IN THE JUNGLE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 425, 9 January 1933, Page 6

IN THE JUNGLE

PERSONAL COURAGE AND DIPLOMACY NECESSARY ATTRIBUTES TAX COLLECTOR'S WORK Sydney, Saturday. Word comes from Papua that an experiment has been made by the Lieutenant-Governor, Sir Ilubert Murray, in appointing a native to act as Government tax collector. Behind that bare official announcement from Canberra there is a story of the. gentle art of tax collection in circumstances where the official has not only to deal with recaleitrant 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 trust in the more inteiligent natives, for General Wisdom has found them honest, hard-working and thorough, if rather uncreative workmen. Some time ago he himself made an experiment in sending two promising native youngsters to an Australian school for a year or .wo. They have since returned to New Guinea and are doing well as teachers. But the duties of tax gathering there seem to call for a good deal more than intelligence. A tactful diplomacy, as well as considerable personal courage, are necessary attributes 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, for General Wisdom recalls that the native's first remark, when approachcd by a tax gather is "Got no 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, for very good reasons, is overlooked. An annual head tax of 10s, levied on men only, is imposed, but there is a fair amount of laxity in its collection. If a village has been doing a good trade in coconuts, the full amounts is demanded, paid in Australian shillings, and receipted with/ a m/etal token. Poorer villages are treated with consideration. A census has been taken in the Territory, so that few who are ablo 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 one tribe raided another, sacking its village and murdering a number of its inmates. Government vengeance came swiftly and several of the marauders were hanged. The punishment was severe, and thinking that the aggressor tribe had suffered enough to respect the law, the tax-gather tactfully passed by the village on his round. His kindness was misplaced. Indignant natives from the village pursued him with their tax money, resenting the slight of being ignored.