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4/16/1967 - The End of “Administration”? by Edward P. Wolfers

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS EPW P O Box The End Administration Port Moresby Papua Territory Papua New Guinea Mr Richard H Nolte Executive Director Institute Current World Affairs Madison Avenue New York I007 N Y United States America Dear Mr Nolte Colonial government traditionally regarded administrative rather political problem The first colonial administration tribal societies Papua New Guinea undertake political diplomatic negotiation simply establish basic requirements order throughout entire administered supersede power authority traditional enforcing agencies within territory concerned artly simply ensure safety citizens colonising country abroad partly protect backward people colonies against sible ravages foreign adventurers traers blackbirders search recruits overseas certainly foreign owned plantations In colonialism violent opponents during nineteenth century especially those missionaries romanticised wished preserve Of literary noble savage forced largely through results unchecked adventuring Europeans Pacific islands recognising necessity overnment control pressuring otherwise unwilling European governments annex therefore control activitiss their subjects islands The Pax Britannica first brought Papua New Guinea during fiften years nineteenth century although Papua fully explored until before World War II Highlands pacified until 1940s Throughout largely response pressure United iations pacification process carried increasing while today officers Department District Administration bringing order estern sense people Territory while great areas Department officers representatives Government local people The pacification proceeded different which least varied response changing nature public attitudes towards colonialism generally In early colonial administration country seems clear virtually admit despite official records Western conception order enforced largely through force result retaliatory raids against indigenous attackers Today occasional highlight amidst daily drudgery administrative duties first contacts peacefully through persuasion proffered assistance often communicated through interpreters before patrol officer instructions translated English dialect nearest spoken newly contacted people In desperate exciting colonial administration country responses uncertain heard contact often established variety C A W Monckton eample rumbustious ebullient inspiration wouldbe adventurer desperado British New Guinea described found himself confronted particularly menacing group indigenous warriors quickly dvice first flashing extremely toothy smile potential mysteriously waving handkerchief across finally emerge behind temporary curtain With toothless glare When mysterious reversed previous operation emerge second behind handkerchief guise earlier smiling assured readers peaceful contact attained charges suitably impressed mysterious powers theman surely accepted their ruler correctly Her Victorian Majesty local representative Perhaps Monckton other authors descibed first contact later resulting curiosity people white their areas heard deliberately sought order their homelands Thus present Members House Assembly Administration patrol after first travelling nearby establish contact overnment while areas outhern ighlands during Administration atrols crude lengths houses awaiting The first patrol contact Dene Eastern Highlands during early probably easier establishing contact simply because sound local greeting which derive their Dene close resemblance Brother their discoverers Allegedly Mick Leahy called brother Danny sufficieotly often appropriate places local people conclude quite rationally these their ancestors returning calling appropriate greeting In ether areas though chain coincidence immediate results though until early patrols successors mundane problems mortal always popular administrator The officers present Departeut istrict Administration undergone changes years remain physical human manifestation experience Government faced thousands Territory indigenes The Government message Government coming variety emotions their indigenous hearers varying terrible consequences guilty undergo reported contentment security officer presence afford In usual reaction would simply uncertainty likely actions reactions approaching administrator largely unknown certainly rarely understood Administration In large however duties patrol officer known New Guinea presently known throughout Territory Pidgin resident magistrate acGregor labelled officers remained largely unchanged since duties first outlined novice Monckton everythimg Resident Magistrate absence surveyor survey purchased absence doctor amputate limbs drill police gaoler undertaker Sial Administration vessel marry people description blacksrith upwards expressly allotted If allotted soneone failed Resident Magistrate Sir William MacGregor expected Resident Magistrates everything everything It excuse doctor surveyor officer Custom official Resident Magistrate Another duties every shilling Government money allotted crown spent money Governor Treasurer nsidered unnecessary manner pleasure privilege making pocket His powers however extensive could sentence summarily years imprisonment labour hundred pounds absence Governor could administrative action matter urgency importance finally occupied enviable position scapegoat needed The field officer backbone colonial aministration termed writer subject omnicompetent generalist In remoter areas Territory especially where responsible several thousands indigenous people several nearest counterpart further superiors might justice often omnipotent foregoing epithet The generalist field officer however rapidly passing communications improv specialist officers police judiciary extension officers example effectively before wider areas general Administration becomes increasingly coplex Territory develops demands officers politicised sophisticated cozmunity The style patrol officer assisted indigenous police early tended often for1er prisoners themselves therefore Administration learnt speak either Pidoin Police Motu village carried cargo little perhaps seonful Highlands shillings elsewhere their village rapidly disappearing place increasingly finds veritable armyof surveyors medicoes police albeit still sufficient numbers satisfy locals requirements The future O D A Department Inmeston patrol officers themselves routine duties outstation management inter epartment coordination District Sub District basis while techniques personal styles direct simply appropriate resented Just Territory population subject least measure local Western style goverznnent through local government system quite often multi racial character since O Negotiation assistance instruction reuired local government adviser rather simple issuing orders under direct system local government councils least started assert themselves against overly assertive advisers The House Assembly become increasingly critical D D A seems significant proposer seconder success motion House requesting Minister Territories consider establiShment separate Department Local Government hence reduce D D A further contacted Rigo Abau coastal Papua Wabag Western Highlands which brought under control during respectively Even sophisticated areas Territory whose omnicompetence power prestige often smmarised epithet Papa bilong Father being replaced simply superseded growing narrower better trained specialist officers increasing number competent confident indigenous local government councillors Before establishment Western style local government councils Territory Direct Rule practice though Indirect Rule often claim arcana native administration handled succession Departments District Administration encompassing title Native Affairs though title rather function Department changed years In War Territories patrol officer resident magistrate depending Territory operate single representative central Administration In addition local European officer there Territory genous officials appointed Administration assist representatives their local Confused experience other colonial administrations Africa former German British Administrations seemed unable perceive leadership traditional Papua New Guinea chiefly exceptions system Indirect Rule therefore almost entirely inappropriate unless intended provide measure local rather T recognise existent allegedly traditional leadership Partly establishment indigenous Government representatives every village simply reduced costs local administration frequent visits patrol officer imperative local officials carrying their duties supposed enforcing reporting Administration offenders before their notice It pointed after World War II Kenneth Read system village administration Papua New Guinea though based respectable anthropological premises simply served institutionalise rigid animosities rivalries within modern system local administration Certainly system village based leadership could establishment those inter village dependencies communal interests alone would energence regional sentiments perhaps ultimat nationalism Perhaps system serves partial explanation Territory establishing national receutly regional feeling In British New Guinea later Papua local representative Government village known Village Constable whose appointment intended obviate direct enforcement British justice village resident magistrate armed police The village constables intended provide infrastructure Territory system Iudirect Rule according their founder Sir William MacGregor existing traditional chiefs leaders their areas In Lord Hailey rather sourly summed entire administrative history Papua amounting T T regulated benevolent police The village constable expected MacGregor immediately hearing offence being ommitted charges uniform accompanied village elopers seize offender forth judgment local resident magistrate The village constable expected ensure local people their villages clean andhysnc Village Book which resient magistrate census figures village recorded impressions ainistration occasional visits Even Monckton admitted system might drawbacks quite certain alost certainly wrongly savage abuses power village constable would reported Adm nistation In Monckton In villages village constable villagers sense protection constant reminer force existed protect their enemies which intimately connected whilst strong turbulent villages resence constant reminder watching Government therefore deterrent crime After Sir Hubert Murray gradually increased allegedly consultative elements system through appointment nuzber statutory Village Councillors allegedly advised Administration offiCers their areas The Germans New Guinea similar system administration which claired doing imply recognising already existing chiefs their African colonies The World War I Australian Administration simply German system continued administer Territory until after World War II The New Guinea system depended efficient operation classes indigenous official titles derived Kuanua terms types traditional leadership Gazelle Peninsula New Britain The lluai village chief again among influential village although really degree power official prestige simply unknown traditional society Very often course especially system become relatively wellknown understood luluai powers position known truly iportant village would someone quite unimportant forward being truly powerful exercised their powers behind scenes while their luckless nominee would receive blame things patrol officer would liked The luluai dressed peaked silver supposed arbitrate minor disputes village provide European labour recruiters visited supervise maintenance local roads ensure sanitation village collect annual In areas later paramount luluais appointed regarded senior among number constituent luluais though their appointment largely ceased after those areas luluais still appointed pending introduction local government councils The uluai assisted another official tultul especially those villages where luluai really traditional authority quite often spent village speak Pidgin consequence quite unable communicate The tultul dressed special again acted largely interpreter luluai administrative assistant generally The third village official appointed Germans three pittance By Administration medical tultul acted luluai assistant relation things medical supervised health sanitation village generlly As local government ouncils established throughout Territory foregoing systems gradually replaced while patrol officer authority increasingly eroded popularly elected leaders begun assert themselves In sense system established wider ranging powerful leadership patterns existed before often leaers little traditional authority election forner village officials local government councillors presidents Members House Assembly surely shows Perhaps however these modern institutions government perceived being Government elected sinply because already experience handling matters The system colonial administration surely above would imply abuse It example luluai village constable remote claims himself assert personal power Government withut anyone being check veracity claim abuses satraps Administration reported varying quite simple cases false charging existent crimes collection quite arbitrary illegal fines official personal cases where entire villages lived Government exploited official until finally removed Administration The alone virtual control thousands people contact outside Government Western technology sometimes seduced temtations situation It beceme overly authoritarian confident Somany people politically legally economically ultimately psychologically dependent every field officer escaped temptations position Now course Territory approaches government Department District Administration being localised indigenised Districts Territory contain number indigenous patrol officers Assistant District Officers shortly given charge Sub District Whether especially entire Department future matters other purely inter Departmental coordination being brought question indigenous Euopean community remains extent local officers D D A continue their predecessors extent forge quite different relationship their local people Yours sincerely Received New York April