Traders’ Reputations Are Defended

Against Tactless Missionaries’ Remarks.

Written for “The Pacific Islands Monthly ” by Gordon Thomas, Buka, N-G.

I NOTE that Mr. E. W. Harrison, of Samarai, waxes somewhat satirical in his letter (P.I.M., 26.8.32) regard ing the percentage of “straight-goers” amongst traders, and aptly quotes two leading Islands missionaries to support his cynicism.

Mr. Harrison’s examples of commer cial activities in Randwick and Papua are trite. I am not “au fait” with Papuan prices, but, in so far as New Guinea is concerned, I would like to point out, to supplement Mr. Harrison’s remarks, that although the price of goods supplied to the traders by the big firms, and later retailed by the former to native customers, have in creased out of all proportion during the past twenty years, yet the retail prices charged by the traders to the natives have decreased considerably.

The following is a comparative table of a few staple lines:

In 1912 there were few print lengths (a fathom) sold for less than 2/-, but now many of the cheaper lines fetch only 1/-. Tobacco, which has increased to the trader over 100 per cent., is sold at the same price now as twenty years ago. Little wonder then that presentday traders take exception to the state ment that they are “exploiting” the natives.

Mr. Harrison asks for an explanation of a riddle. I submit a threefold answer: 1. In the past, excessive profits were obtained by itinerant traders bartering in the South Seas, and exploitation actually did take place. And yet in no greater degree than the exploitation of more modern commercialists who pioneer an article and, introducing it to the world, demand fancy prices which later are reduced; be these commodi ties razor blades, phonographs or wire less sets. Thus, trading in the South Seas becomes associated, in the minds of the laity, with adventuring ex ploiters. 2. Missionaries, naturally antagonistic to other white settlers in the Islands, revive this reputation of long-dead traders to indicate the character of present-day traders, in order to demon strate to Southern audiences some of the difficulties that lie in the path of the Islands missionary difficulties which, by sacrifice and ardent duty, must be overcome and for which the laity, safe in their civilised homes, can be of assistance by their monetary donations. 3. Publicity through the press and from the pulpit is accorded the mis sionary viewpoint, such as expressed by the Revs. Goldie and Gilmour. The maligned and long-suffering traders

have taken no action to contradict these descriptions of themselves. Well established and responsible newspapers would not open their columns to pub lish statements contradicting such re spected and well-thought-of individuals as prominent missionaries. The traders’ pulpit, where strong and virile con tradictions are made, is situated in the local Island store, or in some steamer smoke-room, but this sort of publicity never reaches the outside world. Only now, with the inauguration of the P.I.M., whose columns are open to all —trader, missionary and official —is this situation, which has been festering in the minds of Islanders for years, given the publicity it has long deserved, and both sides of the case now placed be fore the mainland public.

The expressions employed by the Revs. Goldie and Gilmour in describing present-day traders are both uncalled for and incorrect. That such traders do exist, I do not deny. But it would scarcely be fair to judge the clergy as a whole by such isolated characters as the reverend gentlemen of Omeo and Stiffkey.

It is slightly embarrassing when a

clean-living, God-fearing trader hap pens Southward, and his friends and relations look somewhat askance at him as being of the “gun, gin-bottle and diseased” genus.

Undoubtedly, the reverend gentlemen were carried away by the enthusiasm and excitement of their own rhetoric in an endeavour to arouse interest among Southern audiences, whose voluntary gifts enable the mission work to be carried on in the Islands. But it is grossly unfair that the missionaries should attempt to further their inter ests at the expense of the traders.

As I have repeatedly affirmed, both the missions and the traders have their individual spheres of usefulness in the

Article.

Price, 1912.

Price, 1932.

Print 3½d. . . 4½d. 4d. 6id.

Turkey red print 3d. 6Jd.

Lavalavas, per pair 1/10 h ■ 3/- 'Kails, 2in 7d. 1/9 Porcelain pipes, per doz. 2/9 6/6 Jews’ harps, per gross . . 6/5 .. 22/- Copra bags, each 7d. lOd.

Padlocks, per doz 3/6 7/- Matches, per gross ... 2/1 7/6 Tobacco, per lb 2/7 6/2

Islands; their place in the Scheme of Things. Why, therefore, cannot each allow the other to operate peacefully, furthering their own individual in terests without unnecessary and un christianlike antagonism?

The Anglican mission in Papua is to be congratulated on the step it has taken in ceasing trading operations, as reported in the August P.I.M. This ac tion shows the true Christian spirit of “Live and let live,” and is to be hoped that other missionary societies, not only in Papua but throughout the Is lands, will emulate the example set by the Anglicans, Parenthetically I must say, lest my expressions of opinion suggest to some that I have an axe of my own to grind, that in this particular district of Buka, where Rome is represented by the Marist Mission and Methodism by the Methodist Church of New Zealand, neither of these bodies (to my know ledge) include trading operations with their missionary activities. That, how over, does not alter the fact that in other districts trading and mission work is combined.