Pioneer Planter Fears Native

Trouble

Letter to the Editor.

I READ with interest and sincere approval the letter by “Veri” in your issue of December last. It is in my opinion the soundest and most honest plea for a revision of the conditions under which managers, especially of isolated plantations, are suffering to-day, and have suffered ever since the inception of Civil Administration.

I am an Australian returned soldier with eighteen years of experience of handling native labour, with a good record; yet have to travel per boot 100 miles to take in witnesses, to say nothing of swimming several rivers to lay a com plaint against a native. The essence of punishment to a native is its promptness.

After days of delay on the road —weeks, if the rivers are up—the offence, to the native mind, is lost sight of; and often I have to parade the erring boy before a youth in the Administration who can scarcely speak Pidgin.

If the white man on the plantation is considered capable—as he is certainly held responsible—to doctor, ration, pay, generally look after and apportion work to his natives, he should be empowered to maintain discipline on the job, and he can’t do that without the aid of a cane.

The boys themselves prefer summary jus tice and were much happier under the old regime. They knew then where they stood. At present, they do not, as wit

ness the numerous cases of rape and indecent assault on white children and women. Five such cases were reported in a recent issue of the Rabaul Times.

Ten years’ imprisonment was given in some cases. Ten strokes on the tail ad ministered when the rot first set in would have prevented all this. In fact, there would have been no rot.

Often have I had boys, when bowled out in things they should not do (and knew they shouldn’t do) ask me to administer punishment and finish with it. I have done so, and realised the grave risk I was running. My contention is, there should be no risk in the perform ance of an essential, although distasteful task. Incidentally, the requests are made not from fear of calaboose —far from it! but swift retribution is native style, and that is all they understand, even with all our years of coddling.

After long years of pioneering in this country, which I like, and after planning to spend my old age here, I am really afraid of big native trouble in the near future, and I intend selling out when a fair price offers. I am aware my selling will not alter the Administration’s policy, but it will mean some other white man must face the grave issues I am tired of facing.

I am, etc.

Pioneer.

New Ireland, 22/2/35.