Mataungans In Land Take-Over

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32360, 28 July 1970, Page 17

Mataungans In Land Take-Over

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

RABAUL, July 27.

Five hundred members of the Mataungarf Association moved on to Administration• leased land near Rabaul today, and began removing trees and hedges on a 2 j-acre block they intend to use for association offices.

The block is close to a Mataungan market only If miles from Rabaul. The East New Britain District Commissioner (Mr H. West) said that the land was leased by the Administration from five native people on a 10-year term ending February, 1979. It was sub-leased to the New Britain Co-operative Association, which, in turn, had sub-let buildings on the land to the New Britain Co-opera-tive Wholesale Society. Mr West said: "The Mataungans claim that the land was theirs. We are looking into the matter to see what legal action can be taken to protect the property of the New Britain Co-operative Association, which owns the buildings.” From Port Moresby it is reported that Papua-New Guinea's new Administrator (Mr L. W. Johnson) has proposed a “peace plan” for the divided Gazelle Peninsula. It includes an immediate police withdrawal and a personal visit to the area next week by Mr 'Johnson. Mr Johnson took over from Mr D. C. Hay last week, when the Gazelle crisis over the disputed Vanapaladig land was at its height The new Administrator said today that he had examined the situation closely over the week-end, and had noted that the leaders of the Mataungan

Association had emphasised the non-violent nature of their movement Mr Johnson added that 100 policemen would be withdrawn from Rabaul today or tomorrow, and that there would be further withdrawals later in the week.