T/1646 United Nations Visiting Mission to the Trust Territories of Nauru and New Guinea, 1965 REPORT ON NEW GUINEA TOGETHER WITH THE RELEVANT RESOLUTION OF THE TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL OFFICIAL RECORDS: THIRTY-SECOND SESSION {28 May - 30 June 1965) SUPPLEMENT No. 3 UNITED NATIONS United Nations Visiting Mission to the Trust Territories of Nauru and New Guinea, 1965 REPORT ON NEW GUINEA TOGETHER WITH THE RELEVANT RESOLUTION OF THE TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL OFFICIAL RECORDS : THIRTY ·SECOND SESSION (28 May - 30 June 1965) SUPPLEMENT No. 3 UNITED NATIONS New York, 1965 NOTE Symbols of United Nations documents are composed of capital letters combined with figures. Mention of such a symbol indicates a reference to a United Nations document. T/1646 CONTENTS Report on New Guinea submitted by the United Nations Visiting Mission to the Trust Territories of Nauru and New Guinea, 1965 (T/1635 and Add.l) Paragraphs Pages Letter dated 28 May 1965 from the Chairman of the Visiting Mission to the Secretary-General . 1 INTRODUCTION 1-13 1 CHAPTER I. GENERAL ... ' ........................................... 14-200 2 A. Terms of reference ........................................... 14-15 2 B. Itinerary ............... ,.................................... 16-19 3 C. Area, population and system of administration .................... 20-31 3 D. Programme of visits and meetings ............................... 32-194 4 Eastern Highlands District ..................................... 32-45 4 Western Highlands District .................................... 46-62 6 Madang District ............................................. 63-92 8 Sepik District ............................................... 93-110 11 Manus District .............................................. 111-117 13 New Ireland District .......................................... 118-138 13 New Britain District ........................................... 139-169 16 Morobe District .............................................. 170-186 19 Bougainville District ......................................... 187-194 20 E. Summary of representations made at public meetings ............... 195-200 21 CHAPTER II. PoLITICAL ADVANCEMENT .............................•.• 201-249 22 A. Representative institutions .................................... 202-220 22 Local government councils ............... ,...................... 202-207 22 The House of Assembly ....................................... 208-215 22 Other representative institutions (at the district and urban level) .... 216-220 23 B. The executive organs of government and the Administration ....... 221-237 24 The Executive ............................................... 223-231 24 The Administration ................................... · ...... 232-237 25 C. National unity ............................................... 238-246 25 D. The Public Service ........................................... 247-249 26 CHAPTER Ill. EcoNOMic ADVANCEMENT .............................. 250-267 27 A. The report of the Mission of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ............................................ 250-260 27 B. Other matters .........................., ..................... 261-267 29 Land system ................................................ 262-263 29 Mining ..................................................... 264-265 29 Roads ......... ,............................. · .. · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 266-267 29 CHAPTER IV. SociAL DEVELOPMENT ................................... 268-292 30 A. Public health ................................................ 269-272 30 B. Adult education 273-277 30 iii Paragraphs Pages CHAPTER IV. SociAL DEVELOPMENT (continued) C. Women's clubs ............................................... 278-279 31 D. Corrective institutions ........................................ 280-281 31 E. Labour ..................................................... 282-284 31 F. Discrimina.tion ................ ,...................... ,........ 285-292 31 CHAPTER V. EDUCATION: THE CURRIE REPORT ........................ 293-305 32 CHAPTER VI. DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION CONCERNING THE UNITED NATIONS ..................................................... 306-307 35 CHAPTER VII. FUTURE OF THE TERRITORY; EXERCISE OF THE RIGHT OF SELF-DETERMINATION ........................................... 308-319 35 CHAPTER VIII. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................. 320-345 36 A. Political advancement ......................................... 322-331 37 B. Economic progress 332-337 37 C. Social development 338-348 38 D. Education: the Currie Report .................................. 342-343 38 E. Future of the Territory ........................................ 344--345 38 Annexes I. Itinerary of the Mission . 39 II. Papua and New Guinea Act, 1963............................... 43 III. Standing orders of the House of Assembly, Nos. 43, 240-242......... 46 IV. Map of New Guinea .......................................... at end of volume * * * Resolution 2143 (XXXII) adopted by the Trusteeship Council on 29 June 1965 ..................................................... 49 iv REPORT ON NEW GUINEA SUBMI'ITED BY THE UNITED NATIONS VISITING MISSION TO THE TRUST TERRITORIES OF NAURU AND NEW GUINEA, 1965 (T/1635 and Add.1) LETTER DATED 28 MAY 1965 FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE VISITING MISSION TO THE SECRETARY-GENERAL I have the honour to transit to you herewith, in accordance with Trusteeship Council resolution 2142 (XXXI) of 24 June 1964 and with rule 98 of the rules of procedure of the Trusteeship Council, the report of the 1965 United Nations Visiting Mission to the Trust Territory of New Guinea. I am glad to inform you that this report was subscribed to unanimously by all four members of the Visiting Mission on 27 May. (Signed) Andre NAUDY INTRODUCTION 1: In its travels through the Trust Territory of New apparatus. Educational, public health, agricultural and Gumea the Mission noted difficulties, frequently de­ economic development services have been set up in scribed by writers and commented upon by previous most areas. An impressive air transport network has visiting Missions, which are too well known to be dwelt been organized. The development of the Territory is on once again. Notable among these, however, are the proceeding. Moreover, there is law and order and peace, 'ruggedness of the Territory, the oblivion in which despite the fact that tribal strife and the waging of it has for too long stagnated, the dispersion and isolation war were the main features of ancestral custom. Lastly, of its populated areas, the individualism of its inhabi­ certain political institutions are beginning to take shape. tants, the plethora of languages, the relative scarcity Transcending what was only yesterday a scattering of of known natural resources, the limitations imposed tribes and villages there is beginning to emerge, although by its extreme climate and the dislocation caused by in far too inchoate a form, the idea of broader entities. the Second World War, all of which constitute a corn- The setting up of the House of Assembly, which has ' plex of circumstances hardly designed to make the been recommended by the 1962 Visiting Mission, is Administering Authority's task any easier. contributing greatly to this development. 2. These adverse conditions-which are doubtless 4. From what it had the opportunities to see during e~countered to a greater or lesser extent in other re­ its visit, the Mission believes that most officials of the giOns of the world as well-are, however, not equally Administration are performing their duties in good severe in all parts of the country. They have a much faith and with the right spirit. It will not soon forget smaller influence in the islands and coastal regions than the exemplary devotion it witnessed, whether in the f they have in the interior of the Territory. This aspect bush schools, where the teachers are enthusiastically of the matter should not be overlooked, just as it should instilling the rudiments of knowledge into the children be stressed that the difficulties have been aggravated in remote districts, where young officials are, in a quiet by having been tackled very late in the day. The and orderly fashion, awakening the people to modern Mandate over New Guinea had been entrusted to life, in the hospitals, where nurses dress the sores of Australia by the League of Nations as early as 1920. lepers, or in the model rehabilitation institutions, where But it was only shortly after the signature of the Trus- the most attentive care is being given to the re-education ' teeship Agreement in 1946 that the real development of convicts. It will remember the boldness and skill of the Territory began-a fact generally recognized. of the pilots who play an indispensable role in main­ Although the two foregoing remarks have no claim to taining communications and transporting passengers originality, it has been considered necessary to include and goods. It will remember that it was able everywhere them here. to hold animated and orderly meetings attended by 3. It appears to the Mission that the Administering several hundred persons, and frequently by more. Lastly, Authority has made every effort to solve the problems the Mission was glad to observe that relations between · f~cing it with energy, perseverance and humanity. Con­ the people and the Administration were most often Siderable results have been obtained in a period of less distinguished by cordiality and confidence. That