The Editars' Maillag

Permanent Games Site

Sir, —In view of the considerable ither going on about whether Papua ew Guinea can or cannot afford e high cost of staging the 1969 ames, might I make the following ggestion?

Why not hold all future Games in Dumea, New Caledonia? This untry has constructed a Games mplex of magnificent standard and r in advance of its needs for years come. Would it not be possible work out some arrangement lereby the next few Games at isi could be held here and thus oid less favoured territories having pay out huge sums to build orting facilities? It might even be ►ssible to work out a system lereby other countries “host” the imes, using New Caledonian cilities.

It seems to me, though I often think reverse, that some arrangement uld be reached and an added :entive is that Noumea is so cen illy situated. It would avoid having iletes make the long drag from, Y, Tahiti to New Guinea.

I am inclined to think that the ly bar to the idea would be that “prestige”, but as these Games ; normally only for indigenous oples that should be no worry: restige” being the privilege of only i “superior” peoples.

Derf Nnud.

)umea, ;w Caledonia.

Land In New Guinea

Sir, —The comments on land made Percy Chatterton (To The Point, M, Nov.) are of interest.

When I was a member of the NG Legislative Council, a native ;mber and I were discussing native id, and the early promises made in 2 1880’s. I remarked that many >rld changes had come, but except r freehold titles granted, the sub mce of the promises had never en repudiated. The land purchased )m the people by the Administra •n still belonged to people as a lole, although not to the individual m who sold it.

He agreed, but said that that gument would not get him support 3m constituents.

Most clans throughout Melanesia d no right to sell their lands.

Neither had the English after 1066, when William of Normandy took over all land and instituted the feudal system. It had to pass to “heirs of the body”. After 1,000 years remnants of that law remain.

The revolution in France wiped out their feudal land laws. And pressure from changing native con ditions are changing native land customs, in spite of native politicians.

It is hard to believe, as Percy Chatterton infers, that the Koita people of Port Moresby in 1890 did not know they were selling their land outright. What was the LMS doing?

The people of the Pacific in con tact with Europeans learned early the new-comers’ ideas on land purchases.

Before world pressures forced the paternal system of government on the Pacific peoples, these people were alive to encroachments on their land rights. Admittedly 60 years of paternal domination dulled the need for this precaution.

Again it is a pity that Mr.

Chatterton did not learn his back ground better before he commented on Bougainville mineral rights and Paul Lapun. Mr. Chatterton’s re ference to unimproved value of land is vague and misleading. Rental of $2 per acre per year for land (that is not arable) used for prospecting, seems good rent to me. The few people involved will not need to work for a living, while the prospecting goes on.

Oh, for a good leader who could bind these people together, and lead them safely through shoals that lie ahead, and not divide them.

Paul Mason.

Inus Plantation, Bougainville.

P-Ng Race Relations

Sir, —New Guinea is a land of terrific contrasts and the people in it contribute in no small way to this condition.

Christine Kaputin and Susan Young (PIM, Nov., p. 60) have between them depicted a very intense aspect of the social behaviour in their country.

Had I the journalistic ability and rhetoric skill of these two I would present the other side of the picture.

I believe firmly there is another side, and just as firmly that it should

be told—even from the safe distance of several thousand miles.

During the war in New Guinea I met a Buka “boy” named Tohien.

He had asked me to purchase for him a toothbrush from the canteen to which he was forbidden. We be came good friends and when the war ended, parted. But we did keep in touch —spasmodically. He wanted to learn English, I wanted to learn Pidgin, so we educated each other.

He has now risen to the rank of sub-inspector of police and recently, with other S/I’s, spent some time in Sydney. There was much for us to talk about and discuss when I went to Sydney to see him after 23 years and I couldn’t help but feel proud of our long association.

I met his 20 companions—all a credit to their organisation—a credit to any organisation, and all exhibited the searching mind that is the key note of personal progress.

But the highlight for me was our afternoon tea taken in their mess. It was my pleasure to be Henry Mola Tohian’s guest, and I venture to say that no European could ever have been so perfect a host as Henry.

He and his fellow-officers are not the only New Guineans who have this grace, as well Mrs. Kaputin must know, and it is to these men—par ticularly those of the P-NG Con stabulary, to whom, by virtue of their being the actual liaison between the Administration and “the rest”, we in Australia will look for guidance and stability in the troublesome years ahead.

Take heart, the world isn’t all Koki markets.

Harry R. Hunt.

“Happy Sparrows”, Gembrook Rd., Pakenham Upper, Victoria.

The New Hebrides

Sir, —I would like to add something to my survey of the New Hebrides, which you published in October (p. 57) in case one aspect of the story has left a wrong impression.

I would like to summarise by saying that the inequitable distribut tion of medical supplies could lead to widespread dissatisfaction if allowed to continue.

In the last 12 months a number of deaths have occurred, particularly amongst children, and it’s believed some of these were caus d by a short age of supplies in certa n areas.

While the governmer claims it is unable to do anything urther about this problem, the positi. n appears to be getting worse. People are being

permanently afflicted because tt are not treated in the early stag?

If medicines were not available would be bad, but understands The fact that they are available, unattainable in areas needing th most, is intolerable.

If the government cannot do z thing, perhaps the missions o Dedicated realists in the vari missions, prepared to see the o T < all problem, could relieve it. " ecumenical spirit, being so j foundly felt in other parts of world, is now sorely needed in New Hebridean mission field.

A permanent solution could found perhaps by the Mission Ccr cil. A sitting of the council, ke ing the overall problem in mj could review the siting of pensaries, recommend the siting; new ones and make recommendati for the more equitable distribution medical supplies.

A positive policy by missions* a whole would greatly facilitate 1 gress with medical aid in the futt bring justifiable credit on the Wv already done by the churches immeasurably benefit those that tt are in the islands to help—the 1* Hebrideans.

Eventually it must be the hope everybody that this whole prob< will largely be solved by the forr tion of a single central authority urn the Condominium controlling distribution of medical supß throughout the New Hebrides.

Special Corresponded

Santo, New Hebrides.

Gilbertese Labour For

New Hebrides

Alan Breck’s letter telling of apprehensions in the New Hebrr (PIM, Nov., p. 37) is perhaps judg Britain’s future in the New Hebri a little harshly. There is alw room for improvement, certainly for pessimism.

Already the British Governm appreciates our acute labour profr( and kindly consents to local plam introducing Gilbertese as plantat workers.

In the past, the French have hell the country with introduction Vietnamese, also Wallisians. Unli tunately, the former were repatris to their homeland and the lat migrated to New Caledonia.

Indigenous people do not needt

york in this land of plenty. Those vho do from time to time are un eliable. They come and go at andom and can seldom be trained 0 perfect any one job. Many copra, ocoa and coffee plantations are hort-handed and cannot promote a laximum effort to boost production. )ther properties are almost “idle”, nth weeds taking over.

The Prime Minister of Australia aid recently that good government lust assist primary producers and idustries, and in so doing the ountry’s economy prospers. Such r isdom should be applicable to our dr isles and we feel certain our vo governments in the New Hebrides aare this view.

It is understood that Gilbert and llice Colony’s atolls are over-popu ited and inhabitants subsist on a lonotony of coconuts and fish or ice-versa. With a balanced diet in ic New Hebrides, and given time, rilbertese may eventually become rong, energetic workers. Those [ready on trial, on a few local lantations are a mere handful.

The present snag is the lack of rect shipping between Gilbert and llice and the New Hebrides. Some anters must charter vessels for orkers and their families, and not 1 can afford this.

The British Government could ;rhaps subsidise passages and help lieve strain of over-population in e Gilbert and Ellice, at the same ne promoting labour stability for rther progress in the New Hebrides.

Madame X

into, ew Hebrides.

Homing Pigeons

Sir, —The Division of Wildlife ssearch, CSIRO, is seeking the co eration of your readers in its study the fate of lost homing pigeons, part of the investigation of the >logy of pigeons.

During long distance races many »eons fail to return home. Some come exhausted because of bad ather, others meet with an accident are taken by predators. When one these birds is found, we would preciate a letter advising us of the icription on the leg band and of the te, time, location and circumstances ; pigeon was found in.

If the bird is still alive, it should allowed to rest, feed and drink, icreafter it may continue on its

way home. If it fails to survive or is already dead when found, the band should be attached to the letter.

We will use the information on the band to trace the owner and to find out from him the pigeon’s last point of release. Analysis of the fate of many lost and stray homing pigeons will give us a better under standing of the hazards they face and of the methods they use to navigate.

G. F. Van Tets.

Csiro,

Wild Life Division, P.O. Box 109, Canberra.