Administration’s Dilemma

A CORRESPONDENT, “Veritas et Jus titia,” writing from Rabaul on Sep tember 9, comments on the situation: The ideal place for an aerodrome is the flat area between the town of Rabaul and Matupi native village. This area is in two large, unequal parts, which are owned respectively by the Administra tion and the Matupi natives. The Ad ministration’s part is closer to Rabaul and was made a public reserve only last year, and is used as a combined golf ground and racecourse. The area could with very little trouble and expense be made into an ideal aerodrome. The area owned by the natives is heavily planted with coconuts and banana gardens.

The Matupi people number at present approximately 1,000 and have consider ably increased in recent years, and obtain the major portion of their food from their adjoining land.

In recent years, portions of the native lands have been alienated for hospital

Five thousand Samoans watched the ceremony in July when General H.

E. Hart unveiled a memorial at Manono to Rev.

Peter Turner the first Euro pean Methodist missionary to Samoa, who landed there 100 years ago. The photo. shows some of the Samoan chiefs and Methodis missionaries, who took part in the procession seated before tho memorial stone Photo, by Rev J. W. Burton, in the “Missionary Review.”

and compound purposes, while last year a request was made by the Administra tion that the people should cede another strip to complete the reserve. When the natives were reluctant to part with any more of the land, obviously necessary for them to produce food and firewood, the Administration, after enquiry, admitted that the people had no more land than is necessary to provide for their reason able requirements; and that if the natives would agree to cede this last strip of land the Administration would not alien ate another inch of the natives’ land.

This information, at the Administra tion’s request, was communicated to the natives explicitly by the local Catholic missionary (Father G. Madigan) through the medium of the native lan guage.

In the circumstances, one would think that the Government reserve would be chosen for the aerodrome and the natives left in undisputed possession of what is admittedly necessary for their existence.

Rabaul has a population of about 750 Europeans, and approximately 35 play golf intermittently; while races are held only a few times in the year. Very little inconvenience and no loss would be in curred by asking the clubs to withdraw from land that does not belong to them.

A few weeks ago, surveyors appeared on different parts of the area in ques tion; and, when they crossed over into the portion owned by the natives, the people became uneasy. The Administra tion again sought the aid of the Catholic missionary to assure the people, through their own language, that they were not to be alarmed, as the Government sur veyors were merely marking out the land in the vicinity owned by the Adminis tration. Imagine the consternation of both missionary and people when, on September 5, surveyors with native labourers were marking and pegging the portion of the land owned exclusively by the natives for the aerodrome, and leav ing the Government reserve entirely un touched.

During the process 64 coconut trees and 24 banana trees were cut down. The land has not been resumed and not one of its owners had been apprised of what was contemplated.

Naturally, the almost frantic people, who believed the official information com municated to them by the missionary, appealed to the missionary, and when the latter approached the same responsible official who had emphatically stated that nothing had been determined and that the surveyors were on the area for an entirely different purpose, he learned for the first time that a very large portion of the natives’ land had been marked for an aerodrome. The indignation of the ■natives was difficult to control —practically the entire population went to Rabaul to protest against the injustice. An offer was made that the people should give the land in exchange for some place far distant from their home.

The people have now been assured by the responsible official that the Adminis trator has ordered that nothing shall be done until he has had an enquiry made as to whether the people have sufficient land to grow their food; and that an official will enquire next week.

The position of the Administration is unenviable. Everyone admits the neces sity of the proposed aerodrome. Experts say the land in question is the only suit able site available. A choice must be made between alienating land admittedly neces sary for the existence of the natives, or incurring the displeasure of the few European golfers and the racing club.