Native People

New Administrator and Native People How Appointment Was Received in Papua

Prom a Special Correspondent

Port Moresby, Jan. 10.

rE delight of the natives of Papua at the appointment in December of Mr. Leonard Murray as Adminis trator was expressed in a series of village demonstrations. The natives loved Sir

Hubert Murray, and they regard his

nephew as his son and natural successor.

“Governor Murray no die” they say.

“He live here now.” There has been re joicing from Manu-Manu, in the west, to

Hula, in ihe east.

Everyone who has visited Government House will remember Lohia, the late Governor’s smiling and courteous Papuan chauffeur and personal servant.

Lohia came to see me, and emotionally shook my hand. “Taubada, I no old man now” he said, smacking himself on the chest —he almost did a pas seul.

Lohia is a man of importance in the native councils. In this direction, the new Administrator is going to get good

service and loyal co-operation.

On December 23, Mr. Murray gave this address to the assembled village con stables and councillors of the native vil lages in the Port Moresby district:— I remember, very well, many of you coming together to see me 10 months ago, to tell me how sad you felt because your old Governor had died, and how sorry you were for me. And I shall not forget that wonderful Death Feast you gave to show your sadness and to honour his name and memory. His death was a great loss to all the people of Papua.

Now the big Australian Government has made me your Administrator. The name has been changed from Governor to Administrator.

I feel proud that the Australian Government has given me that high position, and I am happy to be the Administrator of Papua, be cause I love this country, and have lived most of my life here. I know nearly all the white people, and many hundreds of the native people, and I have many friends among both.

I shall try to keep doing for all the people what the old Governor would have done if he had lived longer. I worked with him for so long, and he trusted me. I knew his ways and how he thought. Now I want you to think of me as your friend, like you thought of him.

In a message to the white people of Papua, in “The Papuan Courier”, on Friday, I said that I want to help to make the Papuan native people a better, happier and healthier people; and to help white people and natives to under stand each other better, so that they will like and help each other.

In many of the big things in Papua white people and native people want much the same.

Both want to win this war; both want the country to be healthy and their children to grow up into strong men and women; both want Papua to be a happy place for all. But sometimes, in the smaller things, white and native don’t want the same, and often the Government has to decide fairly between the two. I will always try to be fair. I don’t know whether you have a word the same as the English word, “balance”. But it means: Like a set of scales, when neither end goes down. You see these scales. Well, when the interests are different, I will try to keep a fair balance.

In this time of war—and it is a big war— the Governments in England and Australia and all our lands have to do many things that they would not do when there is no war. They do these things to make sure that we will win.

Sometimes, some of our rights and freedom have to be taken from us. They are taken from the white people as well as from the natives, and you must not mind this any more than the white people mind it, because it is done for our King and the safety and good of us all.

I will not close my ears if you feel you have not had fair treatment from the Government or anyone else, or if you or your people have troubles that you think I can make easier for you. The old Governor was always ready to hear you, and I want to be the same. But it

is better to go first to those other Government men whose duty it is to look after you. Come to me if they are unable to help you. Don’t think of the Magistrates only as “men of punishment”. Sometimes they have to punish natives if they do wrong, just as they have to punish white people. But they are your friends, and want to help you.

This is nearly the end of my talk. You won’t be able to remember all my words, but you will remember the general meaning of what I have said, and I want you to spread it among your people.

Three years ago you gave a big paper to the old Governor, Sir Hubert Murray, after he had been your Governor for 30 years. It was written in both Motu and English and signed by many hundreds of natives. In it you said:— “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 on us, but received us, and listened to us, and taken action for us. We have seen all the good things you have done, and our happiness is great be cause of you.”

I only hope, when I go, that you will be able to think a little bit like that about me.

Mr. Percival George Bezar, aged 54, collapsed and died while attempting to assist several swimmers who were in dif ficulties in the Rewa River near Nausori, Fiji, on January 18. The “Fiji Times” reports that Mr. Bezar was trading on his own account in Tonga before he joined Henry Marks and Co. Ltd., at Nadi, Fiji. Later he became associated with Morris, Hedstrom Ltd., and was second in charge of the Co.’s Nausori branch at the time of his death.

Mr. Samuel Coffey, who died at Lautoka in January, aged 70, was an official of the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. in 1900.

After spending some time on several of the Co’s, estates he took up land on his own account, and eventually opened up the Nabutolu Estate. He was a prominent figure in agricultural circles, and took a keen interest in bowls. It was as a mem ber of the Fiji bowls team that he visited Sydney in 1938, for the Empire Games Carnival.

THOUGH Professor Peter H. Buck, who rose to the rank of major fn the last war and secured a DSO, is no longer of military age, he is doing his “bit” for New r Zealand and Australian lads who pass through Honolulu en route to Canada for training in the air service. In a recent letter to Mr. Eric Ramsden, secretary of the Pacific Islands Society, Te Rangi Hiroa remarked: “The men are not allowed ashore, so the local Red Cross meets the boat every month to distribute leis, cig arettes, and magazines. A company of hula dancers and singers are also fur nished to entertain them. I have been recruited into the service and go out to contribute my small part in voicing the goodwill and welcome of the Hawaiian people.” Incidentally, if the New Zea landers ever require to have their haka (war dance) polished up, they would have no better mentor than Dr. Buck.

He is an expert on the haka.