FLOURISHING PAPUA

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 18, 21 January 1921, Page 2

FLOURISHING PAPUA

JUDGE MURRAY'S STATEMENT.

I. Papua., , according U>. Judge Murray, who arrived' in Melbourne recently on an official visit to the Prime .Minister, is in a nourishing .condition. > , From tjmo to time there has been agitation at Port Moresby agairfst 3 udgo Murray,, and seme citizens are reported to have made representations to the King to have him removed from office. In an interview ho denied the allegations of pre^ ferentiaj treatment of the Asiatics. There w»s a shortage of "coloured labour. Native labour last year had decreased, he said,, by, more than 2000 as coinpired with the previous year, and 6597 as compared with 8619-for 1918. The figures for 1918 wore the largest on record. Various causes had been suggested to account for th» diminution, Tho bad rice had a pood dcaJ to do. with it, as the labourers had not takeii kindly to tho w bi'tituted foods.' "Last year," continued Judge Murray, "has b'oe.n a satisfactory one as far >s finance is concerned, and revi-nuo derived from Customs Huty nrid local rovenue amounted to just on £3OJOOQ, as compared with £60,384. for the. previous year, reprs seating,an incre^sqof '20 per. cent-"