The Queenslander, Saturday, 18 December 1897, p. 1149
Thursday Island and New Guinea
INTERVIEW WITH HON. J. DOUGLAS: THE JAPANESE QUESTION: PEARLSHELLING
INDUSTRY: ADMINISTRATION OF NEW GUINEA.
The Hon. John Douglas, Government Resident at Thursday
Island, has been spending a few days in Brisbane. He came down by the steamer Arawatta
last week, and has been staying at the Belle Vue Hotel. Waited upon by a
representative of the “Queenslander,” he was at first reluctant to be
interviewed, but ultimately he consented to express his views upon several
matters of interest in connection with Thursday Island and New Guinea. Though
he stated that in common with other residents of that islet he felt the strain
of the ever-tropical climate, Mr. Douglas looked extremely well. He was
evidently in excellent health, and in everything he said showed that he was
very keenly interested in all matters affecting the colony in general and the
extreme North in particular. His visit, he said, was partly on business and
partly to get a little breathing time—to get for a brief spell within different
environments from those of his island home.
Asked “What is the present condition of affairs at Thursday
Island?” he said: “I never knew a time when, on the whole, things were in a
better condition. We shall have a larger yield of shell this year than we have
ever had before, and as good prices are prevailing, the people engaged in the
pearlshelling industry are in a very hopeful frame of mind. In regard to Horn
Island and the hopes engendered by the discovery of gold there, I may say that
the island is at present a little in the background. There is a considerable
amount of stone to be worked there, and a great deal of it is gold-bearing, but
very refractory. But hitherto it has not been worked upon principles which
could possibly have produced paying results. I think, however, the time will
come when it may be. The crushing machinery which was erected there by a
company of Thursday Island people has been sold to a Mr. Smyth, who intends to
work the battery, and hopes to produce good results from it. At present Mr.
Williams, of the Hydraulic Engineer’s department, is there for the purpose of
reporting upon the water facilities. It is really essential that some scheme
should be devised for saving water, because after the wet season it has not
been found possible hitherto to retain sufficient to carry on the crushing
during the dry months of summer.”
“What may, I ask, is the position of the Japanese question
now?”—Well, as regards the Japanese question, I think that the feeling about it
is a little subsiding. The numbers of Japanese are less than they were, and we
have confidence that the Governments of Queensland and Japan have come to a
friendly arrangement on the subject which will prevent us being overwhelmed by
too many Japanese. They are not coming in in any considerable numbers now, but
a few are still dribbling in. Some of them are coming from Hongkong, not direct
from Japan. Those that come from Japan are furnished with passports. I presume,
in virtue of the report of the Pearlshell Commission, that there will be
legislation next year in connection with the Japanese question, and not only in
regard to the Japanese question but in connection with Asiatic immigration
generally, because it would not be wise to distinguish Japanese aliens from
other aliens.
“We are troubled to some extent just now with the filtering
in gradually of Japanese women from Hongkong for immoral purposes. This has
become a nuisance. They are brought first to Hongkong illicitly—some being
smuggled or kidnapped. All the women leaving Japan have to obtain passports
from the Japanese Government, but these women leave without the knowledge of
that Government. When they get to Hongkong they are passed over to Thursday
Island, and other places along the coast of China. Very often—and some cases
have come to my own knowledge—there is no reason to doubt that the women have
been literally bought and sold, and in some instances kidnapped. I have a case
now which I have brought before the Government. I think there is a certain
amount of difficulty in dealing with this question, but if the steamship
companies trading to China were advised by the Government that no Japanese
subjects, either male or female, would be allowed to land without the authority
either of the Japanese Government or the British Consul at Hongkong the
difficulty would cease. I don’t think there would be any hardship in intimating
to the companies trading on the coast that such would be required, and warning
them not to take passengers without passports. A few of these women come down
from Port Darwin, but the number is insignificant, and really need not be
seriously considered. My own belief with regard to Japanese immigration is that
it may be of use. It certainly would be of use in the fishery, but it ought to
be firmly controlled, and under Government supervision securing also the return
of the Japanese to their own country at the expiration of their term of
agreement.
“Does much difficulty exist with regard to the native
population?”—With regard to the native, or Binghi, population, as we call it,
that may be said to be on a much more satisfactory footing than it has been at
times. There are now no outrages, and the worst that happens is that
occasionally a boat is taken off to the mainland by the natives. But there is a
much better feeling prevailing between the Binghis and those who employ them
than there used to be; and the Batavia River Mission has very much contributed
to that.
“May I ask if there is any foundation for the assertion that
the Japanese pearlshellers have discovered a new way of approaching Thursday
Island without going near the fortifications?”—Of course that is most absurd.
There are plenty of ways of passing through Torres Straits without going
anywhere near the fortifications. It is quite a delusion to suppose that the
fortifications of Thursday Island command Torres Straits. They don’t. All they
do is to afford a fortified point which in time of war could be occupied by
men-of-war as a coaling station.
“Have you lately been to New Guinea?”—Well, I have been over
to the Western division of New Guinea lately. I found the settlement at Daru in
a very healthy and satisfactory condition. Good improvements have been erected,
and a considerable number of prisoners have been employed, and altogether I was
very much pleased with the settlement there. Mr. B. Hely, the magistrate there,
has done good work.
“Did you meet Sir William MacGregor at all?”—No. I have not
seen Sir William since the Mambare massacre business. He has been expected at
Thursday Island for some time, and I was to have come down with him in the Merry
England.
“Do you think, Mr. Douglas, that he is likely to remain in
New Guinea after his term of office has expired?”—No, I don’t think he is. I
think he has quite made up his mind that his service in New Guinea shall
terminate in August next.
“Are you aware of any arrangements having been made for
carrying on the government of New Guinea after he leaves?”—No, I am not. I
don’t think that any have been made, but I think it was quite time that they
were. Hitherto, as you are aware, the government of New Guinea has been
administered under the direction of the Queensland Government on behalf of
Australia. Whether the present arrangement will continue may perhaps be
doubted, but I suppose that negotiations will take place shortly between the
Queensland Government and the other colonies. It is quite time they were
started. Federal action at present does not seem to be in the ascendant, and I
cannot say that personally I am very sanguine of the negotiations which may
take place, but we may hope for the best. It was certainly at the instance of
the Australian colonies that British New Guinea was annexed, and they are in
honour bound to carry the enterprise to its conclusion. A very excellent
commencement has been made during the ten years of Sir William MacGregor’s
administration, and it is most desirable that it should be carried on and
perfected on the admirable foundation which has been laid.
“Whatever may be the outcome of the negotiations with the
neighbouring colonies, the chief responsibility no doubt will attach to
Queensland; and I don’t think that the Government of Queensland need shrink at
taking over the whole of the responsibility of the government of British New
Guinea. It should, however, be put strongly to the neighbouring colonies that
it was at their instance quite as much as that of Queensland that the
annexation took place, and they are in honour bound to support the future administration
of New Guinea as long as it requires support. It may be hoped that the time
will come when New Guinea will be able to support its own government, but in my
opinion that can hardly be expected at the present time. The amount that has
already been expended by the Australian colonies is really small as compared
with the immense value which may now be said to attach to the territory which
has been recovered from barbarism. I have no doubt that Sir William MacGregor
will be here shortly, and that negotiations will take place between the
colonies which will lead to some decision being arrived at; but no time ought
to be lost, because there is no doubt that the Imperial Government will not
take the responsibility of the administration of New Guinea. The Imperial
authorities regard that as an Australian matter, so that the sooner it is
discussed the better. The laws of New Guinea at the present are, as is well
known, assimilated to those of Queensland, and the Possession may be almost
regarded as a province of Queensland. If ultimately Queensland should be
divided into separate colonies, New Guinea would take rank among them, and
would probably be included in the federation, which at the present does not
look as if it were coming to an immediate conclusion. I will just add, in
conclusion, that I don’t think Queensland should be a bit afraid of at once
undertaking the full responsibility of administering the New Guinea government,
but an appeal should be made to the other colonies as in honour bound to assist
in the undertaking.”
“As a last question, may I ask what is your opinion about
Western New Guinea?”—Well, the estuary of the Fly River and the flat country
where the great rivers fall into the Gulf I think is a rather hopeless region.
It is unquestionably unhealthy. Between Daru and the Fly River there is a good
deal of very good open pastoral country. This is quite suitable for pastoral
purposes, and the inhabitants are very few. There is an area of country there
that is really about the only good pastoral country I know or have heard of in
New Guinea, and it may someday turn out profitable if it should be occupied
otherwise than it is at the present; but the inhabitants of that region are
likely to increase in number, from the fact that the Togari men who come down
from Dutch New Guinea have been pretty well pounded lately, and they are not
likely to resume their visits to British New Guinea—at any rate not as hostile
invaders. It has been their habit to come over now and then and reap a kind of
harvest of heads. That practice may be said to be at an end, and the population
of that part of New Guinea will doubtless increase.”
Mr. Douglas left on his return trip to Thursday Island
yesterday.
