N.G. Native Labour

Problem Commission at Work on Difficult Task

From Our Own Correspondent

T Tttn Rabaul, Feb. 3.

HE Commission, consisting of two officials and two non-officials, with the Director of District Services as chair man, still is busily engaged in collecting evidence from all sections of the com munity. Answers to the questionnaires are being received from all over the Territory, and the response is said to be good.

There appears to be a majority in favour of the establishment of a govern ment-controlled labour bureau, which will supply all labour and supervise its repatriation.

A bureau, free from the usual offi cial red-tape, is suggested, staffed with officials who will have the prestige of “Government” in the eyes of the natives, but without the severe handicap of being subject to the usual departmental delays.

Corporal Punishment

Although the questionnaire contained no reference to the introduction of cor poral punishment in any form, the mat ter has been brought up by various wit nesses. It is interesting to note that several missionaries of long residence support the suggestion that corporal punishment, similar to that enforced in European schools, should be introduced for the punishment of minor offences, thus obviating the loss of the servants’ time to the employers involved in going to court, and meting out summary pun ishment on similar lines as is given to children at school or in the home.

The Commission recently made a trip to Kavieng, where important evidence was tendered by planters, business people and missionaries.

Editorial Note

rE Government labour bureau plan has many advocates, but it should be approached with the greatest caution.

Already there are too many sugges tions of “forced labour” in connection with New Guinea. If the Government, demanding the 10/- annual head-tax in the primitive villages, is at the same time seeking recruits for its labour bureau, the conclusion certainly will be formed in native minds —and maybe in minds other than native —that the two things are connected —that is, that the Government, failing to collect its head tax, demands as an alternative that the young men shall be indentured for gen eral labour and that their “hand money” (deposit left by recruiter with recruit’s relations as evidence of good faith) shall be used for payment of head-taxes.

The old recruiting method, while it has its critics, at least has this outstand ing thing in its favour —that none can say that recruits, so procured, have “made paper” under official pressure.

This whole matter of enlisting native labour in New Guinea is so beset with difficulties and dangers that it is to be hoped that the Commission, before mak ing its report, will examine very care fully the possibility of using indentured Asiatic labour.

However, it is unlikely that any far reaching changes will be made until the war ends, and the future government of New Guinea is permanently arranged.