea Legislative Council, told the meeting that under the West New Guinea transfer. PapuaNew Guinea had for the first time a Communist-dominated country as a neighbour. Where would the Indonesians turn next? Mr Hurrell asked. The answer, he said was that they would settle their next set of domestic problems by “boiling into our territory ”

In Canberra, Sir Wilfred Kent-Hughes said Holland's agreement to hand over West New Guinea to Indonesia was "an unhappy ending to an unhappy affair.” Criticising Australia's role in the dispute, he said the Federal Government had been “playing chicken” with a few dictators and its bluff had been called.

Sir Wilfred Kent-dlughes a Liberal back-bencher and former chairman of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Cimmittee. said that, on the face of it, Indonesia had

treated Australia with “soft words and contempt.” Speaking during the Budget debate in the House of Representatives. he said Australia should have taken the dispute before the United Nations Security Council at the beginning “This move should have been taken even if it was vetoed by Russia.” he said “It would have shown these people in their true colours.” The Second World War, he said, was caused by nations not standing up to dictators He hoped the circumstances were not repeating themselves today.

Paymaster’s Bets (N.ZJ’A.-Reuter— Copyright) LONDON, Aug. 22. Soldiers in a Royal Artillery regiment in Britain queued up for their week’s pay recently. But there was not enough money to go around, a Sheffield, Yorkshire court-martial was told today. The paymaster. Warrant Officer Louis Joseph Nisbet, had bet half the unit’s payroll on horses—and lost, the court-martial was told.

After pleading guilty to fraudently converting £393 from the payroll, he was discharged from the service with ignominy, reduced to the ranks, and gaoled for six months.