Native-Grown Coffee

and Rice Papuans Work Out Their Taxes— and Show a Profit

Prom Our Own Correspondent.

Port Moresby, Sept. 2.

IN Papua, instead of paying taxes a com munity may agree to establish a native plantation.

The Government acquires an area of land somewhere near the village, and the natives then work out their tax by plant ing, while the Government superintends and supplies seeds and tools. Crops from these plantations are divided between the Government and the villagers, the Govern ment’s share being paid into the Tax ation Fund, which is for the direct bene fit of the Papuans.

The objects of this scheme are to en courage enterprise and industry and to give the natives an interest in life be yond the daily routine of the village.

At Sangara, in the N.E. Division, coffee is the most suitable and profitable pro duce for the district, and natives have been encouraged to take up land for this purpose. The idea has taken hold, and the area under cultivation increased each year: in 1935-36 the plantations—lB, rang ing from 4 to 30 acres—totalled 242 acres.

That the natives grasped the advantages of the scheme is shown by the results, and though some were not prepared to de vote as much effort and care to harvest ing and preparation for marketing as is called for, the plan has worked remark ably well.

It has been pointed out that it is too much to expect the quality of coffee grown by Papuans to be at once equal to that harvested by the natives of other countries, where coffee has been grown for hundreds of years: but tnere is no reason why In time it should not be, as the natives gain experience and become accustomed to the habits of the industry.

For the last six years, the production at Sangara and the natives’ share of the proceeds have been: —

Rice Growing In The Mekeo

District

Another similar development is that of growing rice in the Mekeo district in lieu of paying taxes. This scheme was introduced in 1932 (although rice grow ing had been encouraged by the Catho lic Mission Fathers for many years pre viously) and the natives delivered 90 tons of paddy to the Government mill in Port Moresby. This produced 57 tons, for which they received £389.

Since then, production has greatly in creased. The natives now realise the value of rice cultivation both as a food and as a means to acquire money, and they sell large quantities to the Catho lic Mission. The rice for their own needs is milled with wooden pestles and mortars of their own making. By 1936, rice pro duction had risen to over 200 tons, and in 1937, to 310 tons.

The rice is a hill variety of good qual

ity, and is said to be in demand by the women who find it less awkward to handle than other garden produce in addition to providing vanery wj ineir diet. As a re sult of the steady market in the Mekeo district, very little of the rice is for warded to Port Moresby—last year the natives retained it all.

Mr. Wallace H. Smith and Mr. P. F, Cody, directors of the Emperor and Loloma gold-mining companies, left Sydney by the “Mariposa” on August 19 for Suva, Fiji, on a short visit of inspection to the Tavua goldfield. They were accompanied by Mr. L. B. Tomlins, secretary of Emperor Mines, Ltd., and Mr. Ellis Davies, of Charles Ruwolt, Ltd., technical adviser in connection with, the construction of the ore treating plants of the two companies.

Lbs.

Natives’ share. 1932 22,652 £426 1933 67,470 £828 1934 60,645 £558 1935 61,425 £642 1936 123,817 £1,280 1937 143,000 £1,600* ♦Approximately—not yet collected.