NATIVE RACES

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 134, 4 December 1930, Page 6

NATIVE RACES

ADMINISTRATION

AN INTERESTING REPORT

TRAINING OFFICIALS

The training of New Zealanders for the administration of native races was considered at tho last meeting of the Wellington Group of tho Institute of Pacific- Relations, when a committee's interim report was received. Tho committee attributing much of the friction in Samoa to this fact that our administration there had had no experience of Polynesian races, nor any knowledge of Polynesian anthropology, nor of tho language of the raco with whom they were brought into contact, which experience and knowledge wore absolutely essential for those required to "think brown," in order to understand and deal sympathically with tho Samoans, set itself to consider the training given by varioiis European nations to their administrators of native races. ' The committee soon found that the nature and extent of the training depended upon the policy which any particular nation had adopted towards the natives under its control, and that the first thing to be decided was how far the natives themselves were to take part in the government and administration. . POLICY OF ENLIGHTENED NATIONS. As the result of its investigation, the committee reported that tho present day policy of an enlightened nation controlling native races was to consider itself a trustee for them; not 'to endeavour to couvert a native into "a bad imitation of a European" and to substitute what we consider a superior European culture for tho natives' own atmosphere, but to preserve and utilise as far as possible native organisations, traditions, laws, and customs, training the natives to govern through the chiefs of their own tribes and the head men and councils of their own villages; to conduct their own courts, and collect their own revenue. That involved careful studies into tribal history and institutions. A striking example was given of the success of the system in the northern provinces of Nigeria, where native courts, composed entirely of native judges, relievo tho European Provincial Courts of practically all judicial work, while 01 native treasuries conducted bjr native treasurers with amazing skill, collected in 1924-1925 a total revenue of £723,629. During ten years there had been only three eases of embezzlement by native treasurers in Northern Nigeria. INDIRECT RULE. The following passage from Brucll's "Native Problem in South Africa" was sited to show tho advantage of what is known as indirect rule: — "Indirect rule moans immediate solfgovcrnment in local affairs through native institutions, constantly being strengthened by the accretion of now political experience derived from contact with tho Western world, and subject only to European supervision, which becomes less and loss as these institutions prove nioro and more able to stand on their own feet. As the Cameroons Administration has said, 'If the ultimate object, however remote, of the government of backward races is to raise them to a state of civilisation, in which they can stand alone, it is evident that they must bo provided with a.governmental machine with tho control of which they themselves can bo associated in an cvor-inercasing dogrco. If tho machine is capable of being manipulated only by foreign hands, tho withdrawal of outsido assistance will speedily bring it to a standstill.'" This, of course, it was stated, meant that nativo chiefs at all events must receive an education qualifying them to function as leaders. An account was given of tho Dutch East Indies system of training colonial officials by a comprehensive five years' course at tho University of Lyden, the programino of studies having special reference to tho language, history, geography, ethnology, laws, institutions, and customs of tho Dutch East Indies. Equally important was tho provision made for training Javanese officials at the 0.5.V.1.A. schools in Java, where j they also studied for five years for a very low fee. Those qualifying becomo assistants to tho office of a Javanese Regent or one of his officials. Javanese officials possessing tho necessary qualifications and character aro carefully watched and promoted wherever possible. THE FRENCH ECOLE COLONIALE. The Dutch system, it was stated, had been followed- by the 'French in their Ecolo Coloniale at Paris, which gave a complete training to those who were intended to administer the French colonies in Africa and Indo-Ohma and their x'°nal settlements. Tho school comprisod administrative, judicial, preparatory, and native divisions. The courso of study covered two years, and in special cases a third might be allowed. , In Cambodia a school of administration for natives provided a courso Of instruction in administrative methods, elements of civil and criminal law, hygiene, veterinary service, simple construction, tropical hygiene, French manners and customs, and Cambodian arts. Great Britain, after a qualifying examination, provided a year's courso of intensive training, comprising tho language, law, and anthropology of Hie country in which-tho officials were to administer, for her selected candidates for the Indian and African Civil Services. PRINCIPLES LAID DOWN. Hence the committee- laid down certain broad principles that should guide New Zealanders in the administration of the nativo races with whom they were associated us follow: — (1) We should recognise, preserve, and develop native organisations and institutions, purging them of their abuses, utilising native authorities and organisations as far as possible for tho government of tho country. (2) Wo should preserve the native atmosphero and tho foundations upon which their own civilisation is based, and regard sympathetically thcir'habits, customs, and traditions. (3) Wo should give tho natives at once their largest possible share in the administration, and shape our policy so as eventually to givo them tho largest amount Of self-government possible, (4) Wo should not endeavour to substitute our own culture for theirs nor force upon them European standards of efficiency. (5) Wo should, therefore, givo not only to our New Zoaland administrators but also to the natives who are to be associated with them a suitable education and training to enable them to govern with sympathy, tact, and understanding, and we shou'l make the salary and conditions of appointment such as to attract capable men for tho positions. (0) The essentials for every official brought into touch with Polynesian natives are:— -— . (a) A knowledge of tho nativo languago and the ability to converso Microin. , (b) Tho elements of general anthropology, for this enables tho official to get a propor perspective and understanding of native customs, traditions, and habits and thcr- rationale. (c) A special study of tho ethnology of the Polynesian pooples. (d) A general knowledge of tho his-

Tory, geography, and institutions of tho Polynesian islands. NEW ZEALAND'S CASE. Our special circumstances were then investigated. Great Britain, Holland, France hud many millions of natives to deal with, involving a largo Civil Service and frequent vacancies to bo filled. New Zealand, on the other hand, was concerned with only some 63,000 Maoris, whoso life was already interwoven with that of the pake'ha, -10,000 Samoans, 13,000 Cook Islanders, and 1000 Union Islanders. This meant that the departments required for their administration wore small and vacancies infrequent. Hence it soemed to the committee tho greater tho necessity for training tho native himself to take part in tho administration. Before the committee could make any definite recommendation as to the system it suggested for training our administrators it stated it required information as to the existing establishments dealing with Maoris, Cook Islanders, and Samoans, and the average number of vacancies. that occurred each year. This information Sir Apirana Ngata promised to procure. The report concluded with some notes of interrogation:— Would it be possible to combine those branches of the Civil Service dealing with all three native races into one department with a special training, in which knowledge of Polynesian languages and anthropology would be essential features, so that the service might be larger, positions interchangeable, and a better career offered to New Zealand ors? Would it be feasible for Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand to form one Polynesian service and training school both for the pakeha and the nativo administrator! Should the training bo spread over some years as in tho case of the Dutch and French schools, or would one year's intensive study after a good general education suffice? The committee, on receipt of further information, is to complete its report and make its suggestions for a scheme of training for further consideration by the several groups of the institute. In tackling this question, which has been so long neglected, tho institute is showing, it was stated, that it was not, as is sometimes supposed, merely an academic and idealistic bodj-, but was doing valuable work for tho community.