G-G’S Impression

Of Papua-New Guinea

mHE Acting Governor-General of X Australia (General Sir John Northcott), in a speech made in Dubbo (NSW) on October 16,

thus summarising impressions he gained during his recent brief visit to Papua-New Guinea:— “My experience in the war, and confirmed by my visit there, is that the New Guinea natives are the most intelligent people you could meet.”

Sir John said that he had ad dressed a gathering of more than 6,000 natives who had padded jmigle tracks for days to be present at the reception.

The warriors carried axes, spears, bows and arrows “and nothing much else except feathers.” He had seen natives injured in battles being treated in hospitals by New Aus tralian medical staffs who were “doing a faithful job.”

Sir John said that he had told a headman that his people should stop inter-village strife and con centrate on growing things. The native replied that “even in Aus tralia there were some who fought and that the natives were toiling

and producing.

Sir John said that centres of population destroyed during the war were being reconstructed. “I saw great work being done by the various missionary societies and I was struck by the wonderful en thusiasm and influence that all these devoted people have upon the natives.” , , . The missionaries educated natives as medical orderlies and in medical work. Native missionaries in Papua “spoke perfect English.”

“They helped us in a way we probably don’t realise,” said Sir John. “It is a wonderful country with possibility for great develop ment.”