Town Area

No Controls For Town Area Natives in P-NG

From Our Own Correspondent

Rabaul, Jan. ]

THE Assistant Administrator Papua-New Guinea, Mr. D Cleland, attended the Ra Town Advisory Council meeting January 11 for informal discussi After his departure, members cussed numerous matters of 1 concern but more particularly recent amendments to Regula 80 of the Native Administra Regulations.

Members were unanimous in ( demning the amendment w] they allege will remove all cor from natives in a town area.

Under the old regulation, nal were not permitted off t premises between 9 pm and 6 (unless they held a written “p from their employers); natives were not residents of a town ; were not permitted in the t area during these hours; n shouting, singing, beating dr and dancing had to cease at 9 and no natives could play games in any streets in a town z Under the new amendment it pears that none of these restrict hold good any longer, and Coi members believe that there is no power to force natives to ref from actions prejudicial to the order and safety of the town its citizens.

Rabaul residents do not be] that natives will act like 1 gentlemen simply because they told to do so —local natives 1 not yet reached the stage of velopment where legal enforcer] is unnecessary. This was sh clearly when penal clauses i abolished from the Native Lai Ordinance. Natives know that i can evade their part of the « tract simply by deserting from t place of employmemt. The remedy that the employer ha a civil court case which in r cases is impracticable.