Australian Territories

Waste And Communism In The

The Scandal of Native War Damage Compensation Payments

rERE have been, for some time, per sistent reoorts that Communists are at work among the Papuan natives, and that nothing is being done to check their activities.

Inquiries have been made; and it is indicated that the propagandists are not professed Communists, but “fellow travellers” Leftist gentlemen of ill balanced political views, who actually do the work of the Reds.

One of the most active persons of this class is a man holding a position of some importance in the Wardist Administration in the Territories. He appears to have no special qualifications for his post; but he was a campaign helper for an Aus tralian Leftist Minister. He must stand high in favour with the Canberra Czars, because, although a public servant, he organises political party meetings in the Territory, and is not caned for it. He is reported to have made himself pro minent, on a ship last May Day, by wear ing on his lapel a medallion showing the fox-like features of Uncle Joseph Stalin.

ABOUT October, a representative of the Australian Seamens’ Union arrived in Port Moresby by air and under took the organisation of the native truck drivers into a union of some kind. It is believed that he obtained money as union fees from a number of these natives. He returned south and it is reported that he has laid the foundations of a Transport Union there, which will be allied with the Communist Australian Seamens’ Union.

During his stay in Port Moresby this man was closely associated with the “public servant” referred to.

It is considered that the Administration, by its passive attitude, is encouraging promulgation of Communist doctrine among the natives.

For example, a well-known native called “Tam” who served on Australian naval craft during the war, went out to the Delta Division in recent months and there established a Communist settlement. He announced that the Europeans were to be withdrawn from Papua and that the natives would take charge. He deprived the Administration police of their uni forms and set up his own police force. He even went to the Port Romilly saw-mill and ordered that it be closed down. He got money from the natives for the estab lishment of a navy.

Finally, the missionaries in the district protested to Port Moresby about this man’s activities and Tam was taken to Port Moresby and questioned. He was found to be in possession dT a quantity of Communist literature. The Administra tion did nothing with him, however, and he was released and is believed to be carrying on propaganda among the natives.

Some reports say there is a good deal of this kind of thing going on, and that the attitude of the natives towards Euro peans is steadily becoming worse.

OLD hands, when they visit Sydney from the Territories, express concern at the amount of administrative waste that is going on.

“How long can they stand the pace?” asked one recent visitor. “Pre-war, the Department of Agriculture in Port Moresby was represented by ‘Pop’ Lyons and one other —admittedly, it was a starved concern.

“But now they have gone to the other extreme. There are ilow about one hundred men in the Port Moresby Depart ment. Just out of Moresby, towards the Laloki, they have recently leased some 24 acres, and on four acres of this they have established what is called an agri

.. . , . , cultural experimental station. Here they have assembled the most modern mach inery, worth thousands of pounds; and here there is an instructor in charge of some 20 cadets. Popular report has .t that, among the whole lot, there is not one who has had one day s practical ex pefience of tropical agriculture.

“But, if you want to see waste at full blast, you should watch the native war damage compensation machinery in operation. In the District Offices they have printed lists, providing for dogs. axes, knives, pigs, and so on. The natives file in, and assert that they have lost so many of each. There is no real check — the native’s word is accepted, usually.

There is a set price for each article. The DO totals up the claim, and gives the native a chit, and he goes and collects the money as easy as that.

“I overheard one boy, coming out with his chit, say to a boy going in: T said 1 had three dogs. You say you had five tions!’

“The natives are coming into the District Offices from even the most re mote places and tabling their claims, and

getting away with it it is really a first class racket. Some of the villages have huge sums of money stowed away. The Hanuabada natives—famous thieves dur ing the war—are now getting most liberal war damage, and they have never been so well off. They praise the name of Ward. Some very amusing things will happen when the Minister visits the Territory in January.

“While dozens of Europeans are trying desperately to get some settlement of their war damage claims, these natives are literally having money shovelled at them. It would not be so bad if there was some discrimination. But notorious native traitors, who helped the Japanese in New Guinea are treated with the same lavish generosity as the natives who re mained loyal.”

Other reports state that the majority of Territorians now accept the whole situation philosophically. They know that, no matter how loudly they may de cry Territorian conditions, no reform is likely under the present regime; and so they are basing their hopes on the next Australian elections.