The Fate of "Grand

Old Pioneer"

A BITTER note from Mr. E. W. Harri son, of Eastern Papua:— In the April issue of your paper there is a paragraph stating that Captain Charles Whitehead, of Samarai, had just celebrated his 75th birthday, and had spent over 40 years in Papua. He was described as “this grand old pioneer”.

Having supplied your readers with this information, it is also up to you to make known the sort of treatment dealt out to this “grand old pioneer”, who, apparently, was quite misguided in choosing Papua as the country in which to do his pioneering.

Captain Charles Whitehead, as his name indicates, comes of good British

stock, and has spent the best part of his life toiling in this God-forsaken, malaria ridden country. Not being a Govern ment official, he has had neither the time nor the money to spare for numer ous and extended trips to a better cli mate; this being so, he has been a valu able asset to the Territory in that every penny he has earned in the last 40 years has been spent in Papua.

“Old Charley” has now fallen upon evil times. He has lost his eyesight; he also suffers from another distressing physical disability which makes it imperative he live near a doctor; and, in addition, he has long passed the allotted three score years and ten.

How greatly the Papuan Government values its “grand old pioneers” is shown in the treatment meted out to Captain Whitehead. Port Moresby has graciously granted the captain £4 a month; and, though appeals have been made, stead fastly refuses to increase this amount.

Had the captain been an alien he might have received more considerate treatment. The undermentioned details will make this point clear:— Captain William Cramer arrived here a few years ago from Queensland. He was a typical “Hoch der Kaiser” square head; but he was a fine seaman. Most of the local business folk who had deal ings with him got “stung”; his activities here also included poaching shell in the Solomons, with a Papuan crew. Through stepping on a needle he was, for some months, compelled to move around on crutches. During his period of disable ment he had little difficulty in securing a “compassionate allowance” of £7B per annum; and even after his foot had healed, and he had become the owner of a launch, and two trading stations, the allowance continued. As he is in the Salamo cemetery, we presume William no longer receives an allowance.

It is largely through the generosity of Samarai residents that Captain White head can remain in Samarai. Failing this generosity, he would have had to return to the wilds, and, on £4 per month, live like a nigger. Isn’t it high time that the Papuan Government did something better than this for its “grand old pioneers” who happen to be destitute?

Mr. and Mrs. Norman Deck, well known South Sea Evangelical Mission aries, are expected to return shortly to the Mission headquarters at One Pusu, Malaita, BSI, after furlough in Australia and New Zealand. While in NZ, Mr.

Deck took the opportunity of doing depu tation work on behalf of the Mission, and on his return to Australia engaged in similar activities in NSW and Victoria.

Mr. K. Finger, of the South Sea Evan gelical Mission, San Christoval, British Solomon Islands, arrived in Sydney recently on furlough. It is expected that he will spend part of his holidays in Victoria.