New Guinea

Mission Rivalries In

By [?]Ordon Thomas

NOW thatllenry Foege, the Lutheran missionary, has had the greater por tion of his sentence of two years’ im prisonment remitted by the Adminis trator, and Anthony Cranssen, the Roman Catholic priest, had only to serve six months of his five years’ sentence, we may consider the missionary episodes closed in this Territory—we hope for all time.

A pity that representations were not made to the Administrator, after a reasonable time, for a remission of the sentences. There is little doubt that such appeal would have succeeded and much unsavoury publicity in the Southern Press would have been avoided.

There are always two aspects in every case: the legal and the moral. In a court of law only the legal phase is taken Into consideration. Both Cranssen and Foege broke the law. That the sentences in both cases were severe there is no doubt. There were, however, contribut ing circumstances in both cases for strong deterrent measures to be taken and these circumstances undoubtedly in fluenced the Chief Judge when he sen tenced the two missionaries. In the Cranssen case, there was very apparent sectarian jealousy and the usurping of Government authority; while the Foege case confined itself solely to his taking the law into his own hands.

Usurping Government authority has for long been a tendency of mission work ers in the areas occupied by primi tive natives on the mainland. Whether by coincidence or design, it seems to have developed during recent years with the growing rehabilitation of certain European Powers. This, of course, is a circumstance which is not recognised in official circles, but, nevertheless, it exists.

As an illustration, take the case of a young patrol officer who had occasion to censure a missionary in an isolated area of New Britain. In order to maintain his standing with natives, the missionary told his followers that very soon he would cause the removal of the Government official. In a short while, the patrol officer proceeded on his usual leave, and, on re turn to Rabaul, was transferred to another district "owing to the exigencies of the service.” So far as the natives were concerned, the missionary had had a win, for he did not fail to refer to his prognostication, and, with a nod of the head: "I told you so.” This is only on© of many similar incidents which assist in consolidating the missionary’s position with the native, who knows little of twenty-one months’ official leave or the difficulties of filling staff vacancies.

The incident, also, will give some idea of one of the psychological difficulties with which the Administration is faced.

The root of nearly all the trouble in this Territory between White and Black is the constant struggle of the White to maintain unquestioned mastery over the native, which gives rise to a marked re sentment towards anyone entering into rivalry for that position in the native mind. This resentment too often takes the form of defamatory remarks to natives.

The New Guinea hinterland bristles with the rivalry of Government authority, mission influences and commercial de velopment, each bent on a race of its own; while the primitive man stands be wildered.

These are some of the factors that lie

in the background and have become in terwoven with the events which came out in the Cranssen and Foege trials —circumstances which, in all probability, had some bearing on the sentences. Sen tences, it must be remembered, can always be reduced, but seldom increased.

From the moral angle, Cranssen had less in his favour than Foege. He was in a wild country, where self-preservation is always a fundamental principle guid ing one’s actions. Sectarian rivalry be came rife as the result, chiefly, of the zeal of native teachers, Cranssen acted with a view to intimidate; he destroyed property in a manner recognised in that country as signifying great hostility.

The repercussions from the primitive natives, spurred on by denominational rivalry, might have taken tragic dimen sions against innocent members of the white race at any future period. He was the aggressor.

Foege, on the other hand, conducted his reprisals and demanded retribution in every respect similar to native custom. He was the aggrieved party, demanding com pensation in a manner understood by the natives. The hostage, the demands for pigs for the balance of the unreturned goods, and more pigs for the attack upon his helpers, the ceremony of handing over, the exchange of gifts, the sharing of the pigs, breaking of arrows, and the final

parting—all was carried out strictly ac cording to custom, resulting in a peaceful settlement. But it was done according to the Black and not the White law. Foege took unto himself power with which he was not vested, and therein lay his breach of the law.

A fact which must not be disregarded in both cases is that the root of the trouble lay with the native mission teachers or helpers.

With the observance of the newly-in troduced regulations, prohibiting native teachers from working in “uncontrolled areas,” unless under the direct super vision of a white missionary, the possi bility of similar sorry casrtltof mission aries being charged with of the law will no doubt be minimised.

Keep native teachers well under control, and eradicate denominational rivalry— and mission troubles in New Guinea will be at an end.