Sir Hubert Murray Dies On Duty

Empire Pays Tribute to One of Greatest Colonial Administrators

SIR JOHN HUBERT PLUNKETT MURRAY, K.C.M.G., Lieutenant- Governor of Papua since 1908, and world-famous as an authority on colonial administration, died suddenly in the European hospital, Samarai, Eastern Papua, on February 27, and was buried the following afternoon in Port Moresby. Leading men and newspapers throughout the Empire paid tribute to his fine character, and to his outstanding achievements as the administrator of a primitive, tropical territory.

Sir Hubert Murray, born on De cember 29, 1861, was 78 years old.

Although exceedingly active, and in possession of all his faculties, those who knew him best had noticed that he seemed to be failing in health during the past couple of years. It was known, recently, that he was suffering from pernicious anaemia and the disease was in an advanced stage when, on February 20, he left in the Government yacht “Laura bada” for Samarai, on his way to inspect the Government stations on the north-east coast, and in the Trobriands. He was accompanied by his nephew, Mr. Leonard Murray, who is official secretary and who also acts as captain of the “Laurabada”.

The party reached the Trobriands, and were on their way along the north-east coast, when Sir Hubert be came ill; and Mr. Murray turned the “Laurabada” about and took Sir Hubert to the hospital at Samarai.

The doctor there thought that Sir Hubert would benefit from rest and treatment, and he told Mr. Murray that he could continue the inspection along the north-east coast, and return for the Governor in a few days. But, a few hours later, the doctor made a blood test, and became so alarmed at what he found that he sent a radio message to Mr. Murray to re turn immediately, and he also in formed Mr. H. W. Champion, the Government Secretary, at Port Moresby, that the condition of Sir Hubert was critical.

The following day (Tuesday, Feb ruary 27) the Governor’s condition continued serious, but he himself made light of it, joked with his friends, and told Mr. S. Elliott Smith who is Acting Resident Magistrate at Samarai, that they would do some work together the following morning.

Early in the evening he fell asleep, and at 7.30 p.m. he died in his sleep.

So passed one of the greatest men that Australia has produced.

Family And Education

SIR Hubert Murray was an example of that rare phenomenon —brilliance running consistently through the gene rations of a particular family. His grandfather was a British military offi cer, who settled on 2560 acres °n the shores of Lake George, N.S.W., in lozo.

His father was one of Australia s fam ous statesmen —Sir Terence Murray, who was president of the N.S.W Legis lative Council from 1862 until 1873. His brother is the famous Sir Gilbert Mur ray; and he had a host of blood rela tions, distinguished in all walks of life.

tt . , . .p- He married, first, a daughter of Dr. R.

L. Jenkins, of Nepean Towers, N.S.W., and they had three children—Brigadier T. A. Murray, Professor Patrick Murray, and a daughter who married Captain C. R. Pinney, former Administrator of Norfolk Island, now retired. Sir Hubert Murray married a second time,

in 1930; his widow is in England, where she has resided for some years.

Sir Hubert was educated in Sydney, in Germany and at Oxford; was admitted a barrister of the Inner Temple in 1886; practised law in Sydney, and was com mander of the N.S.W. Irish Rifles, 1898; served in the Boer War; and was ap pointed by the Commonwealth Govern ment (being then slightly over 40 years old) to conduct an inquiry into Papuan affairs. In 1904 he was appointed judi cial officer in Papua, and in 1908, when Captain F. R. Barton retired, he was made Lieut.-Governor. He was judge for less than four years, and Governor and judge for 31 years, yet he still is known in Papua as “Judge Murray”.

The Taming Of Papua

PAPUA, in 1908, was a primitive, un tamed land, inhabited by numer ous, powerful tribes, among whom can nibalism, head-hunting and sorcery were rampant. Most men would have visual

ised the task of “civilising” these people as one for force of arms. But Murray employed different methods. This was not so much because he was humanitarian, as because of his intense scientific curi osity. He was, above all things, a scientist: and, as such, he studied with fascinated interest, the fierce, suspicious, stone-age savages who had been given into his care. Was there any point of contact between the mentality of the European and the Papuan, through which the two peoples could be brought closer together, without bloodshed? So he went among them, far out into un tamed country, unarmed, and seeking their trust; and, as the years passed, little by little, they began to accept his law.

A Melbourne writer, who evidently knew Sir Hubert well, says this of him: “His method of ending head-hunting and cannibalism was original. Having won the esteem of the natives, he let it be known that he did not regard head hunting and cannibalism very highly.

First one tribe gave them up, and then others, seeing the friendship the first tribe won from the Governor, decided that it might be a good scheme to give up the practices themselves.”

One of his “original” ideas was that natives who, officially, were notorious murderers, actually were not bad fel lows. They were merely units in a sys tem under which they had lived for a thousand years; and it might be that those who had killed the largest num ber of men were really the strongest and most resourceful of their tribes.

So he gave much personal attention to the natives whom his patrol officers and police brought in as “murderers”; and, in course of time, he proved his theory. Notorious murderers returned to their tribes as firm friends of the Government, and supporters of the white man’s law and order. From the most savage communities he recruited his Native Constabulary—men so staunch and brave and intelligent that they have become famous, and lately were given the title of “Royal”.

And so, in the course of 30 years, working at first almost alone, but sup ported, as the decades passed, by an ever-increasing band of intensely loyal resident magistrates and patrol officers, Murray tamed Papua. A volume would be needed to describe his methods and his achievements. It is enough to say that, to-day, a stranger may go unmo lested, from one end of Papua to the other, even through areas marked “un controlled”.

Development

IN his preoccupation with the natives —their condition, their attitude to the Government, and the effect of the change-over from stone-age to Euro pean culture—Sir Hubert did not for get the Europeans, and his obligation to encourage development by white coloni sation. In this respect, Papua has been called “backward”. So it is—and it is not surprising in the circumstances.

But that was not the fault of the Governor.

In all the Pacific territories, there never was an Administrator more ready to listen to commercial propositions, and more prompt and courageous in granting concessions, once he was sure that the enterprise would benefit and develop the Territory. Yet there never was a man more inaccessible, in the matter of personal considerations. Not even the most hard-boiled company promoter (and some pretty tough speci mens have visited Papua) would have

dared suggest “a little private arrangement” to the ever-courteous but alwaysremote Sir Hubert Murray.

He was quite unconventional—his heavy black boots and his battered old felt hat were the despair of those who believe that their administrators should be sartorially beautiful—but he was always the Governor. His tall figure and fine personality commanded immediate respect.

Personal Relationships

HE was proud of his public service, and maintained close personal contact with, at least, all his senior men.

He knew their domestic problems, on the out-stations; and he had some very warm favourites among their small children. His men went to him with

their private as well as their official troubles, and always they were helped, Never a man of the service, no matter how humble, passed through Port with out an encouraging word from the Gov ernor, or from Mr. Leonard Murray or Mr - Champion, the two lieutenants upon whom he most depended, The European non-official community held him in the warmest regard. They grumbled and growled over such things as Port’s water supply, and the demands of the Pension Fund. But all were in tensely proud of “the old man”, and rendered him homage whenever he appeared among them.

Sir Hubert saw Papua grow from a European community of about 65, to what is, after all, a flourishing little

(Continued on Page 63.)

tropical colony, with immense poten tialities. It is a pity he did not live another year or two, to witness “the Cinderella of the tropical territories” becoming the British Empire’s richest oilfield.

Loved By The Natives

HIS achievements were many—as lawyer, soldier, author, scientist, administrator —but probably he has gained enduring fame as the man who helped the fine Papuan natives to move over from stone-age barbarism to semi- Europeanisation. The natives loved him.

It is worth recalling that, when the Australian Governor-General (Lord Gowrie) was in Papua in 1938, the Papuan native chiefs presented to Sir Hubert Murray the following address:— “During all these years we have seen your good works, and all the helpful things you have done.

When we have come to speak to you, you have not closed your ears, nor have you frowned upon us, but have received us, and listened to us, and taken action for us. We have seen all the good things you have done, and our happi ness is great because of you. Therefore we all beg of you not to leave us, but stay here as our Governor for years to come. For we know you and how you have led us into the ways of your laws, treating white people and our selves just the same. We know that you love rs well, and we are full of love for you our Governor.”

Sir Hubert was deeply touched by this spontaneous gesture; and it was then that he gave them a promise that he would remain among them until he died.

Sir Maynard and Lady Hedstrom, of Suva, arrived in Auckland on February 6. Sir Maynard underwent a minor operation there on February 14, and made a good recovery, and they are ex pected to return to Fiji this month.