the principles of trusteeship and a course of action that led the people out of tribal disunity and a multiplicity of mutually unintelligible languages to nationhood. This book recalls the difficulties of post-war reconstruction, problems of tropical disease and lack of education, the expansion of administrative control, the development of the highlands, the drive for economic independence, the politics of nationalism and sub-nationalism, and the final transfer of power. Under the Charter of the United Nations, the Trusteeship Agreement only obliged Australia to prepare the Trust Territory of New Guinea for "self-government or independence", but Australia extended this objective to include the people of of Papua and obtained the United Nations' approval for an administrative union. Events in a changing world influenced the timing and direction of Australian intentions, and succeeding governments favoured particular aspects of administration. The impact of an Australian style was visible in the Public Service, politics, local government, trade unions, law and order, social justice and in the recreation of the people. Papuans and New Guineans in ten thousand villages managed to absorb these alien influences without losing their own identity and culture. In 1975 a Coalition Government of nationals, that had achieved self-government in 1972, successfuly survived threats of secession and accepted the responsibility of governing the independent nation of Papua New Guinea."