p. 13 | S. W. CARR by S. W. CARR

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 3, 1911

S. W. CARR

By S. W. CARR

British New Guinea — No. 2

S. W. CARR

WHILE the people with whom we are working are simple-minded, and have to be treated like children, they are not slow to see anything which is to their advantage.

It is not always easy to get sufficient local labor, but recently all the men, women, and children came to work without our even asking them, so four acres of land were given them to clear. Their anxiety to work for us was explained later by one of them, who said that a planter five miles away had told them that they would all be compelled to work for him as soon as he received a letter from Australia. The whole tribe had come to work for us in order to present that as an excuse if the expected letter came from Australia.

Later we found the natives bringing in many yams, taro, etc., to plant, whereas formerly they had brought only a few. They had been told by a policeman sent out by the government, to make a track to another village, eight miles away; their excuse was that they were too busy working for Misi Ka!

This same tribe built our first native mission house, 24 x 20 feet, and for payment received, above the usual rate in large goods, the following articles, valued at twenty-three dollars, at the New Guinea store prices: 4 enameled billy cans [pails], 6 tin billy cans, 3 blankets, 12 loin-cloths, 6 large weeding-knives, 6 small knives and pouches, 4 chemises, 6 spoons, 6 belts, 4 belt pouches.

For carrying much of our furniture, etc., the last ten miles of the distance from Port Moresby up a steep mountain two thousand feet high, and along to Bisiatabu, the mission station, they received the following, valued at thirteen dollars: 12 handkerchiefs, 12 strings of beads, 6 billy cans, 6 loin-cloths, 6 pairs scissors, 6 spoons, 6 large and 6 small mugs, 6 weeding-knives, 2 pouches, 3 canvas sling-bags, matches, and salt.

They were well satisfied with the payment; but later, “pay offs” were made in cash, so as to get the people used to money, also to allow them to buy exactly what they want. The mission keeps a small stock of articles like those listed above, and the money returns shortly after it is paid out. We sell only to those who work for us, not wishing to be looked upon as competing with the stores, or to be thought of as a money-making mission.

While there is a great demand for native labor through the opening up of considerable agricultural work, and as much as four pounds a head is paid to native recruiters for each “boy,” yet boys are hard to get. We, however, have no difficulty that way; for Bisiatabu is becoming well known as a place where they need not work out in the rain; where there is plenty of good food (all grown on the place); where, when sick, they receive attention; and last and best, where the truth of the great and true God is taught.