Magazine Section

Territories Talk-Talk

By "Tolala"

IN many respects—Customs, passports, and such-like —Papua-New Guinea is a foreign country insofar as Australia is concerned. Why then should the Territory not have its own postage stamps and currency in order to emphasise its own individuality?

In pre-war days the stamps of both Papua and New Guinea were much sought-after by philatelists the world over, and were truly creditable issues from an artistic viewpoint alone. Inci dentally, they stepped up the local Treasury revenues in no small measure, especially when commemorative stamps were issued. An interesting comparison of stamp sales can be made between those of 1937-38 and 1938-39. In the former period, when the Coronation issue was made, the sales were £43,200 —more than twice the amount of the following yeaif.

The TNG coinage was a good money spinner, too, and serious consideration could be given to the idea that the Ter ritory should again have its individual coinage. At June 30, 1939, Territorial coins in circulation were valued at £169,534 and the Coinage Trust Fund was in credit at that date to the extent of £77,397, and also held bullion of the face value of £61,986.

Any reason why these same sources of revenue to the Territory should not be developed at the present time?

Incidentally, the King Edward VIII pennies are still sought after by collec tors, as being one of the few coins minted during that short reign.

I NOTICE that complaints were made to Under-Secretary Howse in Rabaul concerning the prevailing incidence of pests among coconuts and cacao in the New Britain area, and “inefficiency on the part of the Agriculture Department officials.” (PIM, August p. 7).

This must certainly refer to native groves and not private plantations; for the individual planter, by now, realises the danger of pests and disease, and knows as well the best methods of com bating them. Knowledge comes with ex perience, and most of the planters have had that.

If native groves have again become breeding grounds for pests and disease, then it must be due to the kid-glove policy of the Administration in not compelling native owners to follow a practice of pest eradication, the non-observance of which in pre-war years brought a prompt fine or imprisonment. The dangers of pest and disease becoming a general menace have by no means decreased since the war, and if copra and cacao production is affected through lack of vigilance on the part of government officials, then drastic steps should be taken to sheet home the blame to the responsible de partment.

THE question arises as to whether a planter would not have a justifiable claim against an owner —native or otherwise—of a pest-ridden grove if his own plantation became infected as a re sult of the spreading of a pest or disease.

The Administration has a tendency to allow the native to elude his rightful re sponsibilities because he is a native, and to penalise the European because he is a European. That is not justice, nor is it the correct method of training the native to become self-sufficient, which is, apparently, the aim of the UNO idealists.

I SMILED the other day when I heard over the ABC news broadcast the re mark, credited to Cottrell-Dormer, head of the P-NG Department of Agri culture, that it was quite possible to grow rice in NG now. The next thing we’ll be hearing is that coconuts and paw-paws stow prolifically in the Territory!

Some of these tropical agricultural ex perts should have seen the hill rice which was planted by the Japs in and around Rabaul during their occupation, when Macarthur’s strategy of by-passing New Guinea left the Nipponese wholly depen dent upon local-grown food, from the end of 1944 onwards. Large areas of rice were grown on the plateau in the Taliligap district, and very good rice it was, too.

I remember inspecting a small area in that same locality some years before World War 11, which was planted by Colin Marr, and of which he was justly

proud. Photos of it appeared in PIM, if I remember correctly.

In the Jap rice fields there were hun dreds of long, upstanding sharp spear like bamboo sticks—a safeguard against para-troops landing!

THERE was a display advertisement not so long ago in one of the Sydney daily papers: “Men Required for Manus Island.” It was the “Works and Jerks” seeking to fill vacancies for car penters and such-like modern plutocrats.

Some of the inducements offered were: — Earnings exempt from Income Tax.

Meals and good accommodation supplied for only 16/6 a week.

Fares paid.

It would be interesting to know how the Department manages to supply meals and accommodation for 16/6 a week.

There’s something screwy somewhere.

THE possibilities of harnessing some of the big mainland rivers on New Guinea for hydro-electric schemes have been discussed on many occasions, and one of these days it will be done in a big way. (Continued next page.)

Another 4 scheme was suggested the other day by a New Guineaite, returning from Europe and NZ. His travels had taken him to Larderello in Northern Italy, where thermal steam is utilised for power generation on an extensive scale.

The same idea is being seriously toyed with in NZ-. And why not NG? he asked.

Echo answers: “Why not?” With only a little imagination one can picture power and lighting throughout the Gazelle Pen insula being generated from Matupi.

PROFESSOR ELKIN, the well-known anthropologist, has made a four weeks’ tour of NG to gather first hand data for a report to the Research Council of the SP Commission. He points out (as dozens of others have done be fore him) that to make a success of run ning Australia’s northern bulwarks “we must learn more about the customs and manners of the more remote inhabitants.”

Ignorance of such things makes it diffi cult for the Administration members to strike a happy medium between our civilised ideas of law and order and tribal organisations and customs, he says.

True, Oh, King! He could also have mentioned the Administration’s prejudice against receiving advice from people who have made a study, through long years of personal experience and contact, with the customs and manners of the natives and know most of the answers to the questions arising out of the clash of the cultures.

Hidden away in dusty cupboards on missions stations throughout the Terri tory, there are scores of MSS filled with valuable observations by missionaries covering a period of many years, but this data remains untouched by the official

searchers after knowledge, who seem to fear that any unofficial observations must be coloured by the personal interests of the observer, which are practical and not theoretical.

These prejudices arise through the deep rooted sectional jealousies which have always prevailed amongst New Guinea Europeans: the ever-constant war which is beings waged between the government, missions;; and the commercial interests.

THERE*has been quite a lot of publicity recently in the Australian Press denytpg the infiltration of Red pro paganda ih the Territory. It will be tragic if officialdom really believes in the absence of Commo activities and buries its head in the sand. I mentioned this danger some months ago, and it is still a very live question; and it doesn’t need to come from the “Indonesia” bogey, either.

AN interesting point: The Trusteeship system calls for the ensuring of “equal treatment in social, economic and commercial matters for all members of the United Nations and their nationals. . .” How is this working, I wonder, ;with the Customs union of the combined Territories? There can be no preferential tariffs where UNO members are concerned.

IN the July issue of South Pacific an interesting article, entitled, The Myth of Race, based on a UNESCO report, wipes all suggestion of the colour line and says: “There is no biological justification for prohibiting intermarriage between persons "of different ethnic groups.” Bio logically; * perhaps not; but it would cause a bit of headache socially, in New Guinea.

IN these trigger-happy days there is

quite a lot of talk about the defence of NG, including the formation of another NGVR unit (God Bless ’em!).

It’s to be hoped that the mistakes of the last war will not be repeated and that the organisation of Coastwatchers, with a recognised status, is able to beat the pistol, for undoubtedly that is where the real value of the local resident lies. Another hope is that if, or when, the whips start cracking, there will be less friction be tween civil and military authorities, and each will know his powers and limitations.

BITS AND'pieces: Basil Kirke, who

has been running the ABC broad casting station at Moresby is return ing to Sydney to rejoin the executive staff. . . . Roger Chartier, a Sydney pilot, is starting a new air taxi service in NG with 10 Avro Ansons. . . . Captain A. J.

Kutt died suddenly in Rabaul on August 16. He came from Hornsby and leaves a widow and four children. . . . Colonel E. J. Munro, who died recently in Sydney at the age of 68, was one of the first ex plorers for oil in NG. He led an expedi tion up the Sepik in 1925.