"Democracy" in Pacific
p. 23 · Read in the full issue
Territories Strikes and What Not
rE steamer Reynella, carrying large stocks of urgently needed foodstuffs for Papua and New Guinea, made very slow progress through the Territories ports due to the stevedores’ inability to control native labour under the New Order. Nowadays, the natives work how and when they like.
The ship left Sydney on September 27, and arrived in Mcresbv on October 5.
She was detained no less than 14 days in Port Moresby, and over a week in Lae, so she did not reach hungry Rabaul until November 1. As told elsewhere, Rabaul has been desperately short of food. ‘‘We have all the blessings of civilisa tion now,” writes a Port Moresby corres pondent. “There have been two strikes of native seamen on Production Control Board vessels recently; and last Sunday the natives held a secret ballot for the election of Hanuabada’s village council.
The younger politicians among, them boast that they have “fixed it all right” to get rid of old Gavesa, chairman for many years. We haven’t yet heard the result of the ballot—everyone is too busy with Melbourne Cup sweeps to bother with counting. Isn’t Democracy grand!”