Made Papua

Captain H. L. Griffin, DSO

The Men Win Made Papua

From Notes Supplied by Toaguba A man who made his man in Papua over 50 years ag

and who was esteemed by all;

a man and a gentleman, m

Captain Harry Lysaght Griflr

DSO. He came from West Afrii and was a Resident Magistral in British New Guinea until

became the Australian Territoi

Then, because he disliked t’J new conditions, he resigned, au became a planter.

GRIFFIN was a man of su ability and good character thi we often wondered why he hr come away from a good post West Africa. I learned the fa«j long afterwards.

He was a District Commissions in charge of some very primitt negro communities. In one plat away up a big river, a young Distn Officer came to him with a soa problem he could not solve —it i volved what the tribesmen insist was a crime of incest.

Griffin, also, was puzzled abo how to deal with it—but, final he said to the blacks, “Well, itc a social offence in your eyes—betd deal with it in your own way.”

Tale of Forbidden Pigeon

Some time later, the officials shown a heap of white bones—ti skeletons, male and female, tj together. They had been this way by the villagers, the bod smeared with a sweet substance, as thrown to the ants. “Lion ants” M cleaned them up. “Lion ants s terrible things—in Nigeria. Ihj known them to kill lions. Wn they migrate, they leave a trail! complete desolation.

Details of this case got to he levels: Griffin and his official ws blamed; and both resigned Grit went to New Guinea, about 19(W He was sent as ARM to famous C. A. W. Monckton in Northern Division. When that J came back from leave, he repon so favourably on the way t a Griffin had handled the then o ficult Orakivas and Binaderes tj he soon was promoted RM and a District of his own.

He did not get on well w j. H. P. Murray; and a man he P 3

arly disliked was named Ryan, m he described as “one of ray’s pimps”. It was said that a had been a fireman on the r ie England. Maybe he did not sure up to Griffin’s social dards, but he was an excellent □1 officer, and would tackle any d of job, whether in quiet uabada or out among the ded Doriri. i one of his patrols, Ryan r ed at Mambare, where Griffin RM. While they were eating er, Ryan remarked on the ex nce of the dish. What was it? hat,” said Captain Griffin, “is ri pigeon”. an pushed back his chair, and >ed to eat any more. He said ould have to report to the Gov r that he had found the Mam- Resident Magistrate eating a that he was bound, by law, to JCt. xt day, Ryan departed. Griffin issed the matter with his patrol iv, Elliott. Then he left Elliott tiarge and went directly over to Port Moresby, and formally :tsd all the circumstances. He lined how he had come to be ig a protected Gouri pigeon—it not been killed deliberately. 5 explanation was accepted and i, reporting later, found turn out of favour.

Dinner Jacket a "Must"

ren Australia came in, Captain in went out, and became man of a sisal hemp plantation Kaili, east of Port Moresby, was established just ahead of lupert Clarke’s sisal enterprise, Fairfax Harbour, iffin was joined there by F. H. or, another ex-civil servant, got on very well together—both South African War veterans — they produced a hemp equal to oest Mexican. But the industry rot succeed—it seemed to be too rom the world’s markets.

(Continued on page 99)

l asta Ben

and Buka

Griffin was one of the first to recognise the value of maintaining a company bungalow in Port Moresby —he built a nice house on the Hanuabada Road, and spent many happy week-ends there.

His parties were famous. But, like a pukka sahib, he insisted that his guests should be quite formally dressed—which led to some em barrassing situations.

For years, they told the story of how Archie Mac Alpine, with ms wife got a dinner invitation from Griffin —only to learn, to his horror, that a dinner suit was mandatory.

The boys rallied around; but Archie was a little tellowandmost difficult to fit. that Gnffln literally reeled when he met the strangely-equipped Archie on his

verandah; but he was, as usual, the perfect host, and sent the Mac- Alpines away happy.

Griffin had a biting wit, and had no respect whatever for J. H. P.

Murray and Judge Herbert, who pioneered the Australian Adminis tration there. But he kept a tight rein on his sharp tongue, and there were no incidents.

Both he and Naylor gave new comers-like Norman Ferguson of Brisbane, and George F yancis Whybrow, of London —much useful advice and practical help.

He disappeared from Papua after a couple of years of sisal plant ing; and he was, probably, as a trained and distinguished soldier, caught up in World War I.