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Salient: Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 29, No. 3. 1966.

Native attitude

Native attitude

Since I have just discussed expatriate attitudes to students, let me try and assess the native attitude.

Of the students that came to the Territory, most spent their first fortnight in the main centres, either in Port Moresby. Lae, Madang or Rabaul. It was in these work camps that students carried out such menial tasks as digging post holes for council houses, a little carpentry work, and painting. Throughout this period the students had to be fed, transported and supplied with tools.

While on the job it was the natives' duty to feed them, and not a man's work either. The brunt of the work tell not on the students, who could not hope to work efficiently in the Territory heat anyway, but on the native women, who are always hard pressed. The native men were inclined to stand around or go on with other business.