180 president's address. — SECTION F. 



by the appointment of specialists whose sole duty it will be to 

 investigate these questions, or by encouraging the study of anthro- 

 pology generally among Government officei-s. In Papua we have 

 been fortunate in securing the services of Dr. Strong, who is not 

 only well-known as a general anthropologist, but has made a 

 special study of the languages of Papua, and was for many years 

 a magistrate in the Papuan Service. 



In conclusion, I may be allowed to quote a passage from a 

 pamphlet which I wrote a few months ago, called Review of the 

 Australian Administration in Papua. 



" It is clear," I said, "that the Papuan cannot remain as he 

 is ; he must move along the path of civilization unless he is to die 

 out altogether, and we believe that the path I have indicated is 

 the safest and surest for him to follow. I do not think myself 

 that argument and moral suasion have very much influence on a 

 people at so low a stage of evolution ; there must always be the 

 power toi compel, behind the exhortation and advice — a power 

 which, perhaps, need rarely be exercised, but which must be there 

 all the time. And for this reason the advance must be made under 

 the sanction of Ordinances and Regulations which provide a 

 penalty for disobedience. Still, progress will be more willing, and 

 consequently more rapid, if the Papuan understands and concurs 

 in what we are doing, and fov this reason a knowledge! of Papuan 

 manners and customs and Papuan mentality generally is very 

 desirable in those who undertake this task. 



' ' The capacity of ' thinking black ' or ' brown ' is possessed by 

 few, for this is an art which, it is said, ' requires more sympathy 

 and insight than is given to most men.' It is an art, however, 

 which is very necessary in dealing with native races, for there is 

 always the danger that they may imagine that some policy, which 

 has been adopted for their benefit, is really a device for their 

 undoing; and there is also the danger that an officer, with the very 

 best intention in the world, may deeply incense native feeling 

 against him by a quite unconscious offence against some tribal 

 tradition. The best remedy against such mistakes as these is to 

 be found in a study (even a fragmentary and unsysteTnatic study) 

 of the science of anthropology, so long as the student does not 

 allow the charms of that science tO' prevail over the claims of duty. 

 And it is partly to encourage this study among our officers, and 

 partly to assist the Government more directly, that arrangeatnents 

 are being made for the appointment of an officer to b© Govern- 

 ment Anthropologist. 



" Incidentally, such an officer will be ol assistance in collect- 

 ing the various objects of interest which are generally passing out 

 of use in the native villages, but this will not be his chief value. 

 His chief value will be to help us in reconciling an intelligent, 

 though very backward, race to the inevitablei march of civilization, 

 and in finding "the easiest way for its advance." 



