NEW GUINEA MANDATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19720, 20 August 1927, Page 13

NEW GUINEA MANDATE.

PROBLEMS FOR AUSTRALIA. TOUR BY A MINISTER. LIQUOR AND COPRA TRADE. [FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] SYDNEY, Aug. 11. Following the example set by the Hon. W. Nosworthy in visiting Samoa, the Australian Minister for Home and Territories, Mr. Marr, has just returned from a visit to the Commonwealth's Mandated Territory of New Guinea. It is not free from problems either. The drinking of intoxicating liquor by natives, an electric light and water supply for Rabaul, native labour, and the medical treatment of natives, were only some of the subjects inquired into by Mr. Marr. He told interviewers that he had been unable to visit the goldfields of Edie Creek and the neighbouring district. He had had to abandon the project because oi uniavourabie weather. .Deputations from missionary societies, returned soldiers, planters and traders met the Minister at Kabaul. Kegarding the. alleged drinking of intoxicating liquor by natives, Mr. Marr said that no proof had been forthcoming regarding the drinking ot liquor by natives, except to a limited degree in Chinatown, at Kabaul. He would submit a recommendation to Cabinet for the better supervision of the sale of liquor in that area. The Minister approved that trading stations, after the expiration of existing trading licences, should not be established on any European plantation except by the owner or with his consent, nor should any trading station be established within two miles of the boundaries of such plantations. The only licences held by Chinese were where applications had not been received from Europeans. The Minister agreed to appoint an inspector to supervise the copra export trade, as the export of inferior quality nad done harm. Although he promised to submit representations to Cabinet, the Minister told Rabaul, which sought an electric-power plant, that the Government was opposed to Government ownership, and the local people should consider the formation of a private company. On the question of a water supply, he said that a local organisation on the spot would probably be more satisfactory than a Government enterprise. Mr. Marr said that he did not altogether agree with the curriculum followed bv the administration in the education of natives He considered that more intensive educational methods could be adopted in relation to the teaching of agriculture and to the training of natives as artisans, for the natives were enthusiastic in the use of machinerv and motorcars. He predicted that New Guinea would become one of the richest agricultural countries in the world.