Bride-Price

Papuans Want Controlled Bride-Price 100 Village Leaders Confer In Moresby

From Our Own Correspondent MORESBY, April 15.

CENTRAL District natives of Papua had an unusual get together at Port Moresby in April to discuss native affairs.

The conference was at Hanu abada—which is the Edwardian model village near Port Moresby and is not entirely “model” —and it was attended by 108 village elders, headmen and others from 32 vil lages in Central District. Some came from Rigo and the Mekeo dis trict by the usual methods—Shanks’ pony or lakatoi.

The most interesting aspect of the conference was that it was or ganised without pressure from the Administration. One of the organ isers was Willi Gavera, active chair man of the Hanuabada Village Council, who was interested parti cularly in discovering the chances of amalgamating Councils in the Central District as one central council.

Gavera (he was among the Ter ritory delegates who were in Can berra in February during the Queen’s visit) told the natives at the conference, which lasted several days, that the meeting was unique, and reminded them that in the days of their forefathers such a meeting was impossible: if the tribes came together at all then, it ended in fighting and bloodshed.

He said Europeans had come to the Territory about 1877, but since time had now marched on, native peoples should, in 1954, begin help ing themselves a bit more, instead of letting the Administration do it.

When the discussions got under way, the delegates voted against an amalgamation of Councils, and said the people were not ready for it; a possibility later.

Bride-Price also came up for dis cussion, and the conference passed a resolution asking that the Ad ministration limit the formal amount paid to the woman’s rela tives when her marriage had been arranged, and that the Court for Native Matters be given juris diction in disputes. It was suggested that bride-price be limited at Koiari to £lOO, at Hanuabada to £3OO and other places to £2OO. (These are large sums in a native community—and a great deal more than most young European men would like to hand over to their prospective in-laws).

The conference resolved that the Administration be approached about establishing a Town Advis ory Council in Port Moresby for

native people, so they can have a say.

As if to underline what they meant, they passed another resolu tion asking that a footpath be built along the Murray Highway from Koki to Boroka, in Fort Moresby, as it was a danger to native pedes trians—a suggestion endorsed by many motorists who have found pedestrians a problem on this wind ing stretch.

The conference wanted price con trol introduced on all native food sold in Port Moresby town area, particularly at Koki and Hanua bada. They suggested also that food be sold by weight.

The delegates agreed to go back to their villages and encourage the village people to contribute to the

Territory’s share of the Queen Elizabeth Trust Fund. And they decided that they would hold an other conference next year.

Facilities have recently been pro vided by the Fiji Public Works De partment at their Walu Bay Yard, Suva, for the testing and certifying of aggregates, cements and concrete cubes and blocks for architects and contractors. The new facilities will be of considerable convenience to the building trade.

A building to shelter passengers whilst awaiting arrival of the air craft will be erected at Taveuni airstrip, Fiji, shortly.