Pension Chopped

Punishment of Retired Papuans Who Dare to Work

THE kind of treatment the Australian Commonwealth authorities are ac cording to ex-Territories residents is well illustrated by the case of a former Papuan public servant.

Before the Japanese war broke out, he retired on a pension of £2lO per annum.

In 1942, he felt that his technical know ledge would be of value in Australia in wartime, so offered his services to a Gov ernment Department. They were grate fully accepted, and he was paid the full wage attached to that job.

Thereupon, the Commonwealth cut his pension down by half, to £lO5 per annum.

A Papuan public servant who has spent at least 20 years in that service may retire whenever he wishes. Many such men have retired in their early forties, and virtually started life anew. Assisted bv their pensions, they have become mer chants. planters, agriculturalists and even entered professions. There was no ques tion about the thing: a man had earned his pension by 20 years’ tropical service, and after that he was free to do what he liked.

But the Czars of Canberra, exercising the outrageous powers thev now enjoy, have decreed that this shall not be per mitted in wartime. Thev. in their wis dom, now order a man’s life for him. If he chooses to continue working, because his country urgently needs the services now of every fit man. he shall be deprived of his pension.

Appeals have been made; but only a few men are affected, and they are blandly ignored.