Demoralisation Of Ng Natives

What The Wardist Regime Has Accomplished

Letter to the Editor

IHAVE been familiar with Madang for a number of years now. I have been here before, during and since the war.

Before the war, the native administra tion system was very good, although there was room for improvement. During the war the situation was hot so good, on

Present Day

The native now has his set hours of work and they are much shorter than pre-war. Whether he is being worked by an efficient overseer or not, he can work only if he feels inclined. If he wants to smoke, chew betel-nut, sit down, cook himself a meal, or absent himself from the job, he can do so and take as long as he likes over it. In a case like this, his pay and food still go on.

For any neglect of duty, or for giving cheek to an overseer, he is not charged before the local police-master—he can just please himself.

He is allowed to walk about freely at night, and he can sleep in any house that he likes.

The lights in native houses can be on all night and the native can make as much noise as he likes all night.

The natives can gamble as much as they like now. Most of them have plenty of money and many are up all night gambling and they are too tired to do a job of work the following day.

Any native can wear just any sort of clothing he likes. Some of them limp along with boots on, some wear military hats Nazi fashion, and some with long trousers, certainly do look “specimens.”

A native can now sfreak just how he likes, and can be as cheeky as he likes to any white man.

The police boys these days are mostly ornaments about the town. Some are out all night gambling, or have boys in their barracks, gambling. Some are of an undesirable class.

Monsieur Fourcade, former Chef de Cabinet of Governor Tallec in New Cale donia, and prior to that head of the civilian staff of the d‘Argenlieu mission, and the French official in the New Hebrides, has left Paris to attend the Asiatic Labour Conference in New Delhi as French Government representative.

A gentleman who entered Papua a few months ago as an employee of the Public Works Department got away from the Territory iust one hon ahead of the police, after passing about £l5O worth of worth less cheques. A warrant for his arrest, on charges of forgery and theft, is now circulating Australia.

account of mission influence, general humbug on behalf of the Army and troops fraternising with natives.

Since the war the situation has become ridiculous. I am now in Madang and I have been studying the difference between the native of to-day and the native of pre-war, with this result:—

Pre-War

The native had his set hours of work, and he did his job during those hours.

If he was worked by an efficient over seer, he did his work without any trouble.

He was allowed little concessions, if he wanted a smoke, or wanted to go for a drink, or attend to the calls of nature he could do so, providing he did not take too long.

If he played about on the job, did not obey orders, or was cheeky to an over seer. he could be sent to the local police master and charged with neglect of duty, or whatever the case may be.

It was compulsory for him to have per mission in writing before he’d be absent from his house at night. That permis sion only allowed him to be out until 11 p.m.. It was compulsory for him to sleep in his own house after that hour.

It was compulsory for all lights to be out in native houses at 11 p.m.. After that hour the native was to be silent so as to give both white and black a chance to have a night’s rest.

It was illegal for any native to gamble with cards. Any native caught could be given three months in prison.

The usual dress for a native boy was the lap-lap of regulation length. He could, if he wished, wear a short pair of trousers or trunks underneath. Only natives who were working around mach inery were allowed to wear short trousers for safety. A sweater or flannel, or even a shirt, could be worn at night-time, or up in the highlands, for warmth.

A native always treated and spoke to a white man with respect. If he did not do so, there was the local police master to deal with the matter.

There was a native constabulary that did do a good job of work. These police boys used to patrol the place at night and arrest any native out without per mission, out after hours, gambling, etc.

There were such things as discipline, and the prestige of the white man.

These are things of the past. The troops lowered the prestige of the white man when they were here; and some of the new men who have come in under the Ward regime have not improved the position.

I do not blame any of the old-timers for leaving New Guinea for other parts.

I think a great deal of New Guinea myself but I expect to be leaving for abroad soon. I have remained here since the war, in the hopes that conditions would improve and we could get back somewhat to pre-war standards. But things are getting worse.

The longer this ridiculous set-up lasts, the longer it is going to be for the old timers to get the country civilised again.

If there is not an improvement soon, it will be too late. The natives themselves realise that the set-up is no good, and are looking to the old-timers to do their part. Unfortunately, the old-timers are kept in the background.

Any number of the natives have asked me to take the job of Assistant District or Patrol Officer around their areas. They know that I would maintain discipline and get the area under control, and that is what they want. They prefer me to these inexperienced cadets that are about these days. Needless to say, the Admin istration would not give me a job like that, because I am an old-timer, and I know more about the country and the natives than all of these cadets put to gether.

Thanks to Mr. Ward and his offsiders,

the New Guinea native of to-day is just a big-headed native that cannot help himself, and just has to drift with the tide. In his own heart he wants to get out of that groove and he is depend ing on old-timers to help him. Unfor tunately, I see no opportunity of any of us old-timers doing it.

I am, etc.,

“Old Timer”

Madang, NG.

October 23. 1947.