JUNGLE DIPLOMACY

Hokitika Guardian, 24 December 1932, Page 6

JUNGLE DIPLOMACY

TAX COLLECTOR’S TASK

NEW GUINEA EXPERIMENT

NATIVE COLLECTOR appointsD

SYDNEY, December 8

* Advice has been received from Papua tliio: an experiment has been made by the Lieutenant-Governor, Sir Hubert Murray, in a native to act a..? Government tax collector. Behind 'that liare. official announcement from ’Canberra there i.s a story of the gentle 'ait of tax collection in circumstances where the official has not only to deal with recalcitrant chiefs in a tropical jungle, but must take care that his visits do not interrupt tribal warfare. Brigadier-General E. A. Wisdom, for many years Administrator of the Mandated Territory of New Guinea, endorses Sir Hubert Murray s action in placing his trnct in the more intelligent natives, for General Wisdom has 'found them honest, hard-working and thorough, if rather uncreative workmen. Some time ago lie himself made an experiment in. sending two promising native youngsters to an Australian school for >a year or two. They have since returned to New Guinea and they are doing well as But the duties of tax collector there seem to, call for a good deal mor.e than intelligence. A tactful diplomacy, as well as considerable per-T-onaJ courage, are attrih-utes with which, to meet- reformed headhunters who have developed a very civilised distaste for -paying annual taxes.

Human nature, when it comes to taxation, is the same the world over, fo r General Wiadbm recalls that the natives’ first remark, when anproaclied liv a. lax gatherer, is “Got on .money.” Tax gathering in the mandated territory is carried on only in the settled districts, where the white man’s influence -is established'. The population in the wild interior, fm very good reasons, i® overlooked. An annual head tax of 10s, levied on men only, is imposed, but there is a failamount of laxity iu its collection. If a village has been doing a good trade in coconuts, then the full amount is, demanded, paid.in Australian, shillings, and receipted with a metal token. Poorer villages are treated Uyith consideration.. ; A.census lie* been taken in the territory, so that few who are able to pay- something go scot free.

Yet the natives do not always attempt to evade their taxes. General Wisdom tells the story of New Guinea when rue tribe raid# another, sacking its village and mufdermg a number •of its inmate?. Government vengeance .came swiftly,.w. amL, several of the marauders were The punishment- was severe, ;ahdi thinking that the -aggressor tribe had suffered enough to respect, the -kw-r’the -tax-gatherer tactfully massed bv the village °u his round. ‘ His' kindness was. .misplaced. Jnj-1 .’ioria nt native's fi’Cm the -village pursued him with their tax money, resenting the slight, of being ignored.