Australian Help Needed

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31260, 5 January 1967, Page 9

Australian Help Needed

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) SYDNEY, Jan. 4.

The South Pacific Commission conceivably could collapse if Australia withdrew from it, a British administrator, Sir Gawain Bell, said in Sydney today.

“Without Australia’s economic contribution the commission would find it difficult to carry on,” he said. “Australia contributes 32 per cent of the commission’s annual economic fund of £300,000. “I hope Australia continues to give this economic support to the commission.” Sir Gawain Bell arrived in Sydney today by ship en route to Noumea to take up a three-year appointment as the commission’s secretarygeneral. He replaces the Australian diplomat, Mr W. D. Forsyth.

Sir Gawain Bell went to Canberra later today to confer with Australian and British diplomats about his commission duties.

The commission was set up by an agreement, signed in Canberra, in 1947, by the United States, Britain, France, Holland, New Zealand and Australia.

It is an advisory body concerned mainly with social, economic and health matters in South Pacific territories with headquarters in Noumea.

Sir Gawain Bell said Australia, Japan and the United States should be mainly concerned with future economic advisory and health matters in those territories. The United States was the next biggest contributor to the commission’s fund, supplying 20 per cent of it, while the United Kingdom gave 17, France 17 and New Zealand 14.

“If Papua and New Guinea become independent I imagine Australia would possibly drop out of the commission,” he said. “I hope this does not happen in my time.”