Charged

Abuse Of Natives

Measles Epidemic in T.N.G.

Letter to the Editor I WAS surprised to read in your issue of November 15, 1938, a letter headed “Unused Native Land in New Guinea”. I was not surprised at the tone taken by your correspondent, which is symptomatic, but that you should have published and so headlined the let ter without first ascertaining the facts.

The land being seized was not “un used”, as you suggest. It is heavily planted with coconut trees and food gar dens, and on the area marked out were two copra kilns and many native dwell ing houses belonging to the people of Karavia and Ratavul. Had they been evicted, as was evidently intended, they would have starved, with the many famil ies of eruption refugees who are living with them.

After futile complaints to the District Services Department, the natives took the only defence measure open to them, that of pulling out the survey pegs. This measure was not “inspired” by any Eu ropean. but was agreed to after a meet ing of chiefs and elders. For this ac tion some seventy odd natives were charged and heavily fined by the De partment of Native Affairs. One man was assaulted on his own ground by a Government official.

The natives thereupon drew up a peti tion signed by 582 native men and wo men pointing out that this land repres ents their sole means of livelihood, and that it had been planted up originally with coconuts by their parents under the advice of the German Governor, Dr.

Hahl. One copy of this petition went to the Acting Administrator and one copy to the Prime Minister of Austra lia. On representations made by myself the savage fines were reduced by 80 and 90 per cent. Canberra has promised an inquiry.

Your correspondent states that “tens of thousands” of acres in this district are lying idle. Where? No one else knows of it. He also says that there are areas of bearing coconuts in the vicinity without owners. Again I ask, where? The natives of the district have never heard of these coconuts.

Your correspondent refers to the worthy purpose of erecting a native hos pital. The natives point out that this hospital can be better established on nearby European plantation land, with out the need for dispossessing or starving anyone.

It seems strange that this solicitude for native health has not taken more

practical form in attempting to halt the terrible measles epidemic that for months has been sweeping through the villages, taking an enormous toll of life. One had hoped that prompt measures would have been taken to quarantine the sufferers at the beginning.

In conclusion, as an old Fleet Street man, I protest against any reputable journal publicly accusing another of “lies and exaggeration”, without taking reas onable pains to ascertain the full facts’’.

I am, etc.,

Thomas Valentine Wallace.

New Britain. December 1, 1938.