Port Moresby, 17 November 1967
Confidential
Report of significant events—Papua and New Guinea
It is considered that the Minister might wish to be informed, on a regular basis, of significant events and trends occurring in the Territory. With this in mind, it is intended to submit a round–up each two months.
2. This first report is a collation of events and a review of the current situation with emphasis on political parties and the forthcoming 1968 House of Assembly elections. Later reports will contain information relating to economic and social, as well as political, aspects of development.
3. Political Parties—The following political parties are active in the Territory.
4. (i) United Christian Democratic Party
The first official meeting was held at Wewak on the 11th May, 1967.
[ matter omitted ]
5. The Party has dropped earlier plans to amalgamate with the All People’s Party.
6. It is believed the Party receives sympathy and covert assistance from individual members, at least, of the Roman Catholic Church, both within the Territory and from Australia.
7. In early September the Party issued a statement of their political platform. Briefly, the main points are:—
(1) Equal rights for all people;
(2) Adherence to the rules of democracy;
(3) Pidgin as a common language; English as the official language;
(4) A peaceful move towards independence;
(5) More agricultural and industrial development;
(6) A greater programme for education with emphasis on technical and agricultural education;
(7) Improved communications;
(8) Setting up of a Housing Authority;
(9) Increased medical services, and an accelerated programme of training for Papuans and New Guineans to participate in the performance of such services;
(10) Friendship with all people who are true friends of Papua and New Guinea. In particular a special friendship with Australia, because Australians help in the matter of defence and progress is needed, both now and in the future.
8. The Party has dropped the plank in its platform calling for the Territory to become a Seventh State of Australia.1
9. At the beginning of August the Christian Democratic Party claimed to have a membership of over 4,000 members.
10. The Party’s organisers appear to be fairly active in various parts of New Guinea. The main centre of activities, however, continues to be the East Sepik District.
11. (ii) PANGU Party
An announcement was made on 13th June, 1967, of the intention to from a new political party to be known as the PANGU Party (Papua and New Guinea Union).2
[ matter omitted ]
14. It is interesting to note that this group3 voted as a bloc on two important issues during the last sitting of the House of Assembly (Budget and Gilmore’s Constitutional Referendum motion).4
[ matter omitted ]5
16. The PANGU Party has recently taken pains to play down a policy of home-rule leading to independence. The public comments by Mr. Oala Oala RARUA advocating early independence greatly embarrassed Executive Members.6
17. It is not conjecture to say that Oala OalaRarua’s remarks probably cost Party Members intending contesting the 1968 elections some votes:
[ matter omitted ]
19. It is believed that the motivating forces in the Party, and acting mostly behind the scenes, are Messrs. C. Abel, B. Holloway and A. Voutas.
20. It has been learned that there is some dissension concerning strategy for the 1968 elections. Voutas wants campaigning to be on a Party basis. Holloway favours independent campaigning with a re-grouping and consolidation later within the new House. Holloway is claimed to have said he was considering resigning from the PANGU Party. It is known that he has not yet decided to stand in an Open or Regional Electorate.
21. The PANGU Party appears to be the best organised and most active of all the political parties. It was reported in September to have about 900 members. It has fairly strong support from student bodies.
22. (iii) All Peoples Party
The announcement of the formation of a party to be known as the ‘All Peoples Progress Party’ was made in early July, 1967. The word ‘Progress’ was later dropped from the Party’s title.
23. The Chief organiser is Mr. Jim McKinnon, trader and sawmiller of Angoram, East Sepik District.
[ matter omitted ]
26. At [a meeting at Angoram on 26 July] the Party outlined its aims as follows:—
(a) ‘For continuance of the stable government of the Territory and in particular in the non–reduction of staff and Australian assistance;
(b) The close co-operation between the native people and non-natives in the Territory in every aspect of the Territory’s development;
(c) The increase in the economic development of the Territory; and
(d) The delay of independence for an indefinite date until the country is economically, as well as politically, ready for it.’
27. The All Peoples Party is probably the most conservative of all parties so far formed. In statements Mr. McKinnon has stressed the need to emphasise economic development, and has rejected any suggestions for early ‘home–rule’ or independence. He has been strongly critical of the PANGU Party.
28. …. The Party’s activities are largely restricted to the East Sepik and Madang Districts.
[ matter omitted ]7
38. Parties—General
With the exception of the PANGU Party, the other four in the field have developed on fairly parochial lines. PANGU has received the lion’s share of the publicity because its policies have been more radical than those of the remainder. But this publicity has probably done PANGU more harm than good. The largely conservative Papua and New Guinea population has reacted sharply to proposals for early independence.
39. The aims and policy of the United Christian Democratic Party are more similar to those of PANGU than most people recognise, especially since the former has dropped the ‘statehood’ plank from its platform.
40. The policies of the Territory Country Party and the New Guinea Agriculture Reform Party are similar.
41. Among many of the indigenous people, there is a feeling that political parties are perhaps too premature. Many people believe that the formation of parties may lead to quick independence, or that they will upset the work of the Administration. As mentioned, at least two Europeans are contemplating resigning from political parties and contesting the 1968 elections as independents. Some indigenous Members of the House are refusing to join parties, because of apprehension about party organisation by the people.8
42. In a recent series of two articles appearing in the Sydney Morning Herald (25th–26th October, 1967) David White has reported on the overall situation with regard to political parties. He attributes the recent formation of political parties to the proximity of the 1968 elections, and the need felt for some sort of power base for intending candidates.
43. White is probably correct in stating that the formation of three parties (A.P.P., T.C.P. and N.G.A.R.P.) is the result of organised opposition against PANGU Party and its policies.
44. Equally true is the claim that many parties’ officials are confused in their aims and on major policy issues. Poor party organisation is often apparent, and there is a good deal of vagueness and vacillation. The lack of distinctiveness of some parties is a factor that could lead to a joining of forces at a later stage.
45. White, in his article, makes the significant point that the Parties will be trying hard to woo Members of the House, after the 1968 elections, to join their ranks, and that this could well be the acid test as to their chances of future success.
46. The House of Assembly
At the last sitting of the House of Assembly, one of the most significant developments, from a political and constitutional point of view, was the debate on Mr. G. Gilmore’s motion calling for a referendum to determine the people’s wishes with regard to the future constitutional status of Papua and New Guinea.
47. While the motion was defeated, there is no doubt that the recent rash of publicity given this matter has tended to exacerbate the problem of separatism and worry many people. As reported recently, four Papuan Under–Secretaries have put out feelers with a view to exploring possible future Papuan and Australian relationships.
48. The 1968 House of Assembly Elections
There is a growing interest in the forthcoming 1968 elections. This trend will no doubt gather momentum over the next few months.
49. The Chief Electoral Officer estimates that there will be approximately 600 candidates for the next elections. An attachment (Appendix A) contains the names available so far, of those who it is believed intend standing or seeking re-election.9 It is important to note that these are not full acceptances.
50. Political Education
The Political Education Programme conducted this year has involved preparation and distribution of two booklets and twenty single sheet leaflets. The material is used in the field by the general field staff as a basis for discussion in the village. It is also used as a basis for regular programmes on Administration Radio Stations, and is incorporated in our community education courses. It is used by teachers in their civic studies courses, and by the Army in its training. It has also been made available to the University of Papua and New Guinea Reading Room, Administrative College Library, and many Missions and other organisations.
51. The basic text in the political education programme is the English language booklet ‘Government in Papua and New Guinea’ which has been widely distributed (15,000 copies) to Councils, schools, training institutions, missions and the field staff of all departments. Its purpose is to give a simple picture of the evolution of government from the institutions of primitive society to those of a modern state, and an outline of the organisation of government in Papua and New Guinea. It is primarily intended to provide guidelines for field workers engaged in promoting the campaign. The choice of language in this publication was governed by the need for it to be readily translatable into vernaculars.
A second booklet similarly distributed is ‘Local Government in Papua and New Guinea’ which is available in both English and Melanesian Pidgin versions. It should be noted that an earlier series of six booklets produced by the Department of Information and Extension Services ‘Sowai finds his country’ provided a simple introduction to the nature and work of government in the Territory in story and picture form.
52. The twenty leaflets have been issued singly at intervals during the past several months, in simple English (30,000 copies) and Pidgin English (70,000 copies), the final one being at present with the Government Printer. They are widely distributed to officers, Councils, Schools and villages. The first seven explained certain basic concepts—Majority Rule (2 papers), the Rule of Law (1), the Representatives’ Responsibilities (3) and Electing a Representative. The next three explained the growth of Government from early times to modern local and national government. The next four explained political parties by a gradual introduction of concepts commencing with employment and industrial relations and leading on through industrial organisations to interest groups generally and then to political parties. The next three papers dealt with the workings of government—Economic Development and the National Government, How Government Works, and Taxation. The final three papers dealt with elections, explaining their significance and outlining the methods to be used in the 1968 elections.
53. It is difficult at this stage to gauge the effect of the programme. As might be expected, reports suggest wide variations in level of understanding. Most of the concepts are foreign to the mass of the people and not directly translatable into Pidgin or the vernaculars. They can, therefore, only be fully grasped after constant repetition, wide ranging examples, practical experience of their operation in local and central government, and absorption of new terms into the language. It is clear, however, that some progress is being made and the level of understanding is being slowly raised.
54. It is also clear that, with the quickening tempo of political developments it will be necessary to resume the programme after the elections. Particular care will be necessary in preparation of material and its presentation to the people, but it is vital that factual material be widely available on which the growing elite may draw in developing its ideas, and also that the masses may have sufficient political knowledge to make a reasonable assessment of claims and schemes put before them. It is important also that officers in contact with the people have sound information readily available, for it is inevitable that they are asked questions, and dangerous if they will not reply or cannot do so accurately.
Other Significant Events
55. Trespass on plantations—Gazelle Peninsula
Since the incident on RANILOLA Plantation in the New Britain District,10 a further request has been made by the Chairman of Directors of Plantation Holdings,11 for the Administration to remove squatters from their property at KABAIRA (Gazelle Peninsula).
56. The District Commissioner, East New Britain,12 has commented as follows:
‘It is expected that demands for expulsion of trespassers on plantations will increase, and this expectation clearly highlights the pressing need for the appointment of a Special Commissioner to investigate the attitudes of the native people towards undeveloped land, and to arrive at some amiable and mutual compromise in respect of these properties’.
[NAA: A452, 1967/7354]
1 See footnote 2, Document 122.
2 See Document 120.
3 That is, MHA’s associated with Pangu Pati.
4 Graham Gilmore (MHA, South Markham special electorate) had moved that ‘this House considers that before there is further development towards self-government or independence for the Territory of Papua a referendum should be held in the Territory of Papua on the question of whether that Territory wishes to form a full and permanent constitutional union with the Trust Territory of New Guinea, its people accepting the ultimate citizenship of that Territory, or retain its Australian identity and the people their Australian citizenship’. The Administration opposed the motion, after which Gilmore amended it to call for a referendum to examine constitutional proposals ‘before any irrevocable act towards a constitutional union of Papua and New Guinea takes place’. The amended motion was defeated by 30 to 19 ( House of Assembly debates , 29 and 31 August 1967, NLA: Nq. 328.952 PAP, pp. 2505, 2544–5, 2575, 2585).
5 Matter omitted is an outline of the party’s platform. See Document 120.
6 MIS no. 8/67, 8 September 1967, noted: ‘On the 12 August, 1967, at a meeting of the interim Executive Council of the PANGU PAT!, Oala OALA–RARUA was censured for having stated in Australia that independence for the Territory could be as close as 1970. He refused to retract these statements. Following his expulsion from the party on 28th August, OALA–RARUA stated that, while accepting the expulsion, he had resigned by letter beforehand. He also stated that PANGU PATI is “a white man’s party controlled by Mr. C. ABEL, Mr. A. VOUTAS and Mr. B. HOLLOWAY’ ” (NAA: Al838, 936/4/4. See also submission, Ballard to Barnes, 6 September 1967, NAA: A452, 1967/2735).
7 Matter omitted includes description of New Guinea Agriculture Reform Party (NGARP), based in the Gazelle Peninsula, and the Territory Country Party (TCP), said to have ‘little support outside Madang’. Mentioned also is a group of ‘prominent European businessmen and farmers in the Eastern Highlands, seeking ‘allegedly to ensure continuation of “good administration”, and to assist favoured independent candidates gain seats in the 1968 elections’.
8 There were also fears that parties would be internally divisive. Hay has recalled ‘late in 1967 one of the older Papua– New Guinea Members coming up to me … shaking his head (and saying,] “I’m very worried about this party business because I think it is going to divide us—one from another, brother from brother ”’ (Hay interview, 1973–4, NLA: TRC 121/65, 3:1/33).
9 Not printed.
10 In a submission to Barnes of 25 October, Ballard noted that on 28 September, the Administrator had informed Warwick Smith that approximately 300 indigenes had planted coconut trees on Raniola plantation in an area cleared for replanting by the owners, Coconut Products. The squatting had occurred on a ‘deliberate and well organised basis’ and attempts to persuade the squatters to leave had not been successful. On the 29th, Hay requested permission for forcible ejection, which was granted by Barnes on condition that be done within the law. Hay reported on 10 October that the leaders of the group had allowed themselves to be escorted from the plantation and were followed shortly thereafter by the remainder (NAA: A452, 1966/3928).
11 Unidentified.
12 H.W. West.