“Slavery” In New Guinea!

THE Sydney Morning Herald recently permitted someone who signed him self T. Leslie Me Alpine to publish, in a letter to the editor, the following ridiculous statement: “The days of slavery have gone, but the indentured labour system, which is nothing more or less than virtual slavery, still exists (in the Territories) and natives are still sold at so much per head to the plantation and mining companies.”

Any newspaper with a knowledge of the Territories would not have given space to such an absurdity. However, a couple of days later the statement about indentured labour was sharply contra dicted by the Rev. R. E. S. Taylor, a missionary who formerly lived in Papua.

Writing of Papua, he said: “The system being criticised was called by us, contract system, and it worked justly and liberally. The natives in the main preferred it to casual employment for many reasons, but chiefly for the protection afforded them under regular visits and inspections by Government of ficers, who safeguarded their interests.”