Insurance

Papuans Get £900

From Our Own Correspondent.

Pt. Moresby, Sept. 26.

FIVE Papuans employed on a T.I. pearl ing lugger perished in a cyclone in Torres Strait last year and the Protector of Aboriginals at Thursday Island made insurance claims on behalf of their dependents. As a result a sum of £3OO was awarded to relatives of three of the de ceased. The £9OO was forwarded to the Papuan Administration by the T.I. authori ties.

In view of the large sum of money avail able to natives who obviously have not advanced sufficiently to be able to make use

of it to the best advantage, the Papuan Government passed in the Legislative Council last July an amendment to the Native Ordinance (1893-35) whereby a trustee may be appointed by the Central Court for money or property of the value of £5O and upwards. This, of course, applies to natives who appear to be unable to utilise large sums of money, etc., to their best ability.

On September 4 His Honour, Mr. Justice Gore, in Chamber upon application by the Commissioner for Native Affairs (Mr. J.

T. O’Malley) appointed the Treasurer of the Territory (Mr. E. C. Harris) as trustee in each of the three cases. He ordered that the sum of £9OO be applied, capital and interest, for the benefit of the de pendents at the discretion of the trustee.