ANTHROPOLOGY AND GOVERNMENT

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 48, 25 February 1921, Page 8

ANTHROPOLOGY AND GOVERNMENT

STUDY OF NATIVE CUSTOMS,

"Anthropology and the Government of Subject Races" was the subject of the presidential address by Mr. Justice Murray,' Lieutenant-Governor of Papua, delivered to the Ethnological Section of the Science Congress in Melbourne. He j pointed out that there were two methods of "governing native races—to abolish all native customs and institutions and introduce European substitutes, or to use as an instrument of good government such customs as appeared to be useful, or even harmless. Anthropology was of service only with the latter, the ." indirect " method, favoured by the British. Then it was of the greatest use in determining which customs should be preserved, which abolished. In dealing with native customs, it must' be remembered that among savage races the different departments of thought and action were not clearly distinguished, as with us. We could change our politics without changing our religion'; a savage race could do nothing of the kind. In suppressing a simple, seemingly silly and useless practice, an administrator might bo affecting a dozen other practices. On the whole, however, it had to be admitted anthropology had so far not played an important part in administration. There were many difficulties io be surmounted before the science could come into its own as a practical guide to the government of subject races. In the future, however, it was likely to become the greatest help, either by the appointment of specialists or encouraging the stndy among Government offioei-s. The capacity of "thinking black or brown" required more sympathy and insight that the average man possessed, but was very necessary, for there was always danger that natives would misconstrue some policy—native feeling ■might be deeply incensed by a quite unconscious offence against some tribal traditiifli. The best remedy was %c study of anthropology. It was -partly to encourage this study among officers, and partly, to assist the Government more directly, that arrangements were bejug made; for the 'appointment, of an officer as Government anthropologist. '