NG Planters

Dismal Outlook for the NG Planters Politicians Can Think Only of Fuzzy-wuzzy

rOM the wife of a New Guinea planter, who has not been heard of since he was caught in the Jap invasion of New Britain over two years ago; “Every paper one reads is full of what is to be done after the war for the natives of New Guinea. They keep harp ing on about exploitation of the natives.

We have not heard anything at all of what is to be done after the war for the planters. Aren’t they the ones who ought to be saved from exploitation and victimisation?

“Everyone who knows the Territory knows that boys who have undergone a labour contract on a properly-run plan tation are better physically, mentally and morally than the primitive natives of the jungle. The fact that so many of them sign on again, time after time, of their own free will, speaks for itself.

“There doesn’t seem to be any chance of fair compensation for us. Many planters invested their all in the Ter ritory, and spent the best years of their life there —and in some cases even lost their lives —and all for what? No one seems to think that Australia owes them anything for having developed the Territory.”