From Papuan Native Taxation
pp. 57-58 · Read in the full issue
Grants To Missions
From Papuan Native Taxation Fund
From Our Own Correspondent PT. MORESBY, January 15. 1N the Government Gazette published in A December. 1935, are complete statements of revenue and collections of Native Taxa tion from the inception of the tax in June, 1919, until June 30, last year.
Total net revenue of the tax amounts to £222,781, while total expenditure reveals £205,566, leaving a balance of £17,215. The cost of collection during these years amounted to £36,430 —the cost for 1934-5 being £2,337. Expenditure is divided into two headings—Education and Benefits—the former absorbing £86,354 and Benefits £119,212.
Expenditure on school grants and ex penses of native plantations, including in structional staff, come under the heading of Education, as also do the expenses in
curred by the paper Papuan Villager, a monthly paper published in English for the general education of Papuans.
The main items under Benefits are grants to Missions and Anthropology. The total amount paid to missions is £86,922. The mission bodies have received the follow ing grants since June 30, 1919; London Missionary Society £30,719 Kwato Industrial Mission 15,758 Methodist Mission 14,956 Roman Catholic Mission 14,451 Anglican Mission 9,303 Seventh Day Adventist Mission . . 1,643 Unevangelised Field Mission 92 The proceeds of the Native Tax is paid into a special account of the Treasury, called the Native Taxation Fund, and is held in trust for the natives of Papua by the Administration. This tax is levied on all males between the years of 16 and 36, with certain exceptions and the proceeds are expended on the Papuan alone.
The native tax is popular among the natives of the Territory, and exemption from it is resented. In the Annual Report for 1919-20 the Lieutenant-Governor (Sir Hubert Murray) wrote as follows in refer ence to native taxation and the resentment
shown by some natives to exemption: “I have been told that the explanation is not, as one is inclined to think, that the taxpayers are all mad, but the more intel ligent among them take it as a compliment that they should be asked to contribute to the administration cf the Territory, and are glad that they are not left out of ac count altogether. . . It is also a sign of the development among them of a civic spirit which, personally. I should not have expected for some generations to come.”