CABLE NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. — COPYRIGHT.]

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 32, 7 February 1907, Page 5

CABLE NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. — COPYRIGHT.]

NEW GUSNEA. ;> CAPTAIN BARTON'S ADMINISTRATION. THE COMMISSION'S REPORT. [FBESa ABEOCIAIIOK.I (Received February 7, 9.56 a.m.) MELBOURNE, This Day. The Papuan Commission's report says : — It appears that while Captain Barton, the Acting-Administrator, can- ! not bo charged with direct action in ! discouraging agricultural or mining development, ho has failed to do all that a sympathetic administrator, untrammelled by personal prejudice for or against certain members of tho public service, might have accomplished. The division of his staff into two classes — one for and tho other always against his policy — has been the keynote of his comparative failure as an administrator. Personal prejudice towards those counted friends or enemies in tho main is unwarranted by the action of either, and has so clouded the broader question of outside interests." T,he commissioners wonder that he has in tho circumstances accomplished what he has in tho direction of general development. They are more than satisfied with Captain Barton's conclusions as to the disloyalty of some of his officers. Apart altogether from their incorrectness they have hod ~a most paralysing effect on his general administration, with tho natural result that time most urgently needed in the public interests has often been wasted on personal squabbles and mutual recriminations. .between officials. Apart from these considerations Captain Barton, in his desira to promote the native interests, has not, the commission states, kept before him as ' much as was desirable the question of the white development. i In making recommendations for the reorganisation of the public service the report says : —"Judging from the instances of incapacity and even worse faults which came under notice, tho commissioners have come to the eon.elusion that Papua at times has been regarded as a convenient place to lose cortain men not wanted elsewhere." The recommendations for the developmont of the territory include giving the Government power to purchase all land not required by the natives ; a Government system of labour recruiting ; preference by Australia to Papuan products'; a loan for development purposes ; wireless telegraphy to Thursday Island ; and power to grant liquor licenses in exctptional cases.