This Freedom !

Embarrassing Situation Created by Native Producers in New Guinea

From Our Own Correspondent

Rabaul, May 20.

IF ever a native race was suddenly pre cipitated from the stone-age to the complications of modern life, it was the New Guinea native —especially in and around Rabaul.

Special legislation has enabled them to dispose of their produce direct to exporters, and to receive the same price for their product as the Europeans.

They have added heavy motor lorries to their assets of hot-air kilns and gal vanised-iron homes; and their savings bank accounts have grown to nearly

£Lo,Ooo.

Legislation protects them at every turn—legislation rigidly enforced by Government officials, with one eye on the League of Nations and the other on Canberra.

No wonder, then, that when a witness before the Native Labour Commission (which is gathering data for an exten sive review of native labour regulations) made the remark that the natives of the Mandated Territory were not so well protected as the indigines of Papua, the Commission looked surprised. The cry from the majority of the non-native population in the Territory is that the Administration policy as one of too-great leniency towards the native, which is

having a deteriorating effect upon the growing generation.

The natives in the more-populated centres of the Territory are given their head in almost every respect. Old regulations, which were made for the maintenance of discipline and good order among a primitive people, are falling into disuse. Only recently, the District Court had a busy time, dealing out fines and imprisonment to chiefs and their henchmen for drinking quanti ties of intoxicating liquor purchased from Chinese traders who, owing to the adverse trading conditions brought about by the natives selling their copra direct to the exporters, must find some means of earning a livelihood.

The time has not yet come when the New Guinea native can “have his head” when he mixes in modern civilisation.

He must be kept in his place; and the sooner the Government realises this and introduces—once again—a bit of disci pline among the natives, the better it will be for all concerned.

Dr. George Lynch, M.B. (Camb.), who spent 30 years of distinguished service in Fiji, died recently in England, aged 79.

Appointed District Medical Officer at Ba, Fiji, in 1890, he became Senior Medical Officer in the Colony seven years later and was Resident Medical Superintend ent at Suva Colonial Hospital In 1908, he was made Chief Medical Officer, a member of the Legislative Council, and chairman of the Central Board of Health After his retirement from the Colonial Service, he returned to Suffolk, England, where he practised for a number of years.