Cardinal Gilroy Pinpoints P Ng’S Problem

Too Much Empty Land in the Sight of Asia

THE visit of Cardinal Gilroy to Papua and New Guinea during May may prove to be a landmark in the history of the Territories. Not because he is the first Prince of the Roman Catholic Church to visit that area; or because he went everywhere and saw a great deal; or because his visit was such an inspiration to the mission workers—but because Cardinal Gilroy is a man of great ability and influence, and clearly he has formed some definite views about the future of New Guinea.

Ever since the war, Canberra has failed to formulate any clear, comprehensible policy for the settlement and development of P-NG.

Now, perhaps, having survived a critical election, Canberra will forget its fear of the Trusteeship Council and get ready to explain what Australia proposes to do with New Guinea in relation to the Asiatic threat. And it may be encouraged in its task by the frank opinions of the outstanding man Catholic tl Church d in ttfe R South Cilurch ln the South Jr dUiIC.

Cardinal Gilroy went into nearly every part of the two Territories.

Bishop Leo Arkfeld took him in his personal plane into remote stations in the raw interior.

Because he is “a man’s man” (he started life in 1914 as a postal messenger and, after service at Gallipoli in World War I, he entered the priesthood, to attain the rank of Cardinal within 30 years) he met Administration officials and planters and traders on their own ground,

and talked freely with them.

He stood in Bomana cemetery and, noting on the grave-markers the ages of the men who died, spoke of the horrible cruelty of war.

He praised the work of all Missions in P-NG, irrespective of sect.

He noticed that, practically every time he spoke to the natives, his words had to be translated into Pidgin.

He expressed astonishment and pleas u r e at the rehabilitation achievement in P-NG since the war.

Directly and indirectly, he observed the Territories' problems of settlement and development, more especially in relation to the future of the natives.

At the conclusion of his visit, he made some significant remarks, which we summarise as follows: • He had been deeply impressed with the vast areas of unoccupied land in the Territories. • He thought of those areas in relation to things he had seen in a recent visit to Philippines, Japan and India. • He gave unqualified praise to the Administration’s policy of re serving land for native needs. He though mankind’s broader and less selfish outlook over all races was well expressed in UNO. • The welfare of the indigenes was the white man’s responsibility.

At present, there was no real sign of Mau Mau-ism. • This region was surrounded by land-hungry nations. It was not

possible for fertile lands to remain unused indefinitely. • There was room in P-NG for large numbers of carefully-selected European people.

Those statements, coming from such a source, may not be ignored by even the most complacent bureaucrat or politician. The Call seems to be not for a new policy, but for an intelligent expansion of the present policy, hamstrung now by Canberra.

His Eminence said that the

official estimate of native popula tion was li million. Others, who knew the region well, estimated 3 millions. He noted that one-third of the official estimate were claimed to be Roman Catholics. The Missions’ work of education and health had made wonderful pro gress.

Administrator D. M. Cleland, at one function, mildly pointed out that in seven years, since 1946, the Administration had subsidised the Missions by over £ 1,000,000 . The amount in 1954 would be £250,000.