Ng Labour And

Amateurs

A Disturbing Outlook

NATIVE labour conditions likely to be enforced in New Guinea after the war give rise to rather disturbing speculations.

In pre-war days the boys were virtually wards of the Administration, and were well catered for from an industrial, health and recreational standpoint. They received ample food and clothing allow ances, and sufficient wages to provide extras and some luxuries. It is common knowledge that the boys employed in industry so developed physically and mentally that one would hardly recognise them as the same race of natives.

It has been suggested in some quarters that Australian standards of wages and working conditions in modified forms be

introduced into the New Guinea native labour industrial pattern.

Usually, suggestions of this nature emanate from those who are quite ignor ant of the Melanesian psychology and scheme of life. If amateur social re formers are to be entrusted with the post-war control of the New Guinea native the doom of the development of the resources of the Territory is in sight, It is to be hoped and expected that time will suitably temper the impulsive enthu siasm of inexperienced reformers who neither appreciate nor understand the desiderata for social and economic con tentment of the native population, After years of experience and study, the capable Administrations of Papua and of New Guinea have devised a humanitarian formula, implemented by appropriate regulations, for the indus trialisation of the indigenous population.

That the former policy was satisfactory was evidenced by the growing develop ment of the agricultural and mining

resources of the island just prior to the war.

However, the fact that Allied Nations’ military forces are employing vast num bers of natives under varying circum stances dictated by the exigencies of war will undoubtedly present many local and individual cases for post-war adjustment.

The problem of restoring the highly sat isfactory pre-war conditions to the native boys should be entrusted to per sons thoroughly trained and experienced in such matters. —From the chairman’s address at the annual meeting of New Guinea Gold fields, Ltd., on January 14,