Raluana Natives
pp. 133-134 · Read in the full issue
Official Appeal To
Sequel to Gaoling of Tuvi
rE closely-reasoned judgment of Chief Judge Phillips, wherein he cleared District Commis sioner J. K. McCarthy of the charge of assaulting the native teacher Tuvi, in the Raluana case, and sent Tuvi to imprisonment for four months, has made Territory history.
The Judge gave the Raluana natives every opportunity to present their case; but, under his careful sifting, it was obvious that there had been collusion in the preparation of evidence, and he rejected it as valueless.
However, apart altogether from the legal position, the gaoling of the insolent Tuvi and the vindica tion of the District Commissioner, were the best possible sequel to the unfortunate occurrences in Raluana on May 21.
It is important, from the Ad ministration viewpoint, that the Raluana section of the Tolai people should accept the native village council system. They have tried to
escape their obligation by insisting that they are poor, ignorant people, incapable of functioning as a council. That rabbit won’t run.
They actually are among the most competent and shrewd native
communities in the New Britain area. Further, more than one ob server believes that the bricks which the Raluana natives have been throwing at the Adminis tration were made by a very
cunning and subversive but, so far, hidden white hand. If their defiance had been permitted and accepted, the effect on native government would have been calamitous.
In a praiseworthy attempt to bring peace to this district, the Minister for Territories (Mr.
Hasluck), accompanied by the Ad ministrator (Brigadier Cleland) and District Commissioner Mc- Carthy, went out to Raluana and met 2,000 natives from that and adjoining villages, and formally urged them to accept the village council. This was on July 17, a few days after Tuvi was gaoled.
Discussion was lengthy, and frank. The natives —respectful, but grim and unsmiling—said that they did not want a village council, be cause they were uneducated—and they pleaded for educational facilities.
Both Administrator and Minister said the Village Council Ordinance was set up to improve the status of the natives, to give them ex perience in local government and to teach them responsibility.
Brigadier Cleland reminded them that they had been in contact with the Administration for many years and, as a result of education already given them by the Administration, they had been able to run one of the most successful co-operative
stores in the Territory.
He asked them to forget the past and start anew. He asked the groups to appoint 10 spokesmen who should meet the District Com missioner with a view to coming to an amicable arrangement. He said he had the utmost faith in the District Commissioner and his ad ministration of the area.
The natives promised that 10 men would be appointed to meet the DC later on.
A new bank-note issue is being prepared for Fiji. The notes will be of a standard size, similar to the US dollar bill, and printed in dis tinctive colours.