Kwato Mission And

Trading

A LENGTHY reply to the defence of Kwato Mission Station, Eastern Papua (published by us at Mr. Abel’s request in July) has been received from Mr. Reg.

Fletcher, of Normanby Island. Mr. Fletcher, writing on October 26, made the following points:— I reiterate that the feeling against Kwato trading is both strong and universal. I have spent the last 12 days in Samarai, and enquired from all sections of the public, azid all state Kwato is being allowed an unfair advantage.

The list of customers is interesting, al though incomplete; they left out Messrs.

A. Evennett and J. G. Munt. This pat ronage is no criterion, owing to the cheap work carried out at Kwato. It is also to be noted that with one slip closed down, and the proprietor of another chasing the elusive dwts. to get a crust, most boat owners had to get their boat work done wherever possible.

It is correct that the demand for skilled Papuan labour is greater than ever; but he is very misleading. Skilled Papuans are turned out by the Anglican, Roman Catho lic, L.M.S. and the Methodist Mission Socie ties. I have yet to see, in 25 years’ resi dence, any private employer who has a skilled labourer in his employ turned out by Kwato. What becomes of the natives trained in Kwato Technical School at the expense of the Government?

The statement that the European trades men were all employed is incorrect. At the time this controversy started Messrs.

Young, Markey and Le Boutillier were all unemployed in Samarai. Two are now em ployed at Misima, and the third relies on plumbing work. This is the direct result of the “healthy competition” which Mr.

Abel tells us about.

I did not make “a serious charge against a Philanthropic Society.” What I argued was that what Kwato would consider a legitimate charge against technical educa tion, a Government auditor might think otherwise. He says the expenditure exceeds the grant; but, as Colonel Hooper mentions in his reports, technical students work on boat work and one may wonder if this account is properly credited with all the work carried out on their slip.

The reply about 1J ounces of gold taken out of Milne Bay by any member connected with the Association is a mere quibble. I was discussing what they had bought in Milne Bay, not mined.

As for unscrupulous natives passing themselves off as Kwato employees—does Mr. Abel think that I do not know the natives employed at Kwato?

To quote Mr. Dexter is absurd. This gentleman, being an independent store keeper, was able to import his own mer chandise direct, and sell at wholesale rates to other small traders in the Bay; and as Kwato was one of his best customers, it would be hardly likely he would object to their selling retail, what he had sold to them wholesale.

The statement about the boats being registered could have been qualified by Mr.

Abel stating when his boats were regis tered. Is it only since they started freight ing in opposition to others?

That Kwato is a non-dividend paying concern is not very surprising. Probably, if they cut out 15 of the 21 Europeans on Kwato at present, the saving would enable them to do without the Government sub sidy. I presume the Government give grants for technical purposes with the idea that a supply of trained natives is always available to both the Government and pri vate employees. Mr. Abel might explain how many trained boys have been turned

out by Kwato since the inception of this Company in 1919; by whom they are em ployed; the cost per head to train them; the present number of students; the num ber of other boys employed at Kwato; and, finally, how many natives claim exemption from the Government Tax on Kwato’s behalf.