Trading By Missionaries

Another Protest from Eastern Papua

Letter to the Editor.

IF you would allow me space again in your valu able paper, I would like to follow up my letter, published in your issue of November, on the old subject—Missionaries and Traders.

Since writing, I have been informed by a Samarai resident that the grant given to Kwato Extension Inc. is £1200 per year (£800 for technical training and £400 for child welfare). This information was obtained direct from the Govern ment Secretary by the person to whom I am in debted for the information.

The contradiction of Mr. Harrison’s letter by the secretary of the L.M.S. in Sydney in June, also one by a Mr. Smith in October, is rather amusing to read by any resident in this Territory conversant with the subject.

It is a remarkable thing that the mention of the subject trading always brings forth an indignant denial from the secretaries of Mission Societies.

Some time ago we had the spectacle of a secretary publicly denying that any member of his Society was trading, and when he was proved in the wrong, there was no apology tendered per the medium of your paper, which he used to make his absurd statement.

Mr. Smith talks of an apology. What for?

When Kwato were under the L.M.S., years ago, they traded in opposition to Europeans in Milne Bay, the same as the foreign Company are doing to-day.

The excuses made by the L.M.S. that they do not trade in opposition to the man on the spot is a mere quibble. They do trade, and that is the bone of contention at present.

We will take Fife Bay as an example of Mr.

Smith’s argument. This is controlled by the L.M.S., under the Rev. C. F. Rich, one of the most popular and best-respected men in the Ter ritory, and incidentally, one of the most success ful traders. There has never been any complaint as far as his trading is concerned, but to follow up Mr. Smith’s contention about the “man on the spot,” the reason the Mission have the field to themselves, is simply because any ordinary trader has no earthly chance of competing against them. I can safely say that if Fife Bay was not used as a Trading Station, two or three traders would be making a living there.

The same applies to Mailu and other stations on the South Coast. Further, Fife Bay is also run ning in opposition to the three slips in Samarai, for all boat repairs, etc.

I would further remind the secretary of the L.M.S. and Mr. Smith that if it was not for their Society handing over or selling their interests in the Eastern division, we would not be inflicted with the Kwato Extension Inc., and, instead of asking for apologies, it would enlighten a be wildered public, if they would explain why they handed over this part of the Territory to a foreign Mission.

There is a very considerable population in the Kwato area, and as the land was granted in the first place for religious purposes *to the L.M.S., and they continued their teaching there for some years, it seems incredible that a sound financial Society like theirs should suddenly abandon this area to another Society not recog nised in Australia.

As the two gentlemen both disclaim any asso ciation with Kwato, one may now ask what re ligion is being taught the natives since the L.M.S. faded out of the picture.

In 1925, Kwato was under the New Guinea Evangelization Society Inc. of New York, of which Walter McDougall was the treasurer, 156 Fifth Avenue, New York. Who they are and what re ligion they represent I have no idea. That they are not a recognised Australian Mission Society is well known, and it is astonishing how readily they were received and recognised by the Papuan Government.

To show that some Missionary Societies do a bit of exploiting, as well as the trader, I am enclosing you a document issued by a Society asking for public subscriptions towards evangelizing the poor natives; and, on enquiry from any Govern ment office, you will find this document is, in the main, a tissue of false statements, issued to delude the public into subscribing to a cause which does not exist. (Document received—very remark able.—Ed. P.I.M.).

I omitted several ventures in my last list which Kwato had tried —viz.; Milk vendors, sawmillers, and caterers. In your issue of November it says “shop” proprietors. This should read slip pro prietors. It is now announced that they are enter ing into the freighting trade in Milne Bay.

To trade in Papua, one has to obtain a trading license, a nominal amount of £1 per year, but the site selected must be quarter of a mile away from the nearest village. This is not a regulation, only instructions issued to the Government officers.

Owing to the small amount of gold obtainable here, the only hope I had to pay living expenses was to augment my income by opening a small trade store. I built a home and store on the beach, on Crown lands, not 66 feet from high water. The natives selected the site and asked me to build there. I am only 100 ft. from four village houses on one side of me. I am now told no license will be granted to me, as I am not a quarter of a mile from the village. This deters me from making a living at all here, as there is no spot anyway handy, that I could get within a quarter of a mile from a village.

Kwato Extension Inc. have been trading for years in Milne Bay, on sites granted “for re ligious purposes only,” and they do not pay any license fee at all. Why the distinction? I have no £1200 a year grant, or rich friends in America to contribute towards my support.

Can we not find someone in the Federal Parlia

ment with the same courage as Mr. Casey (As sistant Treasurer), who brought up the matter of the S.D.A. trading. The reply given him would not apply here, as the Government give grants for educational and medical work.

We constantly read this piffle about the ex ploitation of the natives by traders. It may have been the case 40 years ago, but for nearly 25 years, to my knowledge, the natives in the Eastern and South-Eastern divisions, through working for and mixing with Europeans, know too much about prices of trade goods ever to be exploited. To-day we find that if any exploita tion does occur, it is done by the native to the European.

In this respect, he is encouraged by the Gov ernment. If you assist a native by giving him credit to go fishing for shell or searching for gold, you have no redress if the native sells the result of his trip to someone else, and you are left with the debt. The Government informs the native he need not pay the white man. Most firms in Samarai and elsewhere have had to write off large sums as bad debts, incurred by natives.

Another thing all the missionaries lose sight of when uttering the old fallacy about exploitation is that, although being a Missionary Society, they can buy all their trade goods at a price much below that given to a small trader, and as they sell to the natives at the same price as the trader, it looks as if the exploitation is on their side.

Missionary Societies are, or were, granted con cessions in freight on their goods by the sub sidised mail steamers —another little bit of extra profit over the trader.

Mission trading is a matter for the Federal Gov ernment to take up. So far, any redress that has been received has been solely due to your valuable paper; and we further hope that by the constant publication of these grievances a fur ther improvement will take place.

I am, etc.,

Reg. Fletcher.

Kwanaula,

Normanby Island, E. Papua. 7/1/35.