Papua

[?]nd Calling Dr. Gunther:—

The Slavers Of

Age (which used to be a very sober newspaper) has printed, also, a very pitiful tale of the ils of indentured labour. It comes an interview with Father Paul phanel, of Yule Island, who was his way back to France. The Dd Father had helped on the ssion road that runs into the in ior (PIM published something DUt this last year) ... but this id has opened the way to an r il traffic.” Says the Age: In Papua, coastal natives will not rk for planters. . . . Therefore the nters recruit mountain men, gmncent fellows who have never i a day of sickness, and have n used to a stable order of iety for countless generations.

They come to the plain, leaving ir women behind to turn sour 1 rail at the old men and children, only company they have. Many nen desert to other tribes, caus trouble there.

On the plains, the men get lana. They also soften with un ustomed heat and food. They able away their earnings. Men hout women, they develop un ural practices.

their indentures—they return out money their health lost, to find their tribal organisation in mf™ Within two or three yea?s. they shed a tear J these magnificent Papuans—whoever they might be—we wonder why neglected the?e tJeoole'whm 1 h llas 4 peopl( i When he went hlvc pai ?g to «f e that the Highlanders on the other side were sufficiently proofed against disease befoie they went to work on the coast, The Age does not know it, but there are penalties for employers ie allow their Highlanders to catch malaria.

It is about time, anyway, that

printing untruths of the nature con indictable offlnc^’ 6 WaS made att