Keview of Reviews, 20J2/06. 



A BROWN NEW GUINEA. 



Why not ? As the Bishop of New Guinea explains 

 in another part of this issue, it may be eminently 

 desirable. In fact, he confidently asserts that it is. 

 The Bishop's proposal gives rise to some very serious 

 thoughts. Australia has not reason to be proud 

 of its treatment of its dark-skinned children in the 

 past, but she has a splendid chance now to retrieve 

 past errors. If the neglect which Australia has seen 

 is to be carried across the Straits to New Guinea, 

 there will be as much, if not more, suffering than the 

 sun over Australia ever saw. Broadly and briefly Dr. 

 Stone-Wigg's complaint is that New Guinea is likely 

 to become a dumping-ground for the immoral and 

 base and diseased. Already the outlook is dark 

 enough. The official reports of the spread of disease 

 are enough to turn one sick. It may be too late 

 even now to stamp out what is there. This land, up 

 till latelv, was a virgin one as far as disease is con- 

 cerned, and for it to be thrown open to its ravages 

 without let or hindrance is a crime for which we 

 shall be execrated by future generations. The wide- 

 spread nature of disease is appalling, as given in 

 official reports. 



NOT A REVOLUTIONARY SUGGESTION. 



At first sight the Bishop's proposal looks revolu- 

 tionarv ; but an understanding of it shows its reason- 

 ableness. He does not mean that whites should be 

 shut out of New Guinea, but that the interests of 

 the natives should be considered first. If that were 

 done, everything; likelv to work harm to them would 

 be shut out. Under this heading would come all 

 kinds of moral and physical diseases. The two 

 generally run in couples. Why not preclude from 

 landing the man who has a criminal record, as well 

 as the man whose landing means physical contamina- 

 tion as proved by medical inspection. New Guinea 

 is a natives' land. The whites are a handful. It 

 is almost an impossibility, by reason of great dis- 

 tances, to administer justice effectually. Evil may be 

 wrought away from centres and long time elapse 

 before it is discovered. Moreover, as shown by the 

 officials' reports, there is great difficulty in securing 

 convictions against white men, as they stand by each 

 other, and the natives are afraid to give evidence. 

 Under these circumstances, the Bishop is right when 

 he urges that the whites who do enter shall be of 

 such a character as to ensure the safety and well- 

 being of the natives. 



NEW GUINEA NOT NEEDED FOR PRESENT SETTLEMENT. 



There is all the more reason in the plea because 

 New Guinea is not needed for settlement. Those 

 who settle there go from choice, but not from neces- 

 sity. There is room and to spare in Australia. Its 

 boundless area supplies everv varying condition of 

 climate and soil. If Australia were teeming with 

 life, there would be instant reason for opening up 

 the country, with proper safeguards. But not only 

 is the country being opened up now, but the safe- 

 guards are not there. And yet so easy would it 

 be to insist upon the character of the white resi- 

 dents who do go being above reproach. 



New Guinea is the home of the natives. It is 

 theirs by every right that can be named. In these 

 days no people should impose their Government and 

 customs on another no matter how inferior in civil- 

 isation thev may be without making sure that the 

 native race will be in no degree prejudiced. It is 

 the native who should have first consideration. The 

 white man's interests should come second. Perhaps 

 one should say, that in considering the natives' in- 

 terest, he really places his own interest first. 



As the Bishop points out, the majority of the 

 white residents are men who would be a credit to 

 any community, and they deplore the evils as much 

 as any, but" are powerless, as they have no voice 

 in the matter. But there is a section that can only 

 be characterised as moral refuse which, in the ma- 

 jority of the cases concerned, the countries that bred 

 them are fortunate to be rid of, and which should 

 have been refused admission to a clean, untainted 

 land. 



The Federal Government has shown a laudable 

 desire to do well towards New Guinea by prohibiting 

 liquor to natives and granting Local Option to the 

 whites. Will it not go farther when it gets sole con- 

 trol, by forbidding the landing of any person who is 

 suffering from disease. Official reports will supply 

 more than can be said here, and convince the most 

 careless that drastic action is necessary. Dr. Stone- 

 Wigg says that un'ess it is checked, disease will sweep 

 through the country like a pestilence. What a pros- 

 pect ! Yet it may be prevented. Although it seems 

 a hardship, yet the exigencies of civilisation render 

 necessary the colonising of native lands, but for our 

 good name's sake, as well as the natives' sake, let 

 us preserve them in health and happiness as long 

 as they are there. " Our brothers' keepers " we are, 

 as far as even- man is concerned. Much more are 

 we with regard to those who are defenceless against 

 our advances, and helpless against the solid phalanx 

 of our racial prejudices and customs. 



