Trader And Native.

The Part the Mission Plays,

From Our Own Correspondent.

Thursday Is., Dec. 12.

THE report that the Anglican Mission in New Guinea is strongly opposed to Mission trading is interesting, as this is also the line taken by the Angli can Church with regard to its missions hereabouts.

On the aboriginal stations on the mainland, where there is no contact with European traders and so no possi bility of the charge of unfair competi tion by mission stores, supplies have to be kept on hand for disposal to the na tives as a matter of necessity; but in the Torres Strait islands, where the na tives have opportunity of obtaining their requirements from traders in Thursday Island or elsewhere, the Mission has steadily opposed any suggestion that it combines trading with its spiritual ac tivities.

Strong pressure was used from out side some years ago to induce the Mis sion to take over the Papuan Industries stores at Badu and run them as a co operative concern for the natives of Torres Strait; but the then Bishop (now Bishop of New Guinea), backed up by his staff, very wisely resisted this.

It is rightly felt that the legitimate trader has his place in the sphere of things, and, although in past days one has heard stories of “victimisation” of ignorant natives by unscrupulous men (often Asiatic), it is recognised that the native must learn to stand on his own feet, and that in buying and selling, as in other things, although he may re quire guidance, he must be fitted to act and think for himself.

The Islander now rubs shoulders with the outer world a good deal, and rightly asks that he may spend his own earn ings in what he considers the best mar ket. With the business community of Thursday Island he is on good terms, generally knowing what he wants and how far his “cash money” should go; and when working on boats further south he is accustomed to go into shops and purchase his various needs.

The Missions here have always en couraged him to look upon the trader as an honest man, not as a rogue; and if, on occasion, he has made a misdeal, that has only served him to place greater confidence in those with whom his transactions have been perfectly straight. The Missions have tried to teach him that the practical profession of Christianity is not the sole preroga tive of the members of the mission but he will find it behind the ordinary shop counter as well.