Employers Of Native

Labour

Defended by Administrator of Papua

SPEAKING at the Methodist Overseas Mission Demonstration in the Lyceum Hall, Sydney, on March 2 (and reported in the “Sydney Morning Herald” the following day), Chaplain J.

C. Rundle made an impassioned plea for the Papuan native, and stated that they had acted as a buffer between Australia and her enemies. Yet, Chaplain Rundle is reported to have said, there were people in Papua who have declared that the only way to deal with natives is to “belt the hide off them” to make them work.

Mr. E. A. James, president of the Paci fic Territories Association, in a letter to the “SMH” asked if Mr. Rundle were sug gesting that malpractices and exploita tion of the natives were condoned by the Murray and McNicoll Administrations of the two Territories.

The missions had had representatives on the Legislative Councils of the Ter ritories for very many years before the war, yet it was strange that they made no outcry about the treatment of natives.

“May we not be justified,” concluded Mr. James, “in thinking that these state ments are propaganda in order to strengthen the prestige and finances of the missions? We have no objection to the missions airing their views, but we do object to their attempting to bolster up their arguments by unfair accusations against former European residents of the Territories.” rpo the support of Mr. James, and the X defence of employers of native labour, came Hon. Leonard Murray, Admin istrator of Papua (Administration tem porarily ceased) in the following letter to the same newspaper;— Sir, —Please allow me to support the represen tations of Mr. E. A. James, president of the Pacific Territories Association, regarding the treatment of natives in Papua.

I have been tempted from time to time during the last two years to try to correct some in accurate or misleading statements that have been made regarding Papua and its people, white and brown; but I feel an obligation to defend the employers of native labour, and residents of Papua generally, against any allegation of harsh or unfair treatment of natives.

The native labour laws, and the methods of their administration were such that speedy detection of such treatment was almost certain; but I believe that the good relations which existed generally between employers in Papua and their natives were due much less to the deterrent effects of statutory penalties, than to the feeling of confidence and mutual under standing that had grown up through the years between employer and employee. I do not pre tend that there were no breaches of the native labour laws, nor that there were no prosecutions of employers; but I can state that, for many years, the breaches were of a minor kind, and the number small.

In my opinion Papua was fortunate in the quality of her settlers and employers of native labour, and I am confident that those men (and women) are entitled to a share of such credit as is due for creating among the natives generally that feeling of confidence in us which forms the basis of their splendid war co operation.

Manly, NSW, I am, etc.,

March, 1944. Leonard Murray.

Major David Trench has been awarded the Military Cross in recognition of gal lant and distinguished service in the South-west Pacific. He served in Fiji and in Tonga before going to the Solo mons, and passed through Suva some months ago on his way to England on leave. He recently broadcast from Lon don in the BBC feature, “Calling the Islands.”