Anthropologist.

Population Problems.

Useful Book By Official Anthropologist.

A valuable contribution to the study of the welfare of the native races of the Pacific has come to hand in a new book by Mr. F. E. Williams, M.A., who is well known as the official anthropologist of the Papuan Administration.

Sir Hubert Murray (Lieutenant- Governor of Papua) has gained an en viable world-wide reputation as a successful tropical Administrator; and Sir Hubert is the first to ascribe his success to the admirable service he has always received from his responsible officials. From no member of his expert staff has he received greater help than from Mr. Williams, who has brought to his study of the native peoples a broad sympathy and deep understanding, as well as exact scientific knowledge. The value of anthropological knowledge is very clearly recognised in these days of Administrators in control of primitive peoples; and in no part of the world has this scientific data been more suc cessfully applied than in Papua.

Much of the credit of this must go to the careful, painstaking and scholarly work of Mr. Williams.

The book referred to is entitled “Population and Education in Papua” and consists of two lengthy papers prepared by Mr. Williams in connec tion with his work—“ The Depopula tion of the Suau District” and “Prac tical Education: The Reform of Native Horticulture.”

Mr. Williams, in the first section, deals with special problems that he has found in the decrease of popula tion in the eastern end of Papua, in a comparatively small district at the south-eastern tip of the mainland. Mr.

Williams has very carefully investi gated a score of probable and possible causes of depopulation, both physical and psychological; and, arguing from the particular to the general, he has submitted a number of useful and in teresting theories dealing with ques tions affecting the native population generally. It is safe to say that no person concerned with native problems in this part of the world, be he admin istrator or scientist, can afford to be without Mr. Williams’s book.

The subject of providing food for the native community is necessarily closely linked with that of population in creases or decreases; and Mr. Williams advances some very valuable data and theories concerning the manner in which age-old practices in horticul ture have been modified by contact with European civilisation. Mr. Wil liams takes the view that it is desir able that new methods of horticulture be introduced among the native peoples, to take the place of practices which have been superseded. But, as an experienced anthropologist, who recognises how difficult it is to alter the habits of these primitive peoples without destroying communal virility, the author advances his theories and arguments very cautiously. His idea of inaugurating a special system of im parting horticultural knowledge to the Papuan is extremely interesting and may be studied with advantage by

everyone interested in Pacific adminis tration.

The book is beautifully printed and bound, and is a creditable product of the Government Printing Office, Port Moresby, from which our copy was re ceived.