NOT ENOUGH GIRLS.

Grey River Argus, 21 December 1920, Page 3

NOT ENOUGH GIRLS.

' in'papua. TO KEEP UP POPULATION.

MELBOURNE^ December 20. ' The resident Magistrate of th e Eastern Division of Papua has made., a' spr coast districts with a view to ••'deter■cq^jdistijiots with a view o deter mining th e cause of the decrease in ih natu» population. He reports the outstanding features are a large number of childless marriages and a scarcity of marriageable girls as compared with men, of tho same- class. There arc not nearly enough marriageable girls to go round, ho states, "but amongst tho growing children the sexes are better balanced. Th c future looks more promising." He adds -~" Girl life is at discount, as it meant that the inbep with a supply o f girls mfcoi trouble from raids. They have therefore specialised in boys, who develop into warriors. There are no signs of r!.'tfadencc among the Papuans', and it -is hard to account for the childless marriages, and there is no apparent reason why they arfc actually so numerous.