Fold

Raluanas Come Into the Fold

CHE Raluana trouble appears to have been settled by the P-NG Administrator, and the Ralu nas, during a visit of the former ) Rabaul in January.

The Raluana natives of the ;abaul district, it will be remem ered, refused to join the Adminis •ation’s Village Council programme Ithough all the other natives in lis area had fallen into line.

The Raluanas refusal led to the cuffle at a village in May, 1953, hen District Officer McCarthy was ddressing them. Mr. McCarthy 'as assaulted by a teacher-boy amed Tuvi and Tuvi was subse uently tried and given a few lonths’ gaol.

The Village Council system was Iways described as a voluntary one ut when the Raluanas refused to onform like the other Tolais natives of the Gazelle Peninsula rea), levied their own taxes and id what they wished with them, tie rest of the natives became dis ontented. So, in spite of its voluntarv” nature, the Raluanas rere told that if they did not join f their own free will, the Adminis ration would issue a proclamation orcing them to join.

But in spite of this threat, the

Administration held its hand for eight months. During the Adminis trator’s visit to Rabaul in January it must have been decided to bring up the big guns and tell the Ralu anas to get into the Council move ment, or else. At this point, how ever, the Raluanas seem to have, in effect, remarked mildly that they thought that joining a Council was a very good idea.

Neither the big guns nor the proclamation appear now to be necessary.

IT Mrs. Norman left Norfolk Island late in January and was followed in February by the Administrator, Brigadier H. B. Norman, who with other delegates, will attend the Territories functions in Canberra between February 13-18.