Papua

Planters' Association of Papua Report Shows Vigorous Year’s Work

rpHE first annual general meeting of JL the Planters’ Association of Papua was held in Port Moresby on August 6. A report of the Association’s activities to June 30, 1948, was presented by the president, Mr. E. V. Crisp.

The report read (in part): THE Association, formed in July 1947, quickly grew into a fully representative body and now has reached a membership of 81 persons and with owner-members having total planted area of 41,177 acres. This is a matter of very great encouragement to your Committee.

To keep in close touch with members, brief notes on our activities have been sent monthly to the District Committees or the Executive

Committee’s representative in those districts where District Committees have not yet been formed, and two issues of “Notes to Members” have been sent to all members. It is hoped in future to continue the despatch of monthly notes to each district and to send “Notes” to all members as near as possible at quarterly in tervals.

With regard to District Committees—two have been formed so far, in Kanosia and Sogeri Districts, and these, in the opinion of your Executive, are of the utmost importance. It was hoped that more would have been formed during the past year,, but we believe they can be or ganised in the Kokoda and Samarai districts in the near future.

The Association’s finances are satisfactory. We confidently expect the support of every member in the coming year and the addition of some of the very few planters who did not join the Association in the 1947-48 period. ■pvURING its first year the Association has done -L' much work of importance to planters, its activities covering a wide range of subjects— copra prices, rubber stabilisation, native labour laws, commodity prices, communications, im proved marketing, pests and disease—to name a few.

Two increases in the price paid for copra were granted by the Commonwealth Government dur ing the year, following representations by the Association, these increases totalling £lO/0/6 per ton. At the same time, your Committee still is of the opinion that the fixed price is too low and has protested to the Minister.

Of serious concern to your Committee has been its inability to obtain from the Commonwealth Government, information concerning the so called “Copra Industry Reserve Fund” to whicn copra growers have been forced to contribute considerable sums over the past few years and to which fund at present they are being forced to pay at the rate of £B/5/- for every ton of copra sold; this is in addition to an “Export Tax” of £3/1/6 per ton.

Our repeated requests for detailed information regarding this fund and the rights of growers in connection with it, have been ignored. The Committee considers further action should be taken at the appropriate time and plans already are well advanced.

Representatives of the Association conferred with those of the Production Control Board and the local Administration on the possibility of some scheme of stabilising rubber prices. Even tually proposals were formulated to which all parties agreed and these were passed on to the Commonwealth Government. So far no reply has been received.

A meeting was held last month with the Administrator and other Administration repre sentatives for general discussion of matters con cerning primary producers, and to consider the possibility of setting up a body in the nature of a Primary Producers Advisory Committee. It was decided that such a Committee should be formed, consisting of representatives of the De partments of Agriculture, District Services and Labour, and of this Association. This Committee is now beginning its activities and your Com mittee believes it will be of assistance to primary producers generally.

Careful study has been given the present Native Labour Ordinance and the native labour position generally. Several interviews have been had with officials of the Department of Native Labour for the discussion of various phases of the new regulations and the proposal of various amend ments considered desirable by the Association.

In many instances the officials were in agreement with our suggestions, but so far no amendments to the Ordinance or Regulations have been passed. It is thought some relief may be granted in the case of irksome and impracticable pro visions of the law as it now stands.

Efforts have been made to compile native labour statistics of interest to our members and while those efforts have been reasonably successful, the figures are anything but reassuring.

At June this year our members were employing 3 000 natives (indentured and non-indentured( this number, according to their own estimates, representing 60 per cent, of their minimum labour requirements.

At October-November 19'47, the comparable figures were 2,923 or 53 per cent, of requirements; it will be seen that the position has not very rapidly improved and returns show that at ap proximately 60 per cent, of requirements, the figures have remained more or less static for some months At November-December 1947, planters employed 28 per cent, of all native labour employed, while the Administration had engaged approximately 27 per cent, excluding police and trainees. At June 1948 the comparable figures were planters 28 per cent, and Adminis tration approximately 33 per cent, (excluding police etc.) of all labour employed. The total native labour employed in the Territory increased from 10,197 at November 1947 to 10,824 at June 1948 To these figures must be added police and ’ trainees at Government institutions, total ling about 1,500 natives.

THROUGHOUT the year action has been taken wherever possible to Improve communica tions, In respect to overseas shipping, local shipping, roads, mails and telegraphy. Another function of the Association, which the Committee believes to be of increasing importance, is the answering of inquiries from and tendering ad vice, through the Association’s office, to individual members on a wide variety of subjects of con cern to planters.

Your Committee met for regular meetings once in every month throughout the year and special meetings were held on many occasions. We be lieve the foundations of the Association have been well and truly laid and that, with the enthusiastic support of all members assured, the incoming Executive will be able to carry on a progressive policy during the present year, likely to be beneficial not only to our members, but to the Territory as a whole.

AT that meeting the following were elected to executive positions for the ensuing year; President, E. V. Crisp; vice-president, B. Fairfax Ross: committee, R. P. Bunting, F. L. Clarke, F. B. Godson. A. L. John ston, F. A. Jullian, I. S. Loudon, J. B.

McKenna, P. J. MacDonald. T. L. Sefton, L. Tracey, E. T. Ward, L. A. Willis; auditor, H. J. Lockrey.

Mr. E. A. James is secretary of the Association.

The small motor-vessel “Paama” has arrived in Noumea for service in the New Hebrides. Bought m Australia, she left Sydney under her own power but owing to a breakdown she was taken in tow en route by the motor ship “Altair” be longing to the same company (the Societe Commerciale and Maritime). The Altair while in Sydney recently was fitted up with a cinema projector, which will allow shows to be put on for the local inhabit ants at the various New Hebridean ports she regularly visits.