Discontent in Territories' New Service

Territories' New Service

AN old Papuan public servant, who re cently transferred from the AIF to the staff of the new Provisional Government, in Port Moresby, writes in great bitterness, to describe the condi tions under which the new staff is asked to work.

“A state of unrest, dissatisfaction and discontent reigns here at the present time,” he says. “If a ship that sailed South a couple of days ago had been available to us I' do not think half a score of public servants would have re mained here.”

He says that ANGAU, which has moved on to Lae, left all their premises in a dirty and dilapidated condition; that they took all the office furniture with them; and that the native labour has either disappeared or is thoroughly de moralised. For a considerable time, the newly-arrived men did all their own washing and laundry and house work, and, when they did get personal servants, they had to pay from four to ten times the old rate.

The new Labour regime creates hope less conditions. The boys can be punished only with fines —and fines mean nothing to people who have little money, and do not understand money values, anyway.

The new conditions are so difficult and costly that the public servants are asking Canberra for a living allowance of at least £lOO per annum per person.

“The new Administrator told us that we had been given the Government policy, and it is our duty to carry it out,” he writes. “Apparently, we are not sup posed to have any private opinions about the new Administration, and Eddie Ward, and Eddie Ward’s black brother.

“The men in ANGAU are much better off in many ways than we are—they have larger pay, greater privileges—and much less work. The Production Control Board seems to us to be nothing more 'or less than an octopus, controlling all com modities and dictating to everyone.

There is a canteen here for our use, but it does not nearly fill our needs—we want a general store —and quickly, too.”