Spirited Defence of Catholic Missionaries in

New Guinea

Letter to the Editor

KINDLY permit me to reply to your “Special correspondent’s” letter from Wau, published in your October issue.

Under the cloak of replying to Rev.

Father Madigan’s outburst, your corres pondent has made a cowardly attack on a noble band of women, of various nationalities, who form nart of the com munity of missionaries at Alexishafen (Sek). Your correspondent has used his imagination in detailing alleged infringe ments of the Native Labour Regulations by these Sisters! Thus, he casts a grave slur on the very officials he seeks to de fend.

It is this sort of irresponsible piffle which our erstwhile friends of the League of Nations Executive love to get hold of, to try to trick Australia’s representatives into admitting that she is not carrying out the terms of the Mandate in the best interests of the natives.

After 25 years’ residence in New Guinea, I unhesitatingly say that our Admini stration has built up a Colonial Service second to none. We have a very fine body of intelligent young Australian manhood

serving the Commonwealth there and, from my observations, very few have fallen by the wayside. They are quite capable of defending themselves against your “Special” correspondent and Father Madigan, however, so I shall re sort to that wonderful band of women at Alexishafen—who are doing invaluable work, indirectly, for the Commonwealth Government, in educating and caring for the natives, and who have no opportunity of defending themselves.

When I say that I have lived near them for 20 years, you will concede that I should know something of them and their work. There are Mother Superiors from convents from the United States.

Holland and Germany, music and school teachers and nursing sisters from the same countries and from Switzerland—as cultured and refined a community of ladies as could be found in any nart of the world.

Many have laid down their lives with out earthly reward, after battling for 20 years and more to imnrove the mental, moral and social outlook of the native women placed in their care. Many more have lived in New Guinea for upwards of 30 years without a holiday, or even once returning to the land of their birth. What sacrifices has not this entailed—fevers and privations of all sorts! But they bear it all cheerfully, and carry on their noble work of christianising and teaching the natives, with a stout heart, and a smile for all.

Let me tell you here that these women have no love for Hitler, or the German brutes who are destroying life and property under his direction. Their lives are dedicated to the service of their mis sion, and the advancement of the natives committed to their care. During the past 20 years, I have seen them borne on frail canoes, often through raging seas, going to succour native mothers in vil lages several miles distant from the Convent.

In one such village there were 300 piccaninnies, alone, in it. Also, there are now many families resident in it with from 5-10 children —ample testimony to the care and attention given to native mothers and infants by the Sisters.

Here is an example of the spirit of these wonderful women. A young Ameri can Nun, a fully qualified nursing Sister, was met in the bush when going her rounds, alone, on horseback, one day.

Asked how she was progressing with her horsemanship, she replied “Oh, this fellow is an old rascal! He has sat me down pretty three times already; the last time he sat in my lap!”

She still carries on bravely, unheralded and unsung, and can be seen at any time, going her rounds of the villages adjacent to her mission station, on the mainland of New Guinea.

NOW, to deal with some of your corres pondent's grossly misleading state ments contained in his letter. No native women, or Nuns, work in the desiccated coconut factory at Alexishafen.

Nor have they ever done so. Also, to my knowledge, there were never more than 100 native women under the care of the Sisters, at any time, during the past 20 years. Those placed in their care, by par ents and guardians, are trained by the Sisters, but are free to leave the mission at any time. Others, indentured to the mission, help in the kitchen, laundry, vegetable and flower gardens, etc.

All are housed in a two-storeyed Euro pean dwelling, and food is both plenti

ful and nourishing. Several Sisters sleep in cells, close to the women, just as they do in convents in Europe and Australia, and there are no wired enclosures. In fact, most of the native women come from villages from which their “boy" friends have been recruited. Thus, their future husbands literally work side by side with them, and ample opportunity for social intercourse is given them.

The educational work carried on by the Sisters in all parts of the world is well-known, and needs no elaboration here. Here is one example, of many, of the training given to native women by the Alexishafen Sisters, worthy of men tion. A young, orphaned, native girl was placed in their care when she was about 8 years of age. She was given a thorough training and, later, married a native from her village, indentured to the mission.

She is now the mother of 6 bouncing children, makes their clothes, etc., and, a short time ago, I was astounded to see her take an important part in a Passion Play, put on by the Missionaries at Christmas. This woman and her husband have been at the Mission for many years now, where her husband has made con tract after contract. Thus another mis statement is nailed (that natives do not renew their contracts at Alexishafen).

THERE is no doubt in my mind about the good work being done by both the Lutheran and Catholic Missions, among the natives. There used to be a very fine old German couple named Schultz, in charge of the Lutheran Mis sion Station at Nob-o-Nob, near Madang In 1921, there was an outbreak of “pneumonic influenza” in a village in the hinterland. What do you think this old couple did? They took a couple of cows into the village, and nursed the sick back to health and strength. All the thanks they received for their efforts were that the “Tulla-tullas" (Protestant Missionar ies) were no good, as there had been no sickness amongst the “Popi” natives!

However, the epidemic spread to “Popi” territory the following year, so honours were even.

During the last war, the small Catholic Mission steamer “Gabriel" was the only reliable boat running along the mainland coast. She also made voyages to Rabaul, bringing belated mails and food supplies to mainland garrisons, on her return.

The “Stella Maris” has since taken her place, and I have no doubt that the mis sion would be only too happy to co-operate with the Administration by placing the ship at its disposal, if and when re quired.

With regard to the aeroplane flying from the mission aerodrome: it is owned by “Madang Aerial Transport Syndicate”.

This syndicate was formed by Mr. Stan Johnson and myself in January of this year. We bought a “Fox Moth” plane in Adelaide and, as there seemed to be no prospect of expanding our activities, due to the war, I withdrew from the syndi cate. Mr. Johnson now controls and owns the business. So your correspondent has drawn another blank with his random shafts.

I am, etc.,

E. V. O’Brien.

Mililat Plantation, Madang, TNG.

Miss M. McCormick, who is a sister in the Fiji Nursing Service, was in New Zealand during November on three months’ leave.

Mr. and Mrs. Brett Sewell, who were married at the ABM Chapel in Sydney m September, have returned to Samarai, Papua. The bride formerly was Miss Effie Evennett, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. Evennett, of Samarai.