New Guinea's Education
pp. 63-64 · Read in the full issue
Director
The Boy Scouts will hold their World Jamboree this year; and this should in terest Mr. W. C. Groves, Director of Edu cation, Papua and New Guinea, who is also the Commissioner for Boy Scouts in the Territory. The uniform which he wears is a figment (or shall we say pig ment) of the artist’s imagination; for, so far, Mr. Groves has not yet publicly shown his sturdy knees in a Scout uni form.
The twin banner held by him, allied to that “Excelsior!” look, might give some hope to those residents who await the opening of the Administration school at Wau. Most of them say that they are now prepared for anything—a state of mind which Commissioner Groves should agree with.
The swag, temporarily discarded by Mr.
Groves, shows only a few of the places his duty has taken him. There was no room for a Wau label on the blanket roll
Jkmcc.
“It may be a little difficult for you blokes,’’ he explained, “but for an old experienced salt like me it comes easy.
First you must stand up in a part of the boat clear of all obstructions. Then, tak ing the watch by its chain, you start to whirl it about your head, gradually letting the chain slip through your fingers. When you have the last link between thumb and forefinger, you let go.”
“Let go?”
“Let go.”
We were more puzzled than ever. “But you’d lose the watch,”
“Exactly. The watch goes west. And if you wanted to go north, you merely . .”
I hope we’ll be forgiven in Heaven for throwing him off the wharf into the harbour—SEAHORSE.
ANEW form has been devised, for the entertainment of Papua-New Guinea land-holders, by Mr. J. McElhone, the Territories’ new and indefatigable Statistical Officer. A “return” now is re quired from the holder of every area cultivating an acre or more of any crop of any description, or grazing land stock.
The land-holder has got to show how much land he has, from whom he bought or leased it, and how it is used; what labour he employs and what he pays for same; what machinery and transport he uses; and (in great detail) what he grows and what livestock he has on his property.
At present, such statistics are gathered by District Officers, and they often repre sent only an approximation. More exact data are required; but the new form goes rather to the other extreme, and nothing is left to chance. There is even a division on the form for “Bearing Trees Not Harvested” and “Reason Why Not Harvested.” The really bitter planters will have an opportunity with the answer to that last question.