Territories Talk-Talk

By Tolala

ependent People”

; popular euphemism, coined by ie long-haired theorist to de be the more primitive native bs. is “dependent people,” and in ny official reports and theses on ; New Guinea native one comes jss this pompous, patronising n which, to my mind at any L is a decided misnomer, he New Guinea native in his ural state is anything but a de dent person upon the “sovereign L” which we are pleased to call selves. i fact I doubt if you could find lore independent, self-contained vidual than the primitive native, i is capable of supplying all his l requirements by his own toil a prolific soil; for the simple On his needs are limited to the i necessities of life, his joys are pie and his appetites under full ;rol. is only after our contact with and experiencing the influence ur own high-pressure sales-talk ; he develops an appetite for the iries, the non-essentials of our isation and, as a result of our ng, becomes —w hat we are

pleased to term —a unit of a “de pendent people.” ... In fact, it is the super-civilised individual who is the dependent person in the Scheme of Things these days. Isolate him from his push-button gadgets and the average civilised bloke is lost.

The Tolai “Incident”

The bunger set off by the South Pacific Post (Nov. 23) concerning the Tolai situation over Village Councils, schools and Missions has proved to be anything but a damp squib.

In fact its repercussions may be as far-reaching as a lesser atomic bomb if the de-lousing squad doesn’t get onto the job properly. After reading published official statements (which are not very illuminating) and unofficial information from on the-spot observers (which is some what disquieting) I find a difficulty in deciding which is held to be the main problem: Is it the status quo of Village Councils; the ban on Village schools; mission activities or is each a bone of contention of equal magnitude?

If the incident has done nothing else, it certainly must have im

pressed upon the Administration weaknesses in its policy and/or its implementation which for years un official observers have attempted to point out, and repeatedly voiced warnings of potential unhappy re percussions. Principally they were: • The excessive speeding-up of the inoculation of sophistica tion to the native people— urged on by a hypercritical political UNO. (Many of the UNO members well knowing the dire results such a policy must have on a primitive people). • The absence of experienced officers, whose retirements have been occasioned as a result of frustration caused by Admin tration policy; o The overlapping of mission activities, where some zoning system should have been in troduced.

Administrator Cleland, after his December conference with the in terested parties in Rabaul, said: “. . . . It should be clearly under stood that at any stage in the progress of a dependent people there will always be an element of unawareness of things which to us may seem obvious.

“Any policy of development in regard to a dependent people can only be a long range one which

requires patience, diligence and understanding in helping them over these difficult periods.”

Despite his reference to a long range policy of development requir ing patience, S’Honour later refers to the task of bringing health and education to all the people “in the shortest possible time,” and con tinues: “It is for all of us wherever we be or whatever station in life we occupy, to appreciate and realise that the sectarian issue must not and should not be raised in a society which is primarily composed of de pendent people. . . .”

My opinion—and that of old and experienced residents living in and around Rabaul, and who give me more detailed accounts of incidents than are reported in the Post— is that an embarrassing situation has arisen and there is no one in a government position, with sufficient knowledge and experience of Tolai mentality, to handle the situation with the degree of diplomacy re quired.

In such situations you have to think native to successfully deal with the matter. And that is where the loss of experienced officials comes into the picture. In some instances it would almost seem as though the Administration does not want to retain the services of B 4 officials.

There’s one thing very certain that comes out of the whole affair: And that is that Government officials must be on the ball 24 hours a day. Native minds and meander ings do not observe the forty hours week (yet). And one of these days —repeat, one of these days—officials may find that their arbitration-fixed hours may be their undoing; not only for themselves, but for their wives and children and others who look to them for protection.

From Opposite

Ends

From as far back as I can re member there has always been rivalry—and not always of a friendly nature—between the Manus and the Buka. They had only one thing in common; They were both sea faring people and in earlier days were the two types mostly sought after by schooner skippers for boats-crews.

The Manus, light-skinned and virile; the Buka, black as the ace of spades and a real dandy.

A modern difference lies in the fact that whereas Paliau and his henchman in the Baluan group, have adopted Village Councils with all their up-to-date regimentation (in cluding, so I am informed, the edict that all males must wear trousers and drink tea; are not allowed to leave the island without permission of the Council; and everyone’s task is allotted each day by being written on the Council roster blackboard), the Bukas are steering clear of this new-fangled regime that seems to them to cramp their individualism.

Recent issues of The Rabaul News (the Pidgin voice of the Education

Dept, amongst the Tolais) special prominence to the vise Administrator Cleland and his : to the Baluan Council, where were met by local dignitaries : District Commissioner English Chairman Paliau, whom many\ remember in a more unofi' capacity some years ago.

Whether publicity of the sui of Village Councils in Manus isJ result of the somewhat antagon attitude displayed by some ofi Tolais, is a moot point. The BE still maintain their opposition Manus “fashion.” An attempts made in Buka, shortly after-: Rabaul “incident” registering tagonism towards Councils, to : Village Councils in that area,, the Bukas would not have it ok They are certainly an indivio istic crowd, those Bukas. Evem so-called co-operative movement not found favour with them.

Those Import

Restrictions

I am inclined to think the “fon resident of New Guinea” has? something (Editor’s Mailbag, n regarding the imposition of irm restrictions in the Trust Terrii I have heard it explained, officially, but by one who shr know, that Australia bases action on Article 4 of the Trusj ship Agreement, which gives hen same powers of legislation ant. forth as if the Territory were integral part of Australia.

What happens when such leg? tion conflicts wflh the comr rights of UNO members remains be seen. It is, apparently, just: other one of those internatjt anomalies which exist until a legal-minded eagle of UNO ra the point. And then the aggrit! nation (even as France or Sc< Africa) gathers up its toys and , it won’t play any more because affects the integral working ofi domestic policy.

Not for one moment do I sugs that the extension of Austral import restrictions to NG mayj a major issue but—and I sug? it may be a big “but”—with V North countries eager for mark and considering the recent chan colour of UNO members (who now in the majority). I thinKj unlikely if the issue is allowed to unchallenged.

With one hand we distriF largesse under the Colombo H and with the other withdfc legitimate trade. Anyway, Trust : has no economic need for import f strictions. But (another “but”-' must bear it share of Australia’s < verse trade balance as part of privilege of receiving the ov< generous Australian subsidy'.

jable the Public Service to carry i in the merged territories.

A different situation to that of •e-war years when the Trust Ter tory was more than self-support g! '

electing Seed

uts It was interesting to read in a cent issue of the SP Post’s “On e Land” column all about the in duction of seed coconuts to the ;rritory. , The Choiseul Plantations Co. s

•wly-acquired properties in

lugainville in 1912-14, consisting of iraken, Baniu, Teopasmo and ■igua, were nearly all planted with ecially-selected nuts from the SIP. taken from SID and SIP operties on Guadalcanal and lortlands, and Jim Campbell the ;al big noise of the company at e time—was very strict on seed

lection.

As strict as was his war on ■ontispa froggatti. Many of the >rman planters at the time liculed this carefulness but, judg g by production returns in later ars, it has paid off.

rise. Sir Frederick!

Congratulations to the Chief stice of P-NG, Sir Frederick liUips, on the Knighthood con ned on him in the New Year mours’ list.

It will be well received throughout e Territory. “Montie,” as he is tectionately-known by his many i-time friends, is most certainly a ivening influence behind the rone and most fitted as an Iministrator, could he but be per aded to leave the judiciary.

What he doesn’t know about the tive land business (which appears be a top-level business these days) nobody’s business. His first job that connection was down in the SIP in 1920, after his return from ar I with the AFC.

He first went to Rabaul as Puisne dge in 1928 and later did an ex isive Land Inquiry into some vast eas, alienated during the German ne in the Madang area. I have rsonally reported many big iminal cases brought before him the Rabaul Supreme Court and is always impressed with his clear nming-up and acute knowledge of tive customs and traditions where ey conflicted with our mere Ddern trend of justice.

During the Rabaul eruption he 1 a masterly job of Rabaul’s acuation as Acting Administrator, r which he collected the CBE.

He was well off the mark in War and during 1940 to 1946 served th the RAAF. He was a lover the arts and he is a man who,

jars ago, saw the writing on the ill which is causing so many head hes to-day amongst those who mid not, or could not visualise a Ranging social attitude in the uth Seas.

Ihis new dignity will sit well on b shoulders of Sir Frederick. oken Promises When I first went to New Guinea, old and experienced resident said me: “Always keep your promise a coloured person—no matter 10 he is, or what you have pro sed him —present or punishment.” later realised the need for not jmising something I could not fil, and that a European might able to understand the cir nstances which prevented a rniise from being carried out, but it a coloured person could not.

Jnfortunately, down the years I ire noticed that many promises ide to Chinese, Malays, Mixed >ods and natives by Europeans ire been broken, and one of I greatest offenders has been t Government itself which, h all its advisers on native r chology, should be the last break its promises. Constant mges of personnel and a general regard of the importance of the en word by inexperienced officers » been the main cause, md that is why it is so regrettable read the remarks of the Kombiu lb’s President made at the De tiber meeting of the TAG re ding the non-supply of electricity the Club building in Malay vn, Rabaul. A supply said to have n promised over five years ago. t is not a delay; it is a broken mise; a promise which should er have been made if it could not re been fulfilled. It appears to a very poor show on the part the Government.

re Bop’s

’he wanderings of an American ithologist, E. Thomas Gilliard, I his wife through the Sepik and ts of the Highland districts are 1 recorded in The National a graphic Magazine of October, 5. The colour photography is ex ent and the Gilliard couple ained several specimens of rare ds-of-Paradise.

r the People

the People

hades of our democratic form of ’eminent!

Minister Hasluck is candid if hing else in his reply to five ited Members of the NT Legis ve Council, who protested over a

block vote by the seven official Mem bers of the Chamber who, it was claimed, were told how to vote by the Government.

Thus the Minister: “I suggest the key to the situation is that, just as an elected Member has responsibil ities towards his constituents, so the Official Member will be conscious of a responsibility to the Government which appoints him. The obligation of Official Members to the Govern ment is not a matter of law, or Ministerial instructions but conven tion. You imply there is dissatis faction with the Legislative Council as now constituted. But the whole history of constitutional growth tells of dissatisfaction.”

That seems to knock the idea on the head that the Government could, by any stretch of the imagination,’ represent the people.

Sounds more like the castigation of a power-intoxicated despot of the Public Service, rather than a communication from a Minister of the Crown, elected by the people to the people’s House of Represent atives.