Native administration and local government in Papua, 1880-1960
Creators: name: Healy, A. M.
Publisher: name: The Australian National University
Year: 1962
Subjects: subject: Local government Papua New Guinea
subject: Papua New Guinea Native races

description: The term 'Native Administration’s ie used in the rather restricted sense in which it has been defined by Lord Hailey, having particular reference here to the ways in which native« have participated in ’procedures of local administration'. The jurisdiction of the Western Pacific High Commission was found Inadequate everywhere) this inadequacy was particularly marked in New Guinea before and under the protectorate, because of the lack of chiefs. Under Sir William MacGregor's administration of the colony the search for chiefs who could be made responsible for co-operation with government continued for a time; initially MacGregor sought to adapt methods and institutions from Fiji. The delegation of responsibility to Government Chiefs proved tedious and unsuccessful. Local control through appointed village constables was accepted as a substitute, MacGregor was so involved with pacification - to some extent involuntarily - that a simple police system was found expedient. With a small European staff of poor quality, it seemed to offer relatively easy and uncomplicated control. In the period 1898-1908 central control of pacification techniques deteriorated, and the trend to direct police rule accelerated; a corollary was the total ecolipse of the Government Chiefs. Sir Hubert Murray had as his firet task the close regulation of pacification. In addition, pressures for settler development forced the rapid extension of the frontier. These faotors, in relation to insufficient funds and staff, inhibited the evolution of new methods of native administration. Indeed, the hurried appointment of village constables came to be looked on in hope (or desperation) as the talisman of law and order. After 1918, when systems of native tax and of native plantations were introduced, the deficiencies of the simple village constable system became progressively more patent* This led to experiments with non-statutory village councillors and assessors. A few enlightened officers, and the missions, conscious of social stresses for which native administration did not provide, even initiated approaches to native councils and courts. Murray’s administrative preconceptions, essentially assimilationist, precluded any real or substantial delegation to natives. Murray's death and the war brought a period of re-thinking. Increasing centralization of control in Australia opened the way for a new group not steeped in the Murray traditional to exert influence: methods similar to the British Native Authority system were mooted. Entrenched opposition and the traditional conceptions eventually proved too strong, however, Native local government, as implemented, thus constituted only a segment of the more comprehensive system of native administration Even in the executive sphere, the lack of an integrated approach by central government frustrated co-operation by councils in developmental responsibilities, although they had notable achievements in the erecting of buildings, the sinking of wells, etc. Forms of co-operation were slowly and painfully worked out with the central Education and Health Departments. Broadly, however, the disorganization and delay to which many councils were subjected, together with the discouragement by central government of political expression through local government, often eroded interest, inhibited the assumption of local responsibility and thereby perpetuated reliance on central government. Paternal welfare was accepted by government as a substitute for (rationale as a preparation for) administrative devolution. (The analogy with former Belgian policy is striking). This emphasis, inter alia also frustrated approaches to other forms of local government.