Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-05
A LAND WITHOUT SOLDIERS
British New Guinea Teaching Congo
Lesson at Peace With Natives.


correspondence In the London Chronicle
There are no white soldiers or police In
British New Guinea. and we control there
natives estimated to number anything from
5OO,o0o to 100000 souls" remarked Mr.
Alice Hunt, SECRETARY for external affairs
TO me recently on his return from a pro-
longeo tour through the Professionalism
fuIly vested in the commonwealth gov
eminent. The remark set me thinking
LOT mad just been reading an account of
the piunders made by the Belgian soldiery
IN tne Congo. How did 1t happen that a
little group of white officials in Paqua man
age to concliate and to govern hundreds
OF thousands OF blacks without single
company of white troops at their backs as
a reserve? The story is a very Interesting
OBJECT lesson in colonization.
The British New Guinea government con-
slsts or an administrator. an executive
council of officials-to be strengthened in
the future by some nominees of the 500
non-official white residents-and a number
OF magistrates living at convenient centers
near the coast. Behind them Is the power
OF the governor general of the common
wealth of Australia. the national legislature
and-only as last resort-the Australian
naval squadron and the troops of the Aus
tralian defense forces.
the process adopted by the government
In assuming authority over the natives is
as folioWs: When government party
meets new tribe every effort is made by
native interpreters to open up peaceful re-
lations. Sometimes the natives attack the
party, and then shots and arrows are ex-
changed Seldom-practically never-are
hostihties begun on the government side.
No government official may use firearms
except in self-defense. In some cases the
making of peace treaty between the
tribe and the government has to be de-
ferred till a second visit, but in all cases
one Is eventually made.
Then the next step is taken. This is
MIR. Hunt says, ito select one of the most
influential men of the tribe and make
him a village constable. He is given a
uniform. pay of Ell a year, pair of
expected to keep order in his village and
to bring offenders before the resident mag
istrate. Village after village has to be
treated in this way The process is slow
the resident magistrate; but it has been
found to work well in practice.
The whole business hinges upon the char
acter of the resident magistrates. There
are six of these officials, each in charge Of
a particular area, and generally supplied
with one or more young assistants. They
all speak Motu. the leading language. and
one or two other dialects Under their or
ders the armed native constabulary,
small but efficient body of blacks drawn
from all parts of the possession on a three
years engagement. The constables
loyal, faithful, and. on the whole, discreet;
but they need to be constantly watched.
The fact that there are SO few native
wars in British New Guinea and no con-
certed action of any kind against the ad-
ministration Is largely due TO the code of
law administered by the little group of
white officials and its black constables.
This code makes 1t an offense to supply the
natives with firearms. opium or iutoxicat-
ing liquors 1t also prevents native labor
being engaged except under license.
which places high obligations on the en-
ployer. 1t further conserves to the tribes
the possession of nine-tenths Of the lands,
and the retention of all religious and local
customs which are not obviously immoral
inhuman.
Honesty compels the admission. however,
that the natives do not warmly welcome
the advance of civilization, even by such
praiseworthy means those adopted by
the administrator, Captain Barton, and his
staff. The truth appears to be that de-
spite energetic missionary effort, the primi-
tive non-moraI instincts of the Papuan,
which lead him to cling to sorcery and to
despise progress, are as strong to all prac-
teal intents and purposes as in 1884, when
a British protectorate was proclaimed.
Though he acquiesces in the rule of gov
eminent which has approached him along
the line of least resistance, he stubbornly
remains intrenched in his old habits.
British New Guinea will loom large in
the empire when some Of the schemes for
growth within her borders of enormous
quantities Of rubber, coffee, cotton, cocoa
nuts sisal, hemp, ETC., have more fully
her own, and will soon have wireless
telegraphy connection with Australia and
q link with the rest Of the empire. In time
she will obtain for her products preferen-
tial treatment under the Australian tariff,
and thus become formidable rival to Cey-
government plantations have been already
begun, and colonization plans being
carefully worked out by trading and mis-
sion agencies.