ew Papuans Become Newspaper

Subseribers

' marches on! e did I dream when I first led the Pacific Islands ly, 26 years ago, that by her, 1956, we should be enfull-blooded Papuan natives paid readers of the magazine, ch is the case. the end of October there 1 in this office, from Western a dozen letters, nicely typed business form, each enclos- /- and requesting that the e posted to a given address s lXf Each letter was

. Tir x-i_ . . ..

1 JSfii fac J? that the letters • fori i t1 ’ alld m suspect the mendly of an Administration I6SS ’ the . furth fs the . Journal would w^f e g< ?" a ™ an ca P able °f wading it; it the addresses of the twelve councillors represent twelve it villages in the western part ua. a hannv occasion ing retard.“human develop lore than illitpraov Tllitprarv ignorance, superstition, into plan and reach out after standards of life. Ever since ropeans took charge in Papua New Guinea, the greatest to real progress in that has been difficulty in comting with the natives; and Lives’ inability to read.

There is nothing wrong with the IQ of the average Papuan. Let him once climb to the educational level where he may look through the printed word at a new and attrac tive world—a world which he is free to enter, if only he will acquire the necessary qualifications—and the social advancment of Papua and New Guinea will become increas ingly rapid. It looks as if the patient Administration and missionary teachers of Papua at last are get ting their charges up to that level.

I never thought I should live to see the day when our subscription clerk would be entering native Village Councillors upon our roll of subscribers. But there it is; and it is a pleasing sight. It means literacy—and literacy means pro gress. And only progress of this kind can help the South Pacific Islanders to hold their countries against Asia.

Welcome, Village Councillors Sesei Soroco (Parama); Jonn Tori (Torogori), Kaina-Daru (Kubira), Wena-S a w a i a m o (Masingara), Gabitu-Kokomo (Tureture), Nobuo- Mapa (Sui), Dediamo-Pija (Saguane), Jawaci-Maru’u (Magu d u a n), Manu-Dadia (Mawata), Apuri-Makare (Katatai), D a u - Baira (Daru), Yaina-S e g e r a (Sewer imagu), No kora ( Sepe

Village), Imari fKoabu), and

Bacari (Dameratamu).

—The Publisher.