Honour To Whom Honour

is Due.

[To The Editor .] Sir, —Under the invidious heading “Sick Papua,’’ you say in your July issue, apropos of a suggestion to form an “Australian Tropical Corps”: “The Papuans are indifferent. So long as their present liberal superan nuation rights, and other similar privileges are preserved, they do not care whether they are thrown in with New Guinea or not.”

The Council of my Association, jeal ous of the good name and dignity of the service, cannot permit such a state ment to pass uncontradicted.

Through good times and bad, some times against odds and always for a very moderate reward, the officers of the Papuan Service have, faithfully and honourably, given of their best to an Administration that is accepted as a model in a field much wider than the Pacific.

Dr. A. C. Haddon, of Christ’s College, Cambridge, an authority whose opinion is accepted by all serious students of native administration, and whose repu tation is world-wide, has said; “The native policy and administra tion of three dependencies of the Em pire have earned special commenda tion, and one of them is Papua.”

The Civil Service may fairly claim a share of Dr. Haddon’s praise, and under the leadership of that great gentleman and able Governor, Sir Hubert Murray, will continue to earn it.

I am, etc.,

C. T. Wurth,

President.

Pt. Moresby, Oct. 12, 1932.

EDITORIAL NOTE. —It was never at any time intended to cast upon the Papuan public servants the reflection which the Association has seen in the sentence quoted. In fact, we sought to convey an entirely opposite meaning.

The Papuan public servants are noted for car rying out a difficult job in an efficient, praise worthy manner; and, so far as the job is con cerned, they are not unduly concerned about the proposed Tropical Corps. Such a reorgan isation will not affect their loyalty or efficiency; but it may be taken as certain that they will resist any interference with the terms of their original contract of service.