Less Cash For

Native Worker

Why P-NG Laws Were Altered

From Our Own Correspondent

P. Moresby, Mch. 3.

ANEW Amendment, in effect o: March 1, requires employers c natives to issue rations instea of paying cash.

Money payments in lieu c rations will be allowed only on per mit from a District Commissione: These may be granted to two classi fications of casual workers—thos competent to purchase their ow rations, and to those who source of supply are readily accessible those living during employment i their own villages where there i sufficient native foods. In certai cases, “group” permits may be is sued for workers residing in village near their employment.

Permits will not be issued freelj The general intention is that nativ employees should get rations in stead of money.

Too many natives employed i towns have been living on a die of bread and “lolly water,” an Friday night pay-money has fre quentiy been squandered in gamb ling. Many casual labourers are no competent to make a division o wages into legitimate spendinj money and necessary food pur chases—they have about as mud capacity to feed themselves properl; on a cash allowance basis as wcul« a small European youngster give] money instead of meals.

The change from getting casl of over 30/- a week to 20/- or s< a month is a big jolt for thesi natives. But in their own interests and that of the race, somethin! had to be done to stop the bread and-lolly-water system, pliii scrounging and malnutrition after 1 Friday night gambling spree.

Some reports indicate that, onc( the natives are convinced that ii is a Government decree and not ar employer’s idea, they are resigninj themselves to the change.

What is needed now is a general round-up of “hangers-on”, whi haunt town boy-houses and spongj on their relatives. Port Moresby in particular, has far too many oj these shrewd gentlemen, who fine cadging easier than working. The issuing of rations will not solve the problem of inadequate feeding, il there are four or five pairs of hancU dipping into standard ration.

Time-honoured family and kin* ship obligations make it particul larly difficult for a native to refuse to share his earnings—cash or rations—when the experienced spongers turn up at the boy-house.

A lot can be done if householders will make sure that their boy houses are not being used as free soup-kitchens by the deliberately unemployed.

Veteran Missionary Bishop

Approves

Approval of the system of re stricting cash payment of wages to natives was expressed by Bishop Wade, of Bougainville, New Guinea, tfhen addressing a semi-public meeting in Sydney in February.

The Bishop said that the majority )f native labourers were improvident, md had to be cared for. If they tfere simply given cash in return :or their labour, they very quickly spent it, or were robbed of it, and vere soon in distress, or ill lourished. The money they earned ihould be handled for them in such i way that they were guaranteed bod, education and care when sick.

Anglican residents of the Sepik District of New Guinea have dis ussed plans for building an Angli :an Church at Wewak. The site las been chosen, and a drive is on low for funds to purchase building naterials. The labour will be on i voluntary basis by church mem lers.

A daughter, Patricia, was born at the European Hospital, Madang, NG, to Mr. and Mrs. Tom Briggs on January 27. The Briggs family, who lived at Angoram, on the Sepik, are well known in the Territorv ,y ’

Mr. Eddie Lund, of Tahiti, and Mr. John Harrington, of Aitutaki, returned home per TEAL Solent on

February 17 from Auckland. Both had been on business visits to New Zealand. . . ... A former footballer, Mr.

J. G. Hobbs, of Christchurch, New Zealand, has arrived in Apia, Western Samoa, as accountant to the NZ Reparation Estates, suc ceeding Mr. W. L. Edwards, who died in December, 1952.

The sum of £5OO, given by an anonymous donor for secondary school scholarships for Papua-N.

Guinea primary school students, will be spent on two 5-years en dowments. These have been awarded to Barry Moore, aged 11, the son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Moore, of Bulolo, and to lan Spencer, aged 12, whose parents operate Raulawat Planta tion, on the North Coast of New

Britain. The former is now at All Souls School, Charters Towers, Queensland, and the latter is a student at the Slade School, Warwick, Queensland.

Father van de Walle, a Dutch missionary, recently passed through Australia on his return to his work in the Solomon Islands, where he has been stationed for 19 years.