Canberra, 14 March 1967
Papua New Guinea Select Committee on Constitutional Development
The Select Committee has been proceeding on the itinerary of 18 public meetings foreshadowed in the Administrator’s memorandum of 16th January 1967.1 A progress report on these meetings, which are due to conclude by 23rd March, has been received.2
2. The Administrator has reported on. the meetings held at Daru, Kerema, Samarai, Popondetta, Rabaul, Sohano, Kavieng, Manus, Madang, Wewak, Mendi, Mt. Hagen, Vanimo, Talasea, Goroka, Kundiawa and Lae by the 23rd February, and there now remains the Port Moresby public meeting scheduled for Wednesday 22nd March to be reported upon.
3. The reports show good attendances and high interest on the part of the Papuans and New Guineans, contrasting with sparse attendance and little general interest by Europeans. Little development of ideas occurred in the meetings, people tending to bring along already formed views. The young, better educated expressed their individual ideas. The only woman to speak was European.
4. The expectation of strictly limited constitutional development in 1968 was prevalent. Few knew of the circulars explaining the Under-Secretary system and Administrator’s Council (folios 185–9 attached)3 which had been distributed, emphasizing the urgency of the political education material now in preparation by the Department of District Administration.
5. The consensus view appeared to be for a Minister for each Department, selected by the House of Assembly; dissatisfaction with the performance of Under-Secretaries; and a lack of understanding of the Administrator’s Council.
6. Typical meetings are reported (folios 201 and 202 attached)4 in which a 14-member Administrator’s Council, including eight indigenes, was advocated at Rabaul; and that this Council should become a Cabinet was suggested at Madang, where emphasis was also laid on the establishment of a financial committee of the House with regional representatives to control the allocation of funds. Whilst 1968 was the suggested timing for such changes, the Madang meeting modified its view to 1972 for ‘the more sweeping reforms.’
7. It is noted that whilst attendances were good there were notable absences, M.H.A.’s and Europeans, yet there are grounds for feeling that the views expressed are probably fairly typical of the people and would appear to be leading the Select Committee to conclude that it should recommend a limited executive function with some machinery for financial consultation.
8. Submitted for information.5
[NAA: A452, 1966/2960]
1 Not printed.
2 Not printed.
3 Not printed.
4 Not printed.
5 Bames initialled the submission on 14 March.