Tropicalities
p. 10 · Read in the full issue
I NOTICE in The Rabaul Times of November 13 that a correspondent exercises a somewhat feeble wit at the expense of Captain Milton, who supplied this journal with very interesting information regarding the treatment of native labourers in New Guinea. Most of the gentleman’s observations are simply silly, and his letter calls for no comment beyond this fact: Captain Milton, in giving his statement to The Pacific Islands Monthly, was not afraid to make it over his own name, and take responsibility for his opinions. The gentleman who writes in The Rabaul Times, although evidently very pleased with his own idea of wit, has not the courage to sign his own name, but protects himself under a nom de plume.
A little cur will always yap loudly from the safe side of its own backyard fence. * * * THE renewal of his company’s coastal mail-carrying contract with the Papuan Government may serve to soothe the ruffled feelings of Captain A. S. Fitch, managing director of Steamships Trading Co. Ltd., Port Moresby.
Captain Fitch came to Sydney not long ago, spent ten days here, and then had to pay the Federal Government 10s. before he could get a clear passport back to Papua; and had also to vigorously fight off Taxation Department’s assessment on the amount of income he had drawn during his ten days in Australia. “Murder,”
“outrage,” “piracy,” were only a few of the highly-coloured terms employed by the energetic Papuan when he called at this office, fresh from his brush with the Department.
“This is indeed the land of Ned Kelly,” said the Captain; “but, believe me, it is not a policy that pays. I have not only placed orders in this country worth tens of thousands of pounds, but I have also spent £3,000 here on my child’s education. Now, they have not only ‘pinched’ my wife’s Commonwealth bonds, representing money which she had invested in Australia, but they try to bush-range me for income-tax during my few days’ stay here.
“Is it any wonder that Australia’s trade with the Pacific territories is being killed by fat-headed officialdom!
You can imagine the enthusiasm with which I shall send any future orders to Australia. Compare this treatment with the treatment we receive from other nations. The Dutch shipping company, for instance, offers me substantial concessions in connection with shipping in recognition of the fact that I have the placing of substantial orders for goods.”
Australia, in many ways, is a wonderful country; but if there is to be any real advance made in the encouragement and development of overseas trade, there will have to be a tremendous change in the attitude of the hordes of officials. * * *
A LIST of the subjects taught at the well-known Tonga College, Nukualofa, has come to hand. They include, not only the three necessary R’s, but also such things as geology, physiology, algebra, mensuration, drawing, shorthand and bookkeeping. It is a little difficult to see the use of all this educational equipment for young Tongans who are to spend their lives growing coconuts and bananas on a very limited area of land: but one supposes that the tireless educationalist of the South Seas must be served.
Tonga wants native doctors, teachers, craftsmen and administrators: but a quarter of the present college enrolment would meet all demands under those heads. Two much education forced on a community that its not ready for the innovation, can create greater evils than illiteracy. • • • SUVA, capital of a prosperous Crown Colony that, only half a century ago, was sunk in savagery, now has 15,000 inhabitants; many miles of cement and tar-macadam streets: modern services supplying water, sewerage, electricity and telephones; and some 300 cars running for hire. It is a cosmopolitan city—its inhabitants are in five main groups: Europeans, Fijians, Hindus, Chinese and half-castes. It is at the cross-roads of the South Seas and it is destined to become as famous as Honolulu, over which over-boomed city it has many natural advantages. • • • THIS has nothing to do with the Islands—but I approve of it so heartily that I must give it space.
A man from England. Mr. C. C. Lynam. said that he came to Australia, expecting to find Australians characterised by strong individual independence, dislike of interference with their private life and doings, and contempt for regulations and inhibitions of which they did not approve. But, according to The Sydney Morning Herald, this is what Mr. Lynam found: “I am bound to say that I find him meekly, almost good-humouredly, submitting to a Governmental and political tyranny that reminds one of the dark ages. In New South Wales he submits to the dictatorship of an uneducated, blatant, overbearing demagogue, and, all over the continent, to the dictatorship of so-called workers’ unions which prevent the real worker from calling his soul his own.
“Here you have a glorious country with unrivalled possibilities and climates, and a young, vigorous, intelligent, and noble people, all being ruined by a small minority of detestable, self-seeking, interfering, loud-voiced, lying politicians. It would be a Gilbertian absurdity if it were not such an unbelievable tragedy. “If I were King,” I would make short work of these blighters (in the true sense of the word).
“A strong and efficient police to restrain passion and lust, to protect the weak, and to do justice is all the Government that a people like the Australians require. Give them that, and leave everything else to private enterprise, capacity, and individual work, and Australia would be the happiest and most prosperous country in the world.”
I have seldom seen it so well expressed. * * *
THUS writes our Thursday Island correspondent: “Great interest in the article, “Undisciplined Natives, which appeared in the October issue of the Pacific Islands Monthly, and sympathy with the writer, have been expressed locally. Free ventilation of grievances of this nature should do a lot of good and the P.I.M. is fulfilling one of its objects in help ing residents of the Pacific by drawing attention to such experiences.
Fortunately, this community is rarely harassed by local officials, whose endeavour obviously is to work harmoniously with the business section of the island. Annoyance to the public generally comes from higher up, where there anpears to be a determined wish to augment the powers of Government departments bv a host of regulations and restrictions, many of which might well be cancelled. As a nation, we are suffering from being over-governed, and it is press articles like “Undisciplined Natives” that pave the way to protest. We trust that the matters revealed in this article will result in more consideration being shown to planters and business men, as well as the general public. * * * WE try to make this journal of real value to residents in the Pacific Islands. Therefore, it is most encouraging to receive letters such as this one, which comes from a planter in the Solomon Islands: “Your paper supplies a long-felt want and is eagerly looked for by all my acquaintances in this group. Long may it thrive and continue the success it deserves! It supplies its readers with considerable information regard ing other Islands in the Pacific which, other wise, would remain in obscurity. Not only that, its market quotations and sailing list of steamers make it a sine qua non to all its readers, who have a very meagre mail service.”