PAPUA

Southland Times, Issue 18809, 30 April 1920, Page 5

PAPUA

ILL-TREATMENT OF NATIVE LABOURERS. A STARTLING REPORT. By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyrightl (Australian and N_Z. Cable Association^. SYDNEY, April 29. Mr J. Benstead, Government Agent for Papua in Sydney, has returned. He said the agitation against Judge Murray’s administration was due to the Government's alleged pampering of the natives, some of whom sorely needed pampering or more humattr treatment. ... Mr Benste?yi quoted a magisterial report on native labour on a certain plantation in 1918, which stated that the natives received one meal a day consisting of a quarter of a pound of rice and a few sweet potatoes which were given them after they had been working 8 ’ to 9 hours. They worked seven days a week from 0.30 in the morning to six at night. . Fierce dogs were kept and used against the natives who were continually beaten by. the whites . Most of the natives received no clothes and went naked on the plantation, which was situated between 2000 and 3000 feet above sea level. The nights were bitterly cold and several had died. Mr Benstead concluded that although th* treatment described was not confined to one plantation the majority of the planters treated their labourers well.