PROBLEM OF PAPUA

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 27, 27 October 1920, Page 3

PROBLEM OF PAPUA

INFLUENCE OF NATIVES

FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION

REVIEWED

The_ Commonwealth Government has been furnished by Judge Murray, Lieu-teuant-Governor of Papua, with" an interesting review of the' Australian administration of the territory from ISO 7 to 11120, nnd the effort made to develop the territory -upon a system that alfordod ampio protostion of the rights of the native population, while Keeking to encourage European settlement

Judge Murray states that the task lias not proved easy. Nearly all the misconceptions that existed with regard tithe administration of I'apua arose from ft failure to understand the native policy, jii any tropical country which had n large native population at a low stage of development there was apt to he a feeling of opposition to tlio Government on native questions, and this feeling ol opposition easily passed into general din approval of everything the Government did, oven iu matters which were lint connected with the natives. During thirteen years' of Commonwealth adininivtmtion "there had only been five mui> dera of Europeans nnd only one murilor since 1915. The criminals had been brought to justice without 'bloodshed. li< I'apua the punitive expedition did not exist. If a man was murdered tho murderer was arrested and punished. Labour. not; land, 'is- the factor in Papuan development. I'roe labour had lieen found to bo out; of the quostion, and the only alternative had been to adopt a system of indontnr*, and to try to work through that system to an. ultimate idea of free labour. Owing to tho linjitod nativo population tho supply of labour was nob capablc of indefinite extension. There was practically no agricultural development in Papua when tho Commonwealth tool; over the administration in 191)7. ■ The total area' planted was U. r i7 acres, which'had increased in 1919 to 53,513 acres. Judge .Murray considers it is quite possible that the i future of Papuan development may, liko its beginning, be mineral rather than agricultural. V '■ Tho natives are -being oncouragcd in habits of industry, and care is being taken to develop their ' plantations and to 600 that tliej* are properly looked iiftor, \ Judge Murray says there Can be no doubt that the natives will take full advantage ol' any opportunities of industrial training which may be offered TIo (locs not think that Papua lyill over lw "a white nian's country" in the sense that, white men will marry and scttlo down and make their homes there in any inim'bcrs. His conclusion, is that if- tho Papuan is, ns lie Lis been, .jconlirmcd in his title to the land, if lie is shown how to make reasonable use ot it, and if, in addition, he has the opportunity of learning a trade, and is shown how to keep his' village clean and free from infection, lie -will have as good a chance as a native ever had, nnd Australia will lave shown that it Is possible to introduce our civilisation among primitive people in such a'way lb at- it may endure to their advantage.