In Papua-New Guinea
pp. 39-49 · Read in the full issue
urrent News Items From Our Correspondents In Papua-New Guinea
Arbitrator For P-Ng
Public Service
appointment of Mr. R. A. Wood as blic Service Arbitrator for Papua j New Guinea was announced at nberra on July 20. [Tie appointment is for three irs and is the first of its kind be made in the Territory.
Jr. Wood has been secretary to ‘ Western Australia State Public rvice Commission and has also Id appointments as Registrar of I State Industrial Arbitration urt and Deputy Registrar of the mmon wealth Arbitration Court.
F a time he was Deputy Director Western Australia for the Com er wealth Department of Post r Reconstruction.
1 Co-Operatives Boom
Annual report figures show that » astonishing growth of native societies in P-NG is itinuing. for the 1954-55 financial year, the ■operatives had a total turnover £962,603. This was more than If as much again the turnover ■ the previous year.
Native co-operatives have taken
giant strides in the six years they have been in existence. In 1950, the turnover was only £62,000.
There are now 198 native co operatives in the Territory and 11 native societies’ associations. Dur ing the financial year, 16 new societies and two new associations were formed.
The Acting Director of the P-NG Department of Native Affairs (Mr.
J. K. McCarthy) pointed out this week that the annual turnover of the native co-operatives was more than three times the capital invest ment. . .
He said regular routine visits have been made during the year by officers of the department’s Co operative Section and 450 audits had been carried out.
Turning to co-operative education, Mr. McCarthy said that during the year, 78 natives had been trained for co-operative work at classes at Rabaul and Port Moresby.
Extension of educational work would follow the completion of a new co-operative school at Port Moresby. It will cost £ll,OOO and will accommodate 60 resident students.
The financial cost of running the
school will be borne by the co operatives.
Port Moresby Fire
Shell Company’s single men’s quarters was burnt to the ground at Badilli, Port Moresby, in July.
The only thing saved was a cane chair and this was severely scorched.
Four men living in the modern quarters lost everything in the fire, the cause of which is not known.
Damage is estimated at about £7,000.
Goroka Mission School?
No details have yet been an nounced, but it is believed that the Catholic Mission at Madang is planning the establishment of a secondary school in the Territory.
It is to be at Goroka, in the Eastern Highlands.
The reply to a PIM correspondent on the question was that a Roman Catholic Presbytery had already been built at Goroka and a church would soon be constructed.
After that, a school would be built and then “serious considera tion would be given to the estab lishment of a secondary school.”
When plans were definite, the mission would announce details of
the proposal.
Reports from Goroka state that
local people are extremely intere: in the possibility.
Tuberculosis Problem
One of the world’s lead: authorities on tuberculosis, Harry Wunderly, says that TB o not be wiped out in P-NG, bu can be controlled effectively.
Sir Harry, who is Director of Commonwealth Division of Tui culosis, spent three weeks in Pa and New Guinea inspecting he; facilities. Accompanied by the Te tory Director of Health (Dr, Gunther) for most of the tour' visited Samarai, Lae, Finschha Madang, Angoram, Wewak, Kavii Rabaul, Kokopo and Kokoka.
He said he was impressed what had been done by the Adn istration.
He believed that the most urg requirement for the extension
lalth services was more personnel,
tit these people—doctors, nurses
id men to operate X-ray machines, Iwell as many others, would have Ibe housed properly. At the same me, more and better hospital teommodation would have to be fcvided.
ISir Harry said he had found that, Ith the facilities available, much ras being done to limit the spread infectious diseases and to im pove the health of the community. -He noted that the natives de feloped TB rather easily but, if lagnosed early, they responded iirprisingly well to modern treat lent. |His tour had shown him that the lastal areas of the Territory had ■ higher incidence of tuberculosis ban other districts. This was lainly because the natives there fere being brought constantly into bntact with the infection.
I Bus Colour Schemes
■When four new Administration Issenger buses appeared at Port loresby, it was found that some k)dy had had the bright idea of feinting them with the Qantas bus felours —dark blue body and sky ilue roof.
But when they go into service hey will have cream roofs. The bill for amending the bright dea will go to the Administration; hence, presumably, to the Aus fralian taxpayer.
Patrol Record
The return of four Patrol Officers » their bases in the Eastern High lands District at the end of June marked the completion of a record
number of 57 patrols in the dis trict for the year.
This was 16 patrols more than last year’s record total.
Dogs And Roosters
Rabaul is having trouble with dogs and roosters.
In recent weeks a number of people have written to the District Office complaining about dogs bark ing and roosters crowing in the town area.
As a result a suggestion has been put forward that a branch of the- RSPCA should be formed at Rabaul.
Lae is also having noise trouble.
This time it’s the curfew bell rung at 10.30 every night.
Residents are complaining that the boy who does the ringing is a little too energetic.
A PIM correspondent says that the curfew bell can be heard almost at Finschhafen. Even the heaviest sleepers are disturbed.
Complaints Procedure
Territory people with complaints regarding Administration personnel have been invited by the Admin istrator to come forward and state their complaints.
He said that if complainants would approach him personally, he would be the first to take action.
Brigadier Cleland was referring to an article in the local news paper.
It alleged that a respected member of the community had been threatened by an Admministration officer in an effort to block reason able criticism of the officer’s own department.
The Administrator said that if these allegations were substantiated,
drastic action would be taken against anyone who was abusing his position.
He added; “I will not tolerate conduct such as that complained of.
If people have legitimate complaints, let them come forward and state them frankly and fearlessly. There is no need to hide behind a nom de-plume for fear of reprisal in
[these circumstances.”
Cocoa Booming
Production of cocoa as a cash [crop for natives in the Gazelle Peninsula has taken giant strides [in the last few years.
I They expect to get more than £lO,OOO for this year’s crop.
I In the nine months to March, production amounted to 30 tons.
I Cocoa is currently valued at £350 a ton.
I In 1952, only two tons were pro duced in the area. It increased to eight tons in 1953 and 20 tons in 1954.
I Cocoa is also produced in New [lreland and Bougainville, but on a inuch smaller scale.
Orient Cruise-Ship
I The Orient liner Oronsay’s July fpisit to Port Moresby was so suc cessful that last-minute tourist fehoppers delayed the ship’s de parture for half an hour.
I General comment by passengers in cruise-ships indicates that Port Moresby and Suva are the most popular of the Island ports of call.
For one reason or another, Noumea leem to come in for a good deal Of criticism.
I The Oronsay was not permitted to tie up at the wharf. Adminis tration officials pointed out that one bump from the 28,000-tonner fcould do an awful lot of damage.
I The ship anchored half a mile pom the main wharf. Shuttle ser vices of small boats brought the hundreds of travellers ashore and ferried scores of Moresby people to Inspect the liner.
I The customary sing-sings, danc ing and other entertainments were fetaged, and shopkeepers did record business. [A film of the Oronsay’s visit was made by cameramen of the Depart ment of the Interior.
Gogol River Bridge
I Thirty miles of road from Madang to the Gogol River Valley cost the r-NG Administration nearly £B,OOO last financial year. [The Assistant Administrator (Mr. pilson) said in July that no estimate had yet been prepared for a steel and concrete bridge over the Gogol River. When this was pone, it would be possible to con sider providing funds for the bridge.
I Native Liquor Question
I The question of whether natives should be permitted to drink was taken another stage when the Select Committee appointed by the legislative Council announced that
it would seek the opinion of anyone who wished to state his views on the matter.
Europeans, natives, Asians and people of mixed blood are included in the invitation.
The question is; Can they say anything more than has been said since the proposal was first intro-
duced to the Legislative Council in 1953?
The Council has passed the Liquor (Native) Ordinance, and this will soon become law.
However, the Administrator (Brigadier Cleland) has given an undertaking that the section per mitting him to allow certain natives
to drink will not be implemented until the question has been consid ered further.
The committee has announced that it will sit at Port Moresby, Lae, Madang, Rabaul, and Samara! to hear evidence either for or against the proposal.
During the last Legislative Coun cil meeting, when the Rev. Mr. Ure proposed the appointment of a Select Committee, a shock move came when the Director of Health (Dr. J. Gunther) declined to accept nomination. He said his views on the subject were already known, but he offered his assistance to the committee in any way.
The committee consists of two mission representatives, the Rev.
Mr. Ure, Father J. Dwyer; two Official Members, Mr. J. K. McCarthy (Native Affairs), and Mr. T.
Grahamslaw (Customs), and the nominated member, Mr. R. Bunting.
The Committee will report to the next meeting of the Legislative Council in October,
Swift Madang Arrest
Only three hours separated the arrival of the Bulolo at Madang and the arrest of a member of her crew on a theft charge.
Bulolo berthed at 8 am on July 5, and by 11 o’clock the man was before the Court.
He was fined £3 for stealing Eastern embroidery from a Chinese trader.
Mission Air Service
Plans have been announced for the expansion of the aerial missionary service now operating in New Guinea.
The service supplements com mercial transport in the Territory, as well as in Dutch New Guinea, and four countries in South America.
It is known as the Missionai Aviation Fellowship and without : many missionaries would be hands capped in their work in the remot areas.
The chief pilot for the servi'i (Mr. Charles Mellis) told PIM thr week that two light aircraft hs been ordered from America to ii
jrease the Fellowship’s fleet of four n New Guinea. Another two would >e placed on order soon. [ One of the planes on order would >e stationed at Banz in the Central lighlands and the other would go 0 Madang. ■ Mr. Mellis said the Fellowship’s lircraft were now serving more ban 160 missionaries and their amilies. The aircraft were carrying aany thousand pounds’ weight of krgo every year.
Blackouts Ended
[Blackouts have ended for the time Bing at Port Moresby—and not be bre time. [Evening pea k-h our rationing ferted on June 1 and ended on July 1 Every area of Moresby was Ithout power for three-quarters of H hour in the evening. [Rationing started after one of the x engines at the power station ad broken down. Technicians [shed in on the rationing and in filled another, as well as repair b the engine out of commission.
The Administration now says fere should not be any more tckouts before the Rouna Hydro jctric scheme comes into operation.
Officers’ Taxation
The Federal Taxation Office ruled
recently that salaries paid to Ad ministration officers during attend ance at the Australian School of Pacific Administration after service in the Territory were exempt from taxation.
The Taxation Commissioner later advised that the exemption will apply only in respect of salaries re ceived during the year ended June 30, 1955, and subsequent years. No rebate will be made on assessments before June 30, 1954.
It has been confirmed that similar income tax exemption will apply to permanent Administration officers who are attending the School of Tropical Medicine at Sydney Uni versity after service in the Terri tory.
New recruits to the Territory
Public Service who attend ASOPA, or the School of Tropical Medicine before taking up duty in the Terri tory, will be subject to income taxation during their study courses in Australia.
Community Roading
An important piece of road work has been carried out in the Gulf District of Papua through collabora tion between the Administration, plantation residents and the native population.
Through this joint effort a road has been built over a rocky coastal outcrop known as the “Bluff,” which previously blocked vehicular traffic along the hard sand beaches be tween Vailala and Kerema.
The road over the Bluff was con
[structed in three months. Although more work is needed, it is open to i vehicles.
Mr. R. Preece, of Petoi Plantation, (voluntarily supervised much of the work done by Administration labour drawn from local villages, and Mr.
A. Chalder, of Huiva Plantation, owned by Steamships Trading Co., supervised blasting operations and provided some of the labour from the plantation. ; They worked in collaboration with
the Assistant District Officer at Kerema, Mr. A. K. Jackson, and his staff.
Although the new road link is slightly less than a mile long, it presented a difficult construction problem, and involved cutting a route over solid rock rising sharply from sea level. This was all done by blasting and hand labour.
Tribal Fighting
Tribal fighting south of Menyamya,
in the Morobe District, New Guinea caused at least nine deaths early in ™ Th f SP? TT Menyamya Station, Mr. J. E. Wakeford, was on patrol
when he learned of the fighting.
With ten native policemen, he went to the area to endeavour to stop the outbreak. Another ten police followed the first party It was officially stated at Port Moresby that there has been little contact with the tribes in the area, who are still in a very primitive Consolidation of Administration influence had been proceeding in other parts of the region since the Menyamya Station was opened at the end of 1950.
Sanctuaries
The Animals and Birds Protection Ordinance has been amended to enable the declaration of fauna sanctuaries in limited areas. Within these areas native hunting rights will not be allowed, and collectors will be able to obtain specimens only in regions specified by permit.
A further amendment permits fauna to be declared unprotected in limited areas for limited times. This is to permit the “thinning out” of fauna which although generally pro tected shows a tendency to increase beyond reasonable limits.
New Moresby Hospital
A Sydney company has a con tract to build a £409,000 native hos pital at Port Moresby.
The company, E. S. Clementson
Pty. Ltd., of Lane Cove, has almost completed a £500,000 hospital at Glen Innes.
The Port Moresby hospital will have 300 beds, and the job, in terms of the contract, is to be finished in 120 weeks.
The contract is believed to be the biggest building venture undertaken in Papua.
A European section of the hospital
will be built later, at an estimate* cost of about £1,000,000.
The assistant managing directc of E. S. Clementson Pty. Ltd., Mi D. G. Peacocke, said that nativ labour would be used to build tht hospital under direction of a tean of experts sent from Australia.
Native Apprenticeship
Board Meeting
The Native Apprenticeship Boar held its sixth meeting on July 27 s Kwato, in the Milne Bay Distric: with Mr. J. Hohnen, of New Guine Goldfields Limited, as chairmai Reviewing the progress mac since the scheme was opened la;.
May, the board expressed pleasui at the response of the public to th plans for training native apprentice Information placed beftpre tb members showed that with tb available facilities in some Terr tory centres, it will be possible 1 accept immediately a number < natives from the higher level train ing groups for admission to tb scheme as 4th and sth ye* apprentices.
These apprentices will thereto* qualify as tradesmen in 1956 an 1957, and it is expected that durin the coming year approximately li, will be doing their training at van ous stages of five-year apprentice ships. Further increase in t h number of apprentices will depen
upon the training facilities avail able and the initial success of the scheme.
At its July meeting the board de cided to establish a District Com mittee for the Milne Bay area. The • District Commissioner, Mr. M. J.
Healy, was appointed chairman, and the other committee members are Messrs. Beavis, Gabriel, Peerson and Burrows. It was considered that within the next few weeks a number of native apprentices could be en gaged for the shipbuilding, engineer ing and woodworking trades.
The board was impressed by the technical training facilities at the Kwato Mission, where a high degree of craftsmanship is maintained in the trades taught at the centre.
The Milne Bay District Com mittee has been requested to inspect these facilities and those at other establishments in the district to assess the managements as approved employers.
The importance of technical education associated with apprentice ships was discussed by the board, which is making preparations for holding classes in special trade sub jects at the centres where native apprentices are to be employed.