Port Moresby, 15 November 1968
Local Government Councils—East New Britain District
1. Purpose And Reason For Bringing To The Administrator
1.1 This paper is submitted by direction of His Honour for consideration by the Interdepartmental Co-ordinating Committee as, in view of past events and present attitudes, a proposal to reconstitute the Gazelle Peninsula Council as a multi-racial authority, whilst bringing all disaffected non-Council Tolai village groups into that Council and establishing a separate Council for the Duke of York Islands groups, has implications on which a policy decision is deemed desirable before submissions on the Council constitutions are presented to the Administrator’s Executive Council.
2. Facts And Considerations
2.1 General
2.1.1 When the formation of local authorities was commenced in the Gazelle Peninsula area in 1950 a policy of voluntary participation by the people was adopted and this policy has been adhered to throughout the extension of Local Government to all parts of the Territory. The percentage of popular support necessary to constitute a favourable majority vote has never been clearly defined but, in the early 1950’s, as the legislation related to village groups rather than areas, the inclusion or exclusion of particular villages was decided by an individual referendum. This resulted in fragmentation of otherwise compact administrative areas and later assessments were based on the opinion of the substantial majority of persons resident in the whole of the proposed Council area.
2.2 Gazelle Peninsula Council
2.2.1 Under the conditions of voluntary participation then applying, local government in the Gazelle Peninsula area was gradually extended, two Councils, Vunamami and Reimber being established in 1950, Rabaul in 1951, Vunadidir-Toma-Nangananga in 1952 and Livuan in 1953. It was in 1953 that the first overt hostility to participation was encountered in the Raluana group of villages and spread to other nearby villages. From this opposition developed the so-called ‘Kivung’ movement, whereby the dissentient groups formed an unofficial organisation of their own as counter to Councils.
2.2.2 Despite this opposition, however, these and other villages remaining outside a Council area were included by Proclamation in one or another of the three established Councils in January, 1954 … However, a petition from the Raluana group, protesting their inclusion, was presented to the Acting Administrator Mr. Justice Phillips who suspended the Proclamations in February, 1954.
2.2.3 Following this return to the status quo, the attitude of the anti-Council factions became more truculent and further attempts to persuade them to join a Council were met with open hostility. The introduction of personal tax in 1957 was viewed by the Navuneram people as an attempt to force them to join the Council movement, leading to an attack on an Administration patrol attempting to collect tax in 1958 and culminating in the death of two villagers.
2.2.4 The Gazelle Peninsula Council was formed in 1963 by an amalgamation of all Councils in the area and, as this Council now covered about 90% of the Tolai population, there has been continued pressure from the Council for inclusion of the remaining minority represented by the anti-Council villages. The Council has expressed its impatience on a number of occasions, criticising the Administration for its failure to take the necessary action to resolve the situation. On 4th August, 1966, they passed a unanimous resolution recommending that action be taken forthwith but were persuaded that a more cautious approach should be adopted.
2.2.5 The Councillors themselves called a meeting of some 120 leaders of the dissident element on 12th August, 1966, and a further meeting was held on 24th August. A favourable reception was accorded the first meeting but the later meeting resulted in an almost total rejection by those present of any proposal to include them in the Council.
2.2.6 As early as 1957 pro-Council villagers from Raluana had petitioned to join the Vunamami Council and, when a referendum was conducted in the anti-Council villages in 1967, it was found that rejection of the Council was not unanimous in six of the twelve villages concerned, whilst the number of Raluana people willing to participate was slightly larger than those who weren’t. Consequently, the consitution of the Council was amended to include the whole of Raluana village. The Proclamation was signed on 13th March, 1967.
2.2.7 Two men from Barawon and Vunamurmur, claiming to speak for 300 residents of Raluana opposed to their inclusion, visited Port Moresby and sought to have His Honour appoint a Luluai to represent the non-Council section of Raluana. This request was refused and, in the subsequent elections, though about 50% of the eligible voters refrained from voting, no incidents occurred. Later, 121 of 174 persons liable for tax paid their tax on demand and a further 14 paid soon after the issue of summons. The remaining defaulters paid following police action on failure to answer the summons issued. A minor disturbance occurred when a Council process server was assaulted by a large group of people from villages outside Raluana, which resulted in 17 defendants being given suspended sentences of six months imprisonment and put on good behaviour bonds for 12 months.
2.2.8 On 27th July, 19672 the Gazelle Peninsula Council passed a further resolution seeking to reconstitute the Council as a multi-racial authority to include all alienated rural land, together with the townships of Kokopo, Warangoi and Kerevat and the remaining non-Council villages.
2.2.9 A survey of non-indigenous residents, including mission, plantation and others revealed that these people were largely in favour of the proposal and no dissent has since been voiced. Non-indigenous persons number some 1 ,074.
2.2.10 The District Commissioner, 3 in supporting this proposal, commented that:
‘The action taken by the Council at Raluana makes it obvious that, if the Council is resolute in its endeavours to collect taxation, and the Administration supports Council action, then introduction of local government to the present non-Council groups can be achieved. That this theory is tenable is highlighted by the Administration action of some years ago in regard to the refusal of the Nualim people to pay tax or take part in Council activities. Positive action by the Council and the Administration in this instance resulted in the Nualim people becoming strongly pro-Council and one of the most co-operative villages in the Duke of York Islands.
I request that you give favourable consideration to the establishment of a multi-racial Gazelle Peninsula Council, and that your favourable recommendation be given when the matter is considered by the Executive Council. I reiterate that it is essential that this Proclamation and the Proclamation covering the Duke ofYork Council be made simultaneously. It is my opinion that, with local resources at our disposal, the Administration, assisting the Council, would be able to surmount any difficulties of overt opposition which could possibly arise’.
[matter omitted] 4
3. Summary
3.1 The proposal in respect to the Gazelle Peninsula Council does not conflict with existing policy on voluntary participation, the population of the opposition villages being approximately 5,375 and, even were they totally opposed, this represents only 8% of the whole area. The main consideration here is the likelihood of open hostility but, as the groups are in three separate localities, it should be possible to contain any planned or spontaneous demonstrations which might occur. Against the possibility of civil disorder must be weighed the growing frustration and dissatisfaction of the majority, who view the lack of Administration action as a sign of weakness which also countenances a disregard for the concept that the wishes of the majority should prevail.
3.2 There is little if any indication of personal antipathies between pro and anti-Council groups and the Raluana
s reaction would tend to endorse the view that those opposed would more readily accept the decision being made for them rather than lose face by voluntarily complying.
3.3 The Duke of York situation is somewhat different in that the principle of voluntary participation would be abrogated were a Council to be proclaimed at this time. This policy has been firmly adhered to by the Minister in the past and would have to be waived if the recommendation for establishment of the Council was to proceed.
3.4 Additional to the policy issue, there is the likelihood of an outbreak of civil disorder which could be more difficult to contain than in the Gazelle Peninsula. There is no police detachment in the Duke of York Islands and, if any problems did occur with extension to the mainland villages, simultaneous involvement in the Duke of Yorks is a possibility which would exacerbate the position in respect to restoring or maintaining order.
4. Recommendations
4.1 The institution of a definite plan of action has assumed increasing importance with the Council
s desire to unify the area by the inclusion of all persons presently not within the Council and progressive development could be retarded if positive action is further delayed. The approach suggested is therefore that:—
(a) The Gazelle Peninsula Council be reconstituted as a multi-racial authority forthwith, the amended constitution to incorporate all non-Council villages;
(b) The seven Duke ofYork villages already within the Council to be retained within that Council for the time being; and
(c) Once this has been successfully accomplished, it be indicated to the remaining groups on the Duke of Yorks that they have the option of voluntarily participating in a separate Council established for their area or being encompassed within the boundaries of the Gazelle Peninsula Council as a residual minority.
[NAA: A452, 1969/2889]
1 W.R. Dishon, Acting Director of District Administration.
2 In other documents, the year is given as 1968. See, for example, submission, Ballard to Barnes, 16 May 1969, NAA: A452, 1969/2889.
3 H.W. West.
4 Matter omitted is a discussion of the Duke of York islands, in which seven villages were part of the Gazelle council. Eighteen had formed an opposition council called the ‘Account’. A survey in 1967 was claimed to show some support in the opposition area for an official council. The submission recommended a Duke of York islands council separate to the Gazelle council due to ‘the remoteness of the area’. Hostility toward such a move was expected to show in ‘passive resistance’ rather than violence.