£4 Per Month!

A Planter on a "Compassionate Allowance"

Letter to the Editor ‘TJIHE Government of Papua has X advised destitute planters that they will be granted a compassionate allowance of £4 per month. This allow ance, however, must be repaid to the Government when the copra situation improves; plus 3i per cent, per annum.” —Recent announcement.

Four pounds per month! How are the mighty fallen! They who once were con sidered men of the hour, necessary to Papua’s progress, bulwarks of its finan cial stability, a valued and esteemed sec tion of the community—who, collectively, have poured millions of pounds into the Territory, so that, for whites and natives, and Government officials, it might be made a good land to live in—are valued, individually, at £4 per month!

Ponder on this ye planters. It will recall to your memory that there are greasy savages in the employ of Gov ernment officials who are paid £6, £B. £lO. and £l2 per month, as the individual case may be; plus food, clothing, quar ters, tobacco, medical necessities, etc. — all of which you have to endeavour to obtain from the large sum of £4 per month.

Remember that in Government circles it is considered that the lowest grade official can barely exist on £3OO per annum. Indigent planters, however, can spread themselves, and luxuriate on £4 per month!

And not one word of protest, or help, from the great mercantile firms, who have reaped where you have sown, and, from the toil of your hands and the travail of your soul, have gathered unto themselves large dividends and emolu ments. Of course, they are still willing to do business with you (on a strictly cash basis) —will, in fact, be very glad to sell you anything you can buy with, or out of, £4 per month!

Do not forget this gratuitous, and offi cial, insult. When better times appear, when dictators (including the Papuan variety) have been dealt their just deserts, it should be the aim of every settler in the Territory to ensure that the salaries of Government officials are care fully considered, revised, and perman ently standardised at £4 per month!

I am, etc.,

E. W. Harrison

Pamarai.

Papua, 24/5/1941.