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JOINT COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS. 
REPORT 
IN THE 
PACIFIC ISLANDS SHIPPING FACILITIES. 
INTRODUCTION. 
Under date 28th August, 1926, the Minister for Home and Territories (Senator the 
Honorable Sir T. W. Glasgow, K.C.B., C.M.G., D.8.0., V.D.) intimated to the J oint Committee 
of Public Accounts that “ upon the expiry, on the 31st July, 1926, of a contract held by Messrs. 
Burns, Philp and Co. Ltd., for mail and shipping services between Australia and certain Territories 
and islands in the Pacific, Cabinet decided to renew the contract for a further period of twelve 
months, and gave the following direction, viz. That the Parliamentary Joint Committee of 
Public Accounts be invited to investigate the question of the shipping facilities to the Pacific 
Islands served under the contract.” 
The Committee undertook to conduct the desired investigation, and on the 29th 
September. 1926, commenced the taking of evidence in Sydney. 
COMMITTEE'S PROCEEDINGS. 
After hearing preliminary evidence from representatives of the Department of Home and 
Territories, Burns, Philp and Co. Ltd., the Sydney Chamber of Commerce and others engaged 
in the Pacific Islands trade, the Committee, to more thoroughly acquaint itself with the 
subject-matter of its investigations, and to actually see typical conditions under which the 
services were conducted, left Sydney on the 14th October, 1926, by s.s. Morinda, and called at 
the following ports Brisbane, Cairns, Port Moresby, Bootless Inlet, Samarai and Woodlark 
Island. Whilst at Samaral awaiting steamer connexion to New Guinea, the Administrator of 
the Territory of Papua kindly invited members of the Committee to join the Government steamer 
Laurabada, which visited the following places along the north-east coast of Papua :—Baniara, 
Cape Nelson (Tufi), Porlock Harbour, Buna and Salamo, as well as Gili Gili (Milne Bay). 
Joining the s.s. Mclusia at Samarai for Rabaul on the 9th November, the Committee visited 
the following ports in the Mandated Territory Rabaul, Lindenhafen, Salamoa Bay, Singawa, 
Finschhafen, Madang, Witu, Kaewieng, Rabaul, Soraken, Numa Numa, and Kieta, proceeding 
thence to Tulagi, in the British Solomon Islands, where, on the 28th idem, the party transhipped 
to the s.s. Mataram. In this steamer the Committee, accompanied by the Resident Commissioner 
(Captain R. R. Kane, M.C.), visited the following places in the British Solomon Islands 
Protectorate :—Thousand Ships Bay (Garuhu), Maringe Lagoon, Russell Group (Yandina, Ufa, 
Faiami, Pepesala), Tetipari, Rendova, Kenalo, Gizo, and Faisi on the outward journey, returning 
via Gizo, Vila, Russell Group (Somata, West Bay, Kaylan, Pepesala, Faiami, Ufa, Yandina, 
Banika, Loavie), Gavutu, and Makambo to Tulagi. The party then proceeded. via Brisbane. to 
[vdnev. reaching there on the 14th December. 1926. 
Before leaving Australia the Committee communicated with the Administrations of the 
carious Territories to be visited, explaining the nature of its investigation, and asking them to 
announce the objects of the inquiry and to invite any one who had relevant information to place 
it before the Committee. As a result, the Administrations and representatives of the commercial 
interests prepared, for submission to the Committee, evidence setting out their views concerning 
the shipping facilities, and their treatment in this regard. When passing through Brisbane en 
route to the Islands requests were received by the Committee to visit Townsville and Cooktown,