Tropicalities

THE very definite warning to the maritime unions, pronounced at the Burns Philp annual meeting by Mr. James Burns, was long overdue. The extent to which the firm is hampered and harassed by the trade unions, in its effort to give the Islands communities efficient and profitable shipping services, has never been disclosed—and, if it were, it would seem incredible. The firm, for instance, is try ing nowadays to get its share of Pacific tourist business: yet travellers on B.P. ships are driven in to dinner by union conscious stewards at 6 p.m., while tour ists on ships not on Australian registry are permitted to take their principal meal at an hour that is much more suitable to the tropics. The B.P. stewards may be just as much victims of union tyranny as their employers; but the spineless refusal of the stewards, and of the constantly troublesome firemen and deck hands, to stand up against the unreasonable dic tates of the Trades Hall bosses, inevitably will cost them their jobs. The time must come when the crews of the Island steam ers will be recruited from the available Asiatic and native labour, so that the firm may compete on more equal terms with ships registered in other countries.

So far, B.P. directors have been very loyal to the country which pays them a sub stantial subsidy for maintaining Islands services, and have employed all-Austra lian crews on Australian conditions. We are inclined now to think that the firm’s directors are coming to the view that it would be cheaper for the firm to break away from the harassing Navigation Act of Australia, and engage labour in the most favourable market—even if that policy meant the loss eventually of the Australian subsidy.

WE have said repeatedly that we hold no brief for Messrs. Burns Philp and Co. Ltd. On the other hand, we never have been a party to indiscriminate and unjustified attacks on the “Big Firm.’’

This is an occasion when fittingly one may say a few good words about “B.P.”

In another column, we publish the firm’s annual statement of account, which shows that the firm is weathering the economic storm in satisfactory fashion. We would ask Pacific Islands residents to try and imagine what economic conditions in the Pacific would be like just now, if “B.P.” had had insufficient reserves to call upon in this period of crisis. Planters gener ally are having a thin time of it; but, with the help of the big companies, they are holding on, and, if world values re cover, and the grip of Unilever is not fatal, they will get back to solvency again presently. If it had not been for the wise management which built up large re serves for Burns Philp and Co., Ltd., W.

R. Carpenter and Co., Ltd., and Morris Hedstrom Ltd. in the good years, 90 per cent, of Pacific planters to-day would be in bankruptcy. As it is, the Islanders are not suffering any kind of general dis aster. The big firms are financing them as far as is practicable; are purchasing and marketing their products, frequently at a loss, merely in order to keep the industrial wheels turning; and unques tionably will stand by the honest and in dustrious producer until the tide turns again. There may be some altruism in it: but it certainly is sound business; If

the big firms are necessary to the plant ers in the bad times, the planters are just as necessary to the firms when times are good.

THE interesting suggestion that Indians should be introduced into the British Solomon Islands, which was published recently, does not meet with the approval of a Fiji correspondent.

“Do not, under any consideration (he says) allow semi-educated Indians to settle in the Solomons, or elsewhere for that matter, as there will always be trouble with their demands for equal status. The high caste, semi-educated Indian coolies and their descendants here in Fiji ought to be shipped back to India and made stay there. A Christian Indian is a pest and an agitator, and cannot be trusted. However, if Indians must be brought into B.S.I., let the authorities import the peasant-farmer class as they do not seem to interest them selves in politics, and as a whole are a very contented community.”

A GROUP of New Guinea residents, call ing themselves the New Guinea Cen tenary Flight Syndicate, have entered an aeroplane in the big air race from London to Melbourne in October next. The famous New Guinea airman, Mr. Raymond J.

Parer, has been nominated as the pilot, with Mr. Godfrey Ellard Heinsword as his assistant. It has not been decided yet what type and make of machine will be flown.

“The best of luck to our plucky aviator, Ray Parer, in this world’s greatest air race,” writes a correspondent from Lae, New Guinea. “All New Guinea will watch his progress with eager eyes and lively hopes. If nothing else, the entry will focus inquisitive attention on the Territory and our marvellous air services.”

ONE hundred years of struggle for the freedom of subject and backward races are described in enthralling fashion in a book published in 1933 by Sir John Harris, entitled “A Century of Emancipation.” It opens with a description of the work of Wilberforce in destroying the ghastly

slave systems of the northern hemisphere, and deals in a striking way with the aftermath of slavery; the attacks led by enlightened men against such things as Congo atrocities: and examines the pre sent-day survivals of slavery as found in Abyssinia, Arabia, and the Far East.

The book has particular interest for us because the gifted author, referring to the humanitarianism which has dominated British colonial policy for 100 years, pays a tribute to great British administrators like Cromer, Lugard, Macaulay, Hubert Murray, George Grey, and General Gor don.” It is gratifying to find Australia’s notable Papuan administrator, Sir Hubert Murray, bracketed with some of the great est names in modern British history.

THE prospectus of the Austral Diving A and Pearling Company Ltd., which has been registered in Australia with an authorised capital of £5000, with the object of acquiring a new diving apparatus, includes among its directors Mr. W. H.

Carpenter, of Thursday Island. It is in tended to equip a suitable pearling fleet and to engage in the business of pearl fishing. It is stated that “the invention is a new type of diving dress which will revolutionise diving practice.” It is stated that the dress enables the diver to remain submerged for far greater periods and at greater depths: and that he may after wards return immediately to the surface, without delay or harmful effect. The managing director is Captain James B.

Arthur, well-known in the Torres Straits pearling industry.

THE “Pacific Islands Monthly” is pub lished mainly for two reasons: Firstly, to give service to residents in the South Seas and ventilate their grievances, real or imaginative; and, secondly, to provide a comprehensive summary of news relat ing to all the Islands of the Pacific, not only for the benefit of readers in the

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South Seas, but also for subscribers all over the world.

Therefore it is gratifying to know that the “P.I.M.” serves its purpose in keeping the outside world in touch with events and developments in the Pacific Islands.

Mr. Gordon Bryan, of London, writing to us recently, said; “I should like to express my very great appreciation of the read ableness and very unusual interest of your paper. I have no experience of the South Seas as a resident, but only as a passing tourist. I spent nine months in New Zealand and made the round trip by the Tofua, as well as visiting Fiji on the way to New Zealand, and Java, etc., on the re turn voyage. Even such short acquaint ance makes further news of all the Islands most welcome. I shall keep up my sub scription indefinitely, as I find other people who have never been to the South Seas are also very interested in the journal.”

THE allegation that funds of the Aus tralian National Research Council were missing as a result of the muddle in the affairs of the late Professor Chapman of Sydney University caused a rumour that field activities in New Guinea, Papua, Arnheim Land, Central Australia, and elsewhere might have to be seriously cur tailed. Until further investigations have been made, no authoritative statement has been issued, but it is believed that it will be possible to continue the field work without serious interruption. • • • THE annual farce has been carried out at Geneva. The Mandates Commission of the semi-moribund League of Nations has been examining the reports of the Administrators of the Mandated Terri tories of New Guinea and Western Samoa.

Representatives of the Mandatories have travelled comfortably to Geneva at the expense of the countries holding the man dates, and have answered a whole series of questions about conditions in the re spective Territories. A press cablegram from Geneva gives the interesting news that Mr. J. G. McLaren (Secretary to the Australian High Commissioner) and Mr.

E. W. P. Chinnery (head of the Depart ment of Native Affairs in New Guinea) have been subjected to the usual interro gation and have acquitted themselves creditably.

It is all very delightful—-but how absurd!

One would suppose that the League of Nations is carefully guarding the welfare of native peoples, who are constantly men aced by their white overlords. Yet adjoin ing New Guinea on the west is Papua; and just across an imaginary line on the east are the Solomon Islands; and Papua is ruled by Australia, while the Solomon Islands are the special care of the British Colonial Office; and if any experienced re sident of the Pacific Islands can prove that the natives of the Mandated Territory of New Guinea are any better governed or protected than the natives of Papua or the Solomons (who know not Geneva) the editor of this journal will gladly buy him a large quart pot of foaming ale.

With elegant fingers to a scornful nose, Japan has expressed her polite opinion of the League of Nations, and is administer ing her Mandated Territories (Marshall and Caroline Islands) exactly as she pleases. It would be interesting to know, therefore, whether Japan is still ad hering to the formalities of the Mandates System, and undergoing at Geneva the same silly cross-examination in regard to the Marshall and Caroline Islands.