EMBARGO 30 p. m. Friday _ L7 Luly 1970
NEWS INPrERVIEW CN CHANNEL Z7 NETWORK
GIVEN BY THE PRIME MINISTER, MR. JC NKG1Oj RTON 17 JULY 1970
Interviewer John Boland
Q. Prime Minister, will police troops be used to clear the 1, 000 Tolai
Mataungan Association squatters from the Kerevat area twenty-five miles from
Rabaul?
P M I hadn't heard that there were 1, 000 squatters there-, but I don't think the
actual number matters very much. It fluctuated, I thought, between 100 and 400.
And the actual use of police to clear the area would be a decision taken by the
man on the spot, the Administrator. But I have little doubt at all that if this is
the only way in which to clear people who are illegally occupying lands, then the
police will be used to clear them from those lands. You must remember, this is
land which was bought by the Administration for subdivision and allocation to
Tolai through a Lands Board Tolai and Bainings, the local people and it is
being illegally moved into by squatters. ShoLld this become necessary, this use
of police, then we would certainly back up the Administrator in whatever was
necessary to see that the land is allocated to the peo-ple for whom it was bought.
Q. I underst", nd the reports this morning say that 700 additional Tolai moved
in there there were 300 there. Now, that was a repot......
PM: Well, however many it is they will have to get off.
Q. Who ordered the 1, 000 police into Rabaul? Report.-are that Mr. Barnes
said he received advice from the New Guinea Executive Council and reports are
that the Executive Council of New Guinea says that they did not advise the sending
in of extra police.
PM: I think this is a misunderstanding that stems from your proper use of the
word " reports". All the information I have is that Mr. Barnes said that he had had
two meetings with the Administrator's Executive Council and at both those*
meetings, the Administrator's Executive Council had strongly urged that law and
order saould be supported. Well, that got transmuted and translated by certain
journalists into the Administrator's Executive Council ask.-ed that police should be
sent which was quite a different matter more definite matter than saying
we want law and order supported. And that having been re73orted, then some
Members of the Administrator's Executive Council said, " Wiell, we didn't
specifically ask for police to be sent in" and that is quite right to the best of my
knowledge. What they said was " We want law and order maintained". / 2
Q. But there are about 1,000 police there?
PM: Oh yes, but a lot went there before I arrived because I don't think the
Mataungan leaders make any secret of their willingness to resort to force, and
there were fears of clashes between the Mataungan Tolai and the anti-
Mataungan Tolai.
Q. Prime Minister, we are looking forward to having you and talking to you
in depth about your tour of New Guinea, on Channel 7' s current affairs
prog-amme, " This Week", on Sunday night.
BACKGROUND: The interview with the Prime Minister about New Guinea will be
telecast by HSV 7 Melbourne at 9. 50 p. m. on Sunday, and by C. T. C. 7 in
Canberra at 10. 30 the same evening.
Copies of the transcript, embargoed until 9. 50, will be issued in the
Gallery on Sunday afternoon.