NEW GUINEA LABOUR.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18184, 22 September 1924, Page 12

NEW GUINEA LABOUR.

In bis report on the mandated territory of New Guinea, Colonel John Ainsworth, late Chief Native Commissioner, Kenya Colony, who visited tho territory, at the request of the Commonwealth Government to enquire into administrative matters affecting the interests of the natives, points out that the whole of the territory lies within the tropics, a very large proportion is extremely . fertile, and, under favourable conditions, is capable undoubtedly of development; but what is wanted to achieve tliis is an increased population. The native population generally is remarkably sparse and extremely backward. He considers it extremely doubtful that the territory is ever likely to be a country where white men can perform manual toil as a regular part of their existence. Without Asiatics or some similar people progress must wait and: public revenues become stationary, if not retrogressive. There is no reason to think (the report states) that the regulated ingress and settlcpient of Asiatics should bo in any way harmful to the native people. The continuation of the Expropriation Board as plantation owners would seem, he says, to be undesirable.