New Guinea's Primitive

Natives Facts Drought Out by Invasion

r THE Rev. 1. Schwab, who was a well x known missionary on the Rai coast of New Guinea prior to the dnn rnnkpc *nrn p nnmmprtf nn /ece/tt. u/tccteo in, nm. / ii i x 4 (well known to me), in \J his realistic and interesting report about Jap-dodging in NG, seems to have the impression that mission-mflu ence changed the natives friendliness for Australians. He blames a catechist for having brought the report of the bomb ing of Madang to these natives.

That was impossible. The last cate chist stationed in Madang area arrived at the end of 1936. After that, no other catechist came home from Madang, because there was none. Latest war news was usually communicated by police-boys and FT’s.

“Old-timer” found signs of tension in the behaviour of the natives on the Little Ramu—especially, the natives of Banaro were “definitively hostile.” I did not sue ceed in 10 years in establishing cordial relations with these natives. There is no place suitable for a European’s settlement except a few grass hills in the back. And the natives are not anxious to have Europeans there, because they would spoil their great profit in trading with the bush-natives. However, there was some pro-Japanese underground propa ganda, apparently not controlled by any white man. It was the idea of a coming king and returning ancestors inculcated by the Japs, which seemed to stir them.

T N and Lambs,” Mrs. Judy Tudor j| cou ;fo no t fl nc j any refinement or improvement in native life due to missionary training. Well, I should like to mention only one improvement that benefited natives and white men. The late Rev. Fr. Kirschbaum stimulated the natives to plant the Indian corn (maize) ; and it proved a great success. I could bu y ons of corn from the natives, and it was a great help in the bad food situa tlon durin S the war - We could B rind corn in j- 0 goo fl flour and had corn-cakes, corn-porridge, and even corn-coffee. Even natives ground com and fried it with eggs i n recent years, many of the ex-mission pU piis planted peanuts.

Animal husbandry was improved by Australian fowls, ducks, and pigs and d o gs traded to natives by the late Fr Kirschbaum. Besides this they planted a j o t of vegetables, such as tomatoes French beans, pumpkins, cucumbers, the seeds being provided by the mission ’

After all, may I" ask Mrs Tudor were a fl these natives who gave essential ser vices to the Army, only bush-natives, or were some trained by the missions, too?

T SHOULD like to contribute a few facts A to the discussion on indentured labour. In the years 1936-7, out of a population of approximately 7,000 in my district, there were nearly 1.000 natives away as indentured labourers.

About 100 were married, who took their wives and children with them. Most of these natives returned, and seemed quite happy. Only a few complained about unjust* treatment aneft low wages. The married couples returned with some new born children, and all went back to their daily routine.

About 10% of the finish-timers of the grass country died of sdme illness. Never

theless, the population during this time increased well —one village, in 10 years, from 30 to 430. Of course, there were some illegitimate children. The statistics are fairly complete, but I quote from memory. All I fought against was that indentured labourers who were married were not kept more than three years away from their families so that they regarded their families as practically non-existent.

However, now our conscience is awakened, we should improve that aspect of the labour system.