Firm Hand Needed

Hokitika Guardian, 8 June 1922, Page 3

Firm Hand Needed

PACIFIC ISLAND CONTROL. SYDNEY. May 24. An advocate of th" strong hand in lining the natives of the mandated territory oi New Guinea lias been found in Air S. Sampson, an ex-member of the Coilliiioliftealth House of Rcprosoll;n'ivcs, who has just returned from a visi; to the Islands.' "Our policy of native control,'' said Mr Sampson, ■‘was frequently that ol ‘spare the rod anil spoil the child,’ and, if continued, would make ii impossible to work these j.lclila lions successfully. While the German system need uo| he adopted in i> citii'i ty. an alteration of the pnj -i! system is essential to make it elf'vt ive.” Speaking on general ailministration of the islands, Mr Sump>on said: “It would appear that if the g uerai systi in of siluier si rjeil eir win.' carried out in the territories, the Cm erumont would loqiiii o to become i sponsible to Germany, through the A-Mi' s, for le tween L'.'I.G!RM»(»II to “ !,()99.9i)il for tie pin pose of purchasing plantations for sub-division and ;. . licmenl. If the borrowing ol this (.o.ouat i- toga rib d as necessary tor soldier s.’Diemen'., that money should Le i n::.-idl'd within Australia, through the Elates, where abundance ol land is available under infinitely better cniidilioi's than can be obtained in the mandated territories. Wc liii." fid 2.01)9,009 square miles of tropical and si-ini-i:opieai land in Qi eeiisldiul. Northern Territory and North-West Austiaiia imdevel.qi d, >el, in spite ol the nr - ci need lor pen .! \ we are neglecting Mieso areas and sending to a new Kriitory hundreds of our able-bodied soldiers, will) will find ii vcVy difficult in justify their labour or the cxpeinliu;r • of tlie Government. At the etirli • L possible moment reconsideration ot lie whole position should he givtn by Parliament, with the view to the institution of laws that will efficiently < initial th" labour problem, the disposal of land into the hands of private enterprise and the withdrawal ol the large armv of public officials lo the mainland of Au.-.iraliii, u here'tli.'.v i oillil be more profitably placed.