West Papua Information Kit

A major function of the United Nations is to end all colonization. Article 73e of the United Nations Charter requires every UN member to submit regular reports on their colonies to confirm the colony's swift progress towards independence or "Self-Determination" without delay.

These reports provide good information about West Papua just before Indonesian colonization. On this page you will find a section of the 1961 text covering: Human Rights, Labour policy, workforce statistics and trade unions, Social Welfare, Penal system and crime, Public Health and Papuan health workers and Community Development. An executive overview regarding today's health service which replaced the below is in the Health and HIV/AIDS section.

The full 1961 report PDF, 1961 appendix, and 1961 Photo appendix are also available.

1961 Report to United Nations under UN Charter Article 73e

E. MINING

1. ORGANIZATION

The Office of Mines comes under the Department of Economic Affairs.

In 1961 the staff of the Office of Mines consisted of 5 geologists and mining engineers, 1 assistant geologist, 2 superintendents, 2 chief supervisors, 2 supervisors, 2 clerks and 1 technical employee.
 
2. MINING LEGISLATION

A bill of a mining act is being delt with by the New Guinea Council.
 
3. MINING ENTERPRISES

The following enterprises are active in Netherlands New Guinea:
The Netherlandsche Nieuw-Guinee Petroleum Maatscappij N.V., a joint undertaking of Royal Dutch/Shell, the Standard Vacuum Company and the Far Pacific Investment Company;
the Zuid-Pacific Koper Maatschappij, a joint undertaking of the Freeport Sulphur Company and the Oost Borneo Maatschappij N.V., which is to examine and mine the copper ore in the Carstensz Mountains;
a combine of United States Steel, W. Mueller and Co., the Netherlansche Handel-Maatschappij and the Oost-Borneo Maatschappij N.V., which is to examine and mine the nickel ores of Netherlands New Guinea.
 
4. WORK DONE

In 1961 the Office of Mines performed the following work:
a. a number of borings were made for civil engineering projects;
b. extensive investigations were made in the area of the Islands river for the purpose of localizing minable deposits of gold. This investigation was not successful;
c. the plain south of the Carstensz Mountains was investigated for alluvial ore deposits. The area proved to be without ore;
d. the island of Waigeo was geologically mapped, use being made of older geological and photo-geological data;
e. after the exploration of the border had been completed, a start was made with the systematic geological mapping of the Central Highlands.

This first mapping of a desolate area difficult of access will take a number of years and will form the main task of the Office of Mines.

CHAPTER III

SOCIAL CONDITIONS

A. GENERAL PROBLEMS

The isolation, inaccessibility and impassability of the Terrirory and the dearth of natural resources led to New Guinea being left alone throughout the centuries. As a result it was only in a few coastal regions that contact with the outside world had some degree of fruitful effect on the social, cultural and economic structure of the Papuan community.

The difficult natural circumstances in which the poplation lived, and still live in part today, also hampered their social, cultural and economic development. These circumstances further prevented the development of the administrative institutions required by modern society.

These factors, which determined the original situation, play an important role even today. The present-day Papuan community is still characterized by a fragmented social structure. The small local groups, often consisting of only a handful of families, in which the population are scattered throughout the whole Territory, have little interrelation, so that contact is difficult to establish and collaboration with other groups can only be brought about gradually.

Meanwhile, despite these restraining influences, all kinds of changes are occuring. Naturally various stages of development may be noted in this respect, depending on the one hand on the length of contact with the outside world and on the other hand on the receptivity of the various sections of the populations to new influences.

As a result of the extension and intensification of administratives influence, information and advice from official circles, education, improved communications, the introduction of a money economy, which is gradually replacing the closed village economy, and the impact of new means and methods of production, new ideas leading to social change are gradually btreaking ground.

The Prostestant and Catholic Missions are making an important contribution to this, espacially in the field of education, which is particularly valuable because their work is helping at the same time to fill a spiritual vacuum which threatens to occur when the Papuan meets Western culture.

In many regions the population are changing increasingly to a more concentrated form of residence, which simplifies the introduction of education, arriculture extension and medical care.

In the urban centres a considerable contribution to social emancipation is being made by social centres, well-run women's clubs and sport. At many places study clubs have been able to form, in which the various facets of political and economic developments inside and outsiide the Territory are eagerly discussed.

With the introduction of representative councilss Papuan-run associations with political objectives have likewise been formed.

B. HUMAN RIGHTS

The most important human rights as laid down in the Declaration of Human Rights are guaranteed by law.

Slavery, and also forced or complusory labour to which the Convention of Geneava (1930) applies, is forbidden.

All persons in the Territory of Netherlands New Guinea have an equal claim to protection of their person and property (Section 4 of the Decree for the Regulation of the Administration of Netherlands New Guinea – the BNG – and Articles 6, 7 and 8 of the Declaration of human Rights – the DHR).

Expropriation of any propertty or right for public use can take place only after prior declaration by ordinance that the public interest requires expropriation and against compensation received or ensured beforehand (Section 127 of the BNG, Articles 17 and 29 of the DHR).

Any Dutch subject may be elected abd appointed to any public office (Section 7 of the BNG, Article 21 of the DHR).

Nobody requires prior permission to express his ideas or feelings in printing. The responsibility of authors, publishers, printers and distributors and the safeguards to be afforded against abuse of the freedom of the press, in the interests of the public order and morals, are regulated by ordinance (Section 8 of the BNG, Article 19 of the DHR).

Everybody has the right to submit petitions to the competent authority both in the Netherlands and in Netherlands New Guinea (Section 9 of the BNG, Articles 7 and 10 of the DHR).

The right of association and assembly is recognized and may be subjected to regulation and restriction by ordinance only in the interests of public order, morals or health (Section 10 of the BNG, Article 20 of the DHR).

Prosecutions can take place only before the appointed court (Section 129 of the BNG, Article 10 of the DHR).

Nobody may be arrested or taken into custody except on the orders of the competent authority (Section 134 of the BNG, Article 9 of the DHR).

No act constitutes an offence except by virtue of a legal penal provision preceding that act.

In the event of an amendment to the legislation after the time at which the act was performed, the provisions most favourab le to the accused shall be applied (Section 1 of the Penal Code, Article 11, section 2, of the DHR).

Entry of premises or a dwelling against the will of the occupant is permitted only on the orders of the competent authority (Section 135 of the BNG, Article 12 of the DHR).

The secrecy of letters entrusted to the post or to other public forms of transport is inviolable, except on the orders of the courts in the cases provided for by ordinance (Section 136 of the BNG, Article 12 of the DHR).

The right of everybody to freedom of worship is recognized, subject to the protection of the community and its members against criminal offences (Section 150 of the BNG, Article 18 of the DHR).

All professing various religious opinions enjoy identical civil and civic rights and have the same claim to hold dignities, offices and employments (Section 153 of the BNG, Articles 18 and 21, Section 2, of the DHR).

Public worship and the practice of religion are subject to no other restrictions than those laid down by ordinance in the interests of public order, peace and morals (Section 154 of the BNG, Article 18 of the DHR).

Education may be freely given, subject to supervision by the authorities (Section 170, subsection 2, of the BNG, Article 26 of the DHR).

Since it is important that these rights should not only be formally safeguarded but also materially realized, the Decree for the Regulation of the Admninistration of Netherlands New Guinea lays down that the protection of the indigenous population in particular against arbitrary acts by whomsoever forms one of the most important duties of the Governor (Section 37, subsection 1, of the BNG).

To perform these duties the Governor is granted far-reaching powers in the second subsection of that section; to protect the population persons may be forbidden to travel, stay or settle in certain parts of the interior, to import goods which are injurious to the population or to recruit workers in certain areas.

For instance, under the Inland Quarantine Ordinance 1951 it is forbidden to enter certain areas of the interior unless one is in possession of a health certificate, and under the Recruitment Ordinance the recruitment of workers in some regions is forbidden or made subject to certain conditions. For he same reasons the rights of he population to their land are protected in Section 39 of the BNG, amended by the Act of 30 June, 1960 (Netherlands Bulletin of Ats, Orders and Decrees No. 261 of 1960). Persons not forming part of the Papuan population may not have the disposal either directly or indirectly of land to which rights of the Papuan population attach, nor to premises, perennial plantings or forest stands on such land; exceptions must be laid down in law and this must define in which case, how and according to which rule they will be granted. This is apparently in contradiction with the spirit of Article 17 of the DHR. In reality this provision is necessary to prevent dispossession of the population. (See also Chapter 11, section B.2, Utilization of land and land tenure.)

Furthermore, the Papuan population can only be deprived of the right to their land in the public interest, on the basis of Section 127 of the BNG (see above), and these rights cannot be restricted by the authorities except on the basis of statutory regulations.

C. THE STATUS OF WOMEN

The status of women in the present-day society of New Guinea varies, depending on the various stages of development through which the local Papuan community is passing.

In the regions recently brought under administration, where warfare and head-hunting were the order of the day until recently, that status of women in the formal sense is lower than that of men, although in reality the influence that they have in society is often great and, for instance in the field

of property – managing and disposing of their personal possessions – women are definitely not man's inferior.

Woman's task, prviding food for the family and looking after the children, is often more difficult than that of the man, much of whose former work – waging war and making preparations to do so – has disappeared.

In the more developed areas a gradual change has occurred in the division of labour between man and woman as a result of the introduction of the money economy and of the cultivation of commercial crops, coupled with new agricultural methods. It is now the task of the man to provide part of the family's money income. The performance of paid labour is also bringing about changes in the old situation.

Under the influence of Christianity – there are now about 300,000 Christian Papuans – and as a result of the general evolution pg Papuan societyy, new legal conceptions are breaking ground in other senses, too, and other ethical standards are being adopted, in particular withh regard to the position of both parties when contracting a marriage.

In the traditional Papuan community the woman was restricted in her freedom of will with regard to concluding a marriage. Although the old views on this matter have by no means completely disappeared, and the dowry still plays an important part, the conviction is steadily growing that the parties must be free to make up their own minds about marrying.

In areas where there are regional communities the regional councils have declared themselves against too high dowries.

In the urban centres, where the ties with the tribal and village community and with the customs and iews prevalent there (which often hamper all progress) are less strong, the emancipation of women has made the greatest advances. There woman's position is practically equal to that of the man. There the man is entirely responsible for maintaining his family; the task of the woman is more confined to looking after the home, as a result of whih she has more time and opportunity to improve her mind. In this connection reference may be made to the steadily growing interest in the Papuan women's clubs.

The participation of Papuan girls in education may be described as entirely satisfactory. In the year under review 16,790 girls were attending schools for primary and continued education, as against 23,840 boys.

In the eyes of the law of the Territory, men and women are absolutely equal. They both possess the right to vote and the right to be elected to office. Women are equally entitled to occupy public posts.

In areas with indirect elections four women were elected as electors with great majorities. Tis shows that women are also participating in political development. In the New Guinea Council installed on 5 April, 1961, one seat is held by a woman.

D. LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS

1. LABOUR POLICY, GENERAL PROBLEMS

During the year under review, after much preparatory and time-consuming work, a draft was completed of an ordinance establishing a uniform labour private law keyed to the international norms for all sections of the population in Netherlands New Guinea.

This draft devotes considerable attention to the principles laid down in the international labour conventions.

In mid 1961 18,986 Papuans working in Western-style employment were registered throughout Netherlands New Guinea. Of these, about 13,000 (68%) were in the subdivisions of Hollandia, Schouten Islands, Manokwari, Sorong, Fak-Fak and Merauke. Since Western-style employment is in the main offered in or near the chief towns of the subdivisions, this figure at the same time gives a picture of the native labour force within these urban centres. Over 7100 members of this labour force are migrants. Of these migrants, about 4000 were unmarried; of the married ones, more than 2600 lived with their families at the site of the work, whilst the families of about 500 of them had remained behind in the place of origin.

Over 6000 Papuans are in paid employment in the building trade, 1200 in factories oe workshops, 2300 in Western-style agriculture, stock-breeding, forestry, timer-felling, hunting and fishing, 1600 in transport and communications, 4600 in education, administration, public health, police, fire brigade, the hotel business, etc., and 3300 in other businesses.

Over 10,500 Papuans are in Government service and nearly 8500 work for private employers. In 1961 the total number of women in Western-style employment was 1345(1960: 999). The percentage of women in the total labour force, which in 1954 was 3, has steadily risen, and was 7 in the year under review.

Registration over the last five years gives the following picture:

NUMBER OF REGISTERED WORKERS	1957	1958	1959	1960	1961
in the urban centres	11,715	11,567	11,100	10,221	12,968
outised the urban centres	4,186	4,319	5,646	5,689	6,018
Total	15,901	15,886	16,746	15,910	18,986
INDEX FIGURES (1955 = 100)	1957	1958	1959	1960	1961
in the urban centres	105	103	99	91	116
outside the urban centres	100	103	135	136	144
Total	104	103	109	104	124

A considerable number of the workers are employed in the building trade. Over the last five years the breakdown has been as follows.

year	building trades	other trades
1957	4,139 (26%)	11,767 (74%)
1958	3,832 (24%)	12,054 (76%)
1959	5,020 (30%)	11,726 (70%)
1960	5,256 (33%)	10,654 (67%)
1961	6,065 (32%)	12,921 (68%)

A breakdown of the registered workers into single, married who have left their families behind in the villages, and married living with their families in the town gives the following picture for the above towns:

	Single		Married
Urban centres			without family		with family
	from vicinity	from vicinity	from vicinity	from elsewhere	from vicinity	from elsewhere
Hollandia	587	1420	44	242	503	878
Biak	1426	282	314	17	1364	212
Manokwari	368	1082	60	158	231	1048
Sorong	165	675	11	76	38	392
Merauke	423	529	33	23	201	139

Of the total Papuan labour force registered in the entire Territory during the year under review, 10,099 persons were single (55%) and 8,887 (45%) married; of the latter 7,363 were living with their families at their place of work.

2. ORGANIZATION

The Government's unction withregard to labour matters is entrusted to the Labour Affairs Branch of the Department of Social Affairs and Justice. This branch is headed by a jurist, with a mechanical engineer on his staff.

Under the Labour Affairs Branch come the Labour Inspectorate and the Industrial Safety Superision Service. The Labour Inspectorate deals with the social and legal aspects of labour problems, whilst the duties of the Industrial Safety Supervision Service are evident from the service's name.

For the purpose of the Labour Inspectorate, Netherlands New Guinea is subdivided into two inspection districts. The territory of the Safety Supervision Service covers the whole of Netherlands New Guinea.

In order to make consultation possible between the authorities, employers and employees a committee was set up in 1961 which was given the name of Labour Affairs Committee. This tripartite committee consists of representatives of the Government, employers and employees. This committee has a dual function with regard to labour problems which are directly or indirectly related to the concept “labour”. It can make suggestions or give advice to both the Governor and business of its own volition or upon request.

3. CATEGORIES OF WAGE-EARNERS

The distribution of the Papuan labour force among various branches of trade and industry gives the following picture:

Group No.	Nature of business	Number of Papuan employees (1961)
0	Agriculture, stock-breeding. forestry, timber-fellimg, hunting, fishing, etc.	2,321
1	Mining above ground or below ground of coal, oil, gas, nickel, cobalt, karang, gravel, sand, etc.	199
2/3	Bakeries, shoe-making and sail-making firms, sawmills, furniture factories, stonebreakers, repair shops, shipyards, installation businesses, etc.	1,189
4	Firms in which construction work is done, such as the building, roads, bridges, dams, hydro-electric power stations, etc.	6,086
5	Public utility concerns, such as gas, electricity and water works, refuse-colleting and street cleaning services, etc.	406
6	Trade, shops, banks and insurance	631
7	Undertakings transporting persons and goods, warehousing concerns, firms storing goods and firms for communications, such as telegraph, telephone, etc.	1,604
8	Education, pub;ic health, administration, judicature, police, fire services, legal profession, hotels, restaurants and cafes, laundries, hairdressers, photographic dealers, cunemas, etc.	4,574
	Domestic servants	715
9	Businesses which cannot be placed under one of the categories 0 to 8	1,261
	Grand total	18,986

Of the Papuan labour force, 10,549 persons were in Government service and 8437 worked for private employers. In 1960 these figures were 9093 and 6817 respectively. In 1961 the sum of about 25,000,000 guilders was spent on wages, food and housing for Papuan wokers. This is about 5,000,000 guilders more than in 1960. See also Appendix XXVIII.

4. THE LABOUR MARKET

The facility of registering for work with the Labour Affairs Branch was first offered in 1958. However, as the number of persons availing themselves of this opportunity has steadily grown, a labour exchange was opened in Hollandia in mid September 1961.

Whereas in 1958 most of those registering for work were Europeans, the Papuans forming a small minority, the stress has now completely shifted. Partly through the departure of the locally hired Dutchmen, the majority of those registered are now Papuans. In Hollandia 921 registered for work during the year under review. Of these, about 25% could be found work.

5. WORKERS ORGANIZATIONS

There are two national trade unions, viz. The Christian Workers Union of Netherlands New Guinea (the CWNG/Persekding) and the General Catholic Officials Association (the ARKA), a regional division of the Dutch association of that name. At then end of 1961 the CWNG/Persekding had about 3000 members (1960: 3000) and the ARKA about 1300 members (1960: 1100).

During the year under review a number of private Catholic Papuan workers founded their own union in Merauke. Only Papuans can join this union, which has been given the name of “PERKABUKA” (Perkumpulan Kaura Buruh Katholiek). The PERKABUKA now has about 800 members.

6. SETTLEMENT OF LABOUR DISPUTES

During the year under review the intermediary of the Labour Inspectorate was requested with regard to 117 labour disputes. In most cases a quick and satisfactory solution could be arrived at by consultation between the workers and employers concerned under the auspices of the Labour Inspectorate.

The number of man-days lost during the year under review was about 960.

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The Government attends to the provision of building sites, prepares these sites for building, constructs roads, and lays drains and water mains.

H. SOCIAL SECURITY AND WELFARE

1. PROVISIONS IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL PROTECTION
a. Health

Private persons can enter into an agreement with the Department of Public Health for medical attention; the contribution is 4% of their gross annual income.

The impecunions receive free medical aid.

Civil servants and their families are given medical care against a contribution of 1% of the civil servant's gross salary.

The medical care of Papuan workers is covered by the labour legislation, which includes the obligation of the employer to grant free medical aid, including medicaments, also in the event of injuries not incurred in his service.

As a part of after-care needy recuperating TB patients are given financial assistance to enable them to convalesce at home for a few months after the conclusion of hospital treatment. The Social Welfare Branch of the Department of Social Affairs and Justice is responsible for the implementation of this scheme. In the year under review f. 41,441 was paid out to convalescing TB patients under this scheme.

In collaboration with the patient's doctor the above-mentioned branch also looks after the families left behind when a leprosy patient enters a leprosery. In all f. 20,975.55 was paid out during the year under review on this.

b. Unemployment

See under D. 4, The Labour Market.

c. Accidents and sickness

During the year under review 87 industralia accidents were reported to the Labour Affairs Branch, three more than in 1960. A survey covering the yers 1955 to 1961 follows:

year	Number of accidents	Minor injuries	Serious injuries	Fatal injuries
1955	106	72	22	12
1956	102	90	6	6
1957	62	48	7	7
1958	94	80	8	6
1959	67	56	7	4
1960	84	58	21	5
1961	87	66	13	8

d. Old age and physical infirmity

There is as yet no general scheme for old-age pensions.

The “Konijnenburg” shipyard at Manokwari is making preparations to set up a provident fund for its workers as a forerunner of a pension fund.

Those in need of assistance are given relief by the Social Welfare Branch of the Department of Social Affairs and Justice, in close collaboration with the church organizations. At Hollandia, Manokwari and Merauke there are special committees which are responsible for granting social relief; for the other places aid is given under the supervision of the Heads of Local Administration.

Elderly and disabled Europeans without means and in need of care are sent to the Netherlands at Government expense.

Under the General War Injuries Regulations relief was paid during the year under review to disable war victims. Also under under these regulations payments were made to next-of-kin of war victims, including widows, mothers and children. During the year under review the number of persons receiving relief were 55, made up of 40 widows, 2 mothers of war victims, 8 children and 5 disabled persons.

e. Care of infants and expectant mothers

See Section J, “Public Health”.

2. ORGANIZATION OF SOCIAL WELFARE

The establishment of the Socoal Welfare Branch of the Department of Social Affairs and Justice consists of the head of the branch, four officers for social work and a small clerical staff.

For the financial year 1961 a sum of f. 795,700 (inc. f. 98,000 capital expenditure) was made available on the budget for this branch, to be used among other things for social aid, TB after-care, youth welfare, after-care of discharged prisoners, sport and recreation, social development work and libraries. For 1959 and 1960 the respective sums were f. 570,900 (including f. 22,000 capital expenditure) and f. 560,500 (including f. 45,000 for capital expenditure).

In collaboration with church and private organizations special care is being devoted to social development work among the Papuan population in the larger places. The church bodies have in their employment three social workers for social work among urban Papuans.

Also active in the field of social welfare are the Netherlands New Guinea Red Cross, the Green Cross Society and the St. Vincent Foundation.

The Netherlands New Guinea Red Cross is active in, among other things, the provision of reading matter and welfare work in hospitals.

The Green Cross Society is chiefly concerned with assisting in the nursing at home of bedridden patients. It runs well-attended consultation centres for infants at Hollandia and Manokwari.

The St. Vincent Foundation is principally engaged in alleviating the spiritual and material needs of individuals, for instance by furnishing them with food parcels or gifts of money and, in appropriate cases, by giving interest-free advances and looking after minors. The Foundation also runs a number of infant schools. The independent St. Vincent Foundation at Manokwari runs a children's home housing a number of children from unfavourable social environments.

Socio-cultural education work

In 1955 Papuan women's clubs were founded at a number of places in the Territory as a result of private initiative. Since then interest in the activities of these clubs has steadily grown. During the year under review their programma was extended. Papua women's clubs are now to be found in Hollandia and vicinity, Genjem, Kantumilena, Sarmi, Biak, Seroei, Manokwari, Sorong, Teminaboean, Inanwatan, Merauke, Mindiptanah, Mokbiran and Fak-Fak. There are 64 clubs (1960: 56), with over 1400 members in total (1960: 1189).

In these clubs, whose efforts are supported by the Government, the women are given instruction in sewing (making layettes for babies and clothes for themse;ves) and cooking; they are also taught about health and hygiene, diet, child care and budgeting housekeeping money.

Besides the promotion of self-activity considerable attention is paid to the training of Papuan women leaders. During the year under review three-monthly training courses for Papuan women leaders were held at Hollandia, Seroei, Biak and Manokwari.

Besides women's clubs there are girls' clubs, which are more along the lines of social clubs, but at which leasons in sewing and embroidery are also given.

In the month of April of the year under review, Miss Marjorie Stewart, specialist in women's club work in the employment of the South Pacific Commission, was in charge of a two weeks' course at Manokwari for women leaders of women's clubs. Participants in this course included European women leaders from Merauke, Hollandia and Sorong and a Papuan woman leader from Hollandia.

Poor Relief

During the year under review f. 175,740 was spent on poor relief, as against f. 228,000 in 1960.

Infant welfare

The Foundation for Protestant Education, the St. Vincent Foundation and the Biak Infant School Association manage institutions for infant welfare. In 1961 these organizations were paid a total of f. 48,782 in subsidies to help them meet their operating costs.

Sport and recreation

The number of registered sports clubs is 267, with a total membership of 6968.

During the year under review the sum of f. 101,000 was made available for sport and recreational purposes. Subsidies were given to help meet the cost of sporting encounters between Netherlands New Guinea and Australian New Guinea, viz. for the tennis matches and yacht races

held at Port Moresby between teams from Netherlands New Guinea and Port Moresby, for the interurban football match held at Merauke between Merauke and Daru and for the shool sports content between Wewak and Hollandia.

The Government was represented at the meeting organized in March at Noumea by the South Pacific Commission, for the purpose of starting the organization of the Pacific Games to be held every three years.

In view of the first such Pacific Games, to be held at Suva in 1963, the National Sport Federation Foundation has been set up, which functions as the coordinative territorial sports organization and prepares participation of the Territory in the games in the games in collaboration with the South Pacific Games Council.

Passages to the Netherlands for emergency social cases

During the year under review 47 persons were sent to the Netherlands at Government expense as social and socio-medical emergenies, whilst 136 persons were given an interest-free advance for the costs of a passage from Netherlands New Guinea to the Netherlands.

Prostitution

Prostitution occurs only sporadically.

I. PREVENTION OF CRIME

1. CRIMINALITY

The pattern of criminality varies from region to region, depending on the one hand on the degree of administrative influence and on the other hand on the character of the original culture.

In some cultures warefare (head-hunting) occupied an important and sometimes a central place, whilst in the whole Territory the Papuans took the law into their own hands almost entirely when settling disputes.

Assault, crimes of violence and crimes of morals occupy the principal place in the statistics of crime.

However, nowhere does crime form a problem that has got out of hand.

When cases are tried the punishments are adapted to the degree to which the population have already become acquainted and familiar with the new forms and standards of justice.

Juvenile delinquency, by which is understood criminality of young persons up to and including the age of sixteen, occurs to a very limited extent only, and then mainly in the urban centres. The most common offences are theft, assault and crimes of morals, theft being the main category.

The extent of juvenile delinquency is not such that it is necessary to have special juvenile courts.

However, the law offers the possibility of a juvenile delinquent not being tried, but being placed at the disposal of the Government, which then takes measures to educate the person concerned.

For a survey of the criminal cases tried by the Government courts and by the Papuan judges during the year under review, and of the number of persons tried, see Appendices XXXII, XXXIII and XXXIV.

2. PENAL SYSTEM

a. Prison population

For this see Appendices XXXV and XXXV A.

b. Organization of prisons

The prisons are divided into two categories, viz. Central and local prisons. The general administration of the central prisons is in the hands of the Director of Internal Affairs, and that of the local prisons is the responsibility of the Residents. The requirements which these prisons must satisfy are laid down by the Director of Internal Affairs.

The same penal system, based on the Penal Institutions Regulations, applies in all prisons.

See Appendix XXXV.

c. Penal System

Imprisonment and detention are servered communally.

Discipline is maintained by the imposition of displinary punishments, viz. Solitary confirnment (for not more than fourteen days) and curtailment of privileges. Corporal punishment is forbidden.

d. Remission, work, privileges

Prisoners work both inside and outside the prisons.

In the event of good conduct various privileges are granted, including a bonus for work done.

As a reward for constant good conduct, annual remission of three months' imprisonment is given.

In Hollandia Prison two vocational courses are given, one in carpentary and one in tailoring. Furthermore, in a number of prisons elementary education in reading and arithmetic is given to the illiterates.

Reference should also be made to the possibility of provisional release on condition of good conduct.

e. After-care of discharged prisoners

The Central Board for the After-Care of Discharged Prisoners and a Local After-Care Committee are situated at Hollandia. Outside the capital administrative officials are responsible for this work.

The Central Board for the After-Care of Discharged Prisoners advises the Director of Social Affairs and Justice on provisional release and on all fundamental matters regarding after-care. The Central Board – in consultation with the Director of Social Affairs and Justice – promotes after-care of discharged prisoners in general.

The Local After-Care Committee has the task of aiding discharged prisoners, for whom it helps to find work and, if required, accommodation as far as possible. It also has the duty of sdvising the Director of Social Affairs and Justice on proposals for provisional release. On request it advises and informs the competent suthority on instances of provisional release and on the special conditions with which those released may be made to comply.

A person sentenced to imprisonment can be provisionally released when two thirds of his sentence and also at least nine months have elapsed. He is then put on probation for the given period, during which he has to satisfy certain conditions. If he does not satisfy these conditions whilst he is on probation, the provisional release may be cancelled and he may be returned to prison to serve that portion of his sentence that was outstanding when he was provisionally released.

In that case the time that has elapsed between the provisional release and the resumption of imprisonment is not deducted from the length of the sentence. During the year under review fifteen Papuans were provisionally released, whilst the provisional release of four Papuans was cancelled after some time.

J. PUBLIC HEALTH

1. ORGANIZATION

Public health care is the responsibility of the Government. A number of missionary societies do medical work, for which they receive a subsidary from the authorities.

The Territory has 22 medical districts. Each medical district has a hospital or some other admission facility and a number of out-patient clinics, with a medical staff under a doctor who is directly responsible to the Director of Public Health.

Special sections of the Department of Public Health for the whole Territory are those for the control of endemic diseases (malaria, yaws, tuberculosis and leprosy), maternal and child welfare and health education. There are also section for the training of Papuan medical personnel, for dental care, pharmaceutical supplies and the care of mental defectives, together with a Central Medical Laboratory.

The heads of these sections are likewise immediately subordinate to the Dircteor.

At the Central Office the Director is assisted by the Subdirector and also by three Government doctors, who are responsible for the following:

hospitals

environmental sanitation

nutrition

international health matters

quarantine and smallpox control

documentation and statistics

matters concerning medical examinations

library.

The administrative staff of the Central Office attends to general affairs, staff matters, financial and budget affairs and technical matters.

Collaboration with other Departments takes place in, among other bodies, the National Council, made up of experts in agriculture, education, public health and administration. With regard to environmental sanitation there is close cooperation with the Department of Public Works.

2. PERSONNEL

The number of doctors and dentists in Government service in Netherlands New Guinea in the year under review was 66 (1960: 63). Furthermore, a number of mission doctors do work on behalf of the population.

The job breakdown of the doctors in Government service in 1961 was as follows:

A.	Central Office	:	5
B.	Preventive Sections
	Malaria control	:	3
	Yaws control	:	1
	Tuberculosis	:	4
	Leprosy control	:	2
	Maternal and child welfare	:	1
	Health education	:	1
	Central Medical Laboratory	:	1
C.	Medical Care
	Surgery	:	2
	Internal medicine	:	2
	Ophtalmology	:	1
	General service	:	40
	Dental surgery	:	4
	Total		60

For a complete list of medical personnel see Appendix XXXVI and for a table showing staff directly available for the medical care of the population in the years 1954 – 1961 see Appendix XXXVI A.

3. EXPENDITURE ON PUBLIC HEALTH

The cost of medical care *) in recent years have been the following:

	1953	f. 3,209,000	(index)	100
	1954	f. 4,400,000		137
	1955	f. 5,900,000		184
	1956	f. 6,300,000		198
	1957	f. 6,800,000		212
	1958	f. 7,000,000		218
	1959	f. 7,500,000		233
	1960	f. 8,700,000		271
**)	1961	f. 10,500,000		327

*) excluding indirect costs off personnel and transport

**) budget figure.

In the year under review the sum of f. 1,485,320 was spent on capital construction on behalf of the Department of Public Health.

Private bodies were given Government subsidies totalling f. 373,200 (1960: 323,000) on behalf of the medical aid to the population.

The aid received from UNICEF during the year under review was:

for malaria control		f. 140,500
for environmental sanitation		f. 15,300
for maternal and child welfare		f. 96,400
	Total	f. 252,200	(1960: f. 191,000)

4. HOSPITALS

The number of Government hospitals is 21 (1960: 19), whilst one hospital is run by the Protestant Mission; the number of Government out-patient climics is 112 (1960: 112), of which 91 (1960: 88) are rural out-patient clinics (four with admission facilities).

The total number of beds in the hospitals and out-patient clinics is now 1168 (1960: 1164). The number of nursing days in 1961 was 296,224.

The number of beds in the “Irene” psychiatric clinic is 48, and the number of nursing days was 16,646.

In the leproseries 544 patients were being nursed at the end of 1961, with 193,351 nursing days.

The number of curative treatments given at out-patient clinics, rural out-patient clinics and during tours by doctors and nurses totalled 1,051,104 in 1961 (1960: 1,033,789). For further details see Appendices XXXVII and XXXVIII.

During the year under review a start was made with the construction of a new 130-bed hospital at Biak. New wards were finished at Ajamaroe and Wasior. The final drawings for the Medical Centre at Hollandia, and also the draft plan for a new hospital at Manokwari, to be paid for out of the EEC Development Fund, were submitted. The leproseries at Seroei, Kaimana and Merauke commenced operations.

The supplying of the hospitals, out-patient clinics and the sections of the Department as regards medicine, dressings, medical instruments, insecticides and chemicals is the function of the Pharmaceutical Supplies Section, headed by a pharmaceutical chemist. The turnover during the year under review was f. 1,200,000.

A total of some 106,000 kg of medicines, etc., were sent to places outside Hollandia.

Some of the medicines are prepared in the Central Dispensary, which possesses modern equipment. The medicines are made up by three certificated Papuan junior pharmacists, under the supervision of an assistant pharmacist.

In the chemical laboratory medicines supplied both from the Netherlands and from the Central Dispensary are regularly checked. Further, regular dietary investigations are made, and drinking water is also chemically analysed.

In the Central Medical Laboratory investigations are made on behalf of the entire Territory. The available laboratory space was extended by a department for nutritional research, whilst separate departments were formed for tuberculosis research and general bacteriological research. Collaboration with research centres in the Netherlands and the USA was intensified.

There were 12,565 determinations in 1961, made up as follows:

General bacteriological examinations		1,846
Tuberculosis examinations		7,370
General serology		573
Lues serology		996
Yaws serology		1,084
Clinical examinations		579
Drinking water analyses		54
Miscellaneous		63
	Total	12,565

Dental care has treatment centres at Hollandia, Biak, Manokwari, Merauke and Sorong. The smaller places are also visited regularly. The total number of treatments in 1961 was 17,974.

5. TRAINING AND EDUCATION

The following courses are given for medical personeel in Netherlands New Guinea:
1. Nursing School:

5 years
Trains nurses, Netherlands New Guinea diploma, in three categories, viz.:
 male or female hospital nurse
 Public Health nurse
 Midwife.
Entrance requirement: continuation school diploma.
Number of pupils at end of 1961: 149.

2. Course for male or female orderly

(formerly auxiliary nurse)
2 years
Trains hospital orderlies.
Entrance requirement: continuation school diploma.
Number of pupils at the end of 1961: 160.

3. Course for female maternal and child welfare nurse

(formerly infant welfare nurse)
2 years
Trains on behalf of the Maternal and Child Welfare Section. Work at village level.
Entrance requirement: continuation school diploma.
Number of pupils at the end of 1961: 72.

4. Course for male or female mental orderly

(formaly male or female mental nurse)
2 years
Trains orderlies for the psychiatric clinic.
Entrance requirement: continuation school diploma.
Number of pupils at the end of 1961: 9.

5. Course for laboratory technician

(formerly laboratory assistant)
3 years
Trains independently working staff for the hospital laboratories.
Entrance requirement: continuation school diploma.
Number of pupils at the end of 1961: 6.

6. Course for malaria control assistant

3 years
Trains independently working laboratory staff for the Malaria Control Section.
Entrance requirement: continuation school diploma.
Number of pupils at the end of 1961: 10

7. Course for junior pharmacist

3 years
Trains independently working personnel for hospital dispensaries.
Entrance requirement: continuation school diploma.
Number of pupils at the end of 1961: 9.

8. Course for female dentist's assistant

2 years
Trains dentist's assistants with limited task.
Entrance requirement: continuation school diploma.
Number of pupils at the end of 1961: 2.

 
Since 1954 the following diplomas have been awarded:

male or female nurse, Netherlands New Guinea diploma, three categories	194
male or female orderly	177
female maternal and child welfare nurse	166
male or female mental orderly	18
laboratory technician	23
malaria control assistant	15
junior pharmacist	22
female dentist's assistant	--

A Papuan pupil with the diploma of the intermediate secondary school was admitted to the course for auxiliary doctor at the Medical School of Port Moresby. The total number of Papuan pupils studying in Port Moresby has thus increased to eight.

Three pupils with the intemediate secondary school diploma left for Suva to begin their studies at the School for Auxiliary Dentists, thus bringing the total studying there to five.

The following were sent to the Netherlands:

two junior pharmacists for further training as assistant pharmacists;

two laboratory technicians for further training as analysts;

one young man to be trained as a dental mechanic.

The year 1961 was an important year for the training of nurses, Netherlands New Guinea diploma. In September 1961 the Nursing School was opened as part of the Central Hospital at Hollandia.

The training system was completely transformed and adapted to modern views with regard to course in general and course for nursing personnel in particular. Three Dutch nurses with Netherlands diploma were attached to this course as full-time instructors. Two of them are graduates with the Diploma of Nursing (Certificate of Teaching in Schools of Nursing), New Zealand.

The course for public health nurse was improved. For further details of the courses see Appendix XLII.

6. DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

See what is said about this in Chapter 1, section C, Population.

7. ENDEMIC DISEASES

Malaria and filariasis

The malaria control project was continued with support from the WHO and the UNICEF.

The progress that has been made – in various regions transmission has been interrupted – led to the institution of malaria case detection and supervisory measures in several regions, comprising over 80,000 persons by the end of 1961. These measures have proved of importance in the tracing of the remaining transmission foci. It is the intention to introduced these measures in other areas in 1962.

In 1961 the campaign was extended according to plan. By the end of 1961 a total of 250,000 persons were under the protection of insecticides, whether or not combined with mass treatment.

In consultation with the Regional Bureau of the WHO at Manila it was decided to propose that the existing campaign to converted into a pre-eradication programme. A draft plan of operations for 1962/1963 was submitted for this purpose.

The medicated salt project was continued in the districts of Arso, Waris and Upper Tor, whilst a start was made with the distribution of medicated salt in the East Coast district (Sarmi). These projects have made an important contribution to assessment of the method. For the time being the value of the method for the conditions prevalent in Netherlands New Guinea seems limited.

The entomological research project, for which a grant was received from the WHO, got going. The first data have meanwhile become available. Routine examinations made regular progress.

Special stress was laid on the training of Papuan personnel.

A number of Papuan squad leaders were appointed. The laboratory technicians were given continued in-service training in connection with their future task in the direction of the supervisory measures.

In August the Second Interterritorial Malaria Conference for the South-West Pacific was held at Hollandia. This was attended by representatives of Australian New Guinea and the British Solomon Islands, whilst the Regional Bureau of the WHO at Manila also sent a delegate. Besides the many common technical and operational problems, collaboration along the frontiers was discussed.

A malaria control assistant from Australian New Guinea is attending a continued malaria course at the Department in Hollandia.

In the field of filariasis control the extremely favourable result of the project at Inanwaran led to the implementation of a similar control project in the Kokoda area.

Yaws

By mid 1961 the contractual agreement with WHO/UNICEF, under which 400,000 persons had to be treated in the intial mass campaign, had been fully complied with. By the end of 1961 this number was 401,778 persons.

Further expansion of the mass campaign is meeting with practical difficulties, through the inaccessibility of the Territory and the difficulty of getting at the population. In the Central Highlands, too, it was not possible to start a mass campaign. In these areas, too, it is proving that systematic treatment at out-patient clinics is gradually reducing the number of suffers from yaws. In 1961 2570 yaws patients were treated in the Central Highlands (1960: 3605 patients).

Yaws in the areas reached by the mass campaign is now only sporadically observed. Districts from the subdivisions of Hollandia, Nimboran, Keerom and Merauke were added to the consolidated areas.

A population of some 130,000 persons now live in areas where yaws has been almost entirely eradicated. In the remaining areas annual resurveys are still being performed. In all 164,000 persons were contracted, of whom 139,591 were examined, 357 cases of infectious yaws (1/4%) being found.

Tuberculosis

During 1961 the central detection team were able to examine 23,356 persons out of 25,274 persons who could be reached. Of these, 19,430 were old enough for photofluoroscopy.

The number of chest clinics is now nine, all with full-time personnel.

The facilities for X-ray examination scattered throughout the country were extended from 13 to 19.

By the end of 1961 a total of 2680 ptients were receiving out-patient treatment. With a total capacity of 180 beds, 450 patients were able to undergo clinical treatment.

In the central register, in which only bacteriologically checked cases appear, 522 cases were recorded: 474 Papuans and 48 non-Papuans; this brought the total of registered cases to 2601 Papuans and 370 non-Papuans.

In the fourth quarter of 1960 a pilot campaign was performed for a comparative study with thermolabile liquid vaccine and thermostable freeze-dried glutamate vaccine.

The progress of the conversion of those vaccinated in the area concerned was closely followed for a year. The results of the investigation are now known: it has been decided to start using freeze-dried glutamate BCG for the who;e country in 1962. This makes it possible to include in the mass BCG cmpaigns areas which so far have been inaccessible to the thermolabile wet vaccine.

The situation of the revaccination campaigns may be given as follows:

		Tested	Vaccinated
1st vaccination campaign		691	369
2nd vaccination campaign		16,167	5,808
3rd vaccination campaign		4,820	1,367
4th vaccination campaign		11,587	3,321
5th vaccination campaign		6,835	1,894
	Total	40,100	12,759

Leprosy

In the last five years a general inventory has been taken of leprosy, in which the two doctors working in the Leprosy Control Section, in cooperation with the local Government doctors, examined the Territory village by village and house by house.

It has been found from this that the greater part of the coastal strip is infected, whilst the Central Highlands may still be described as free from leprosy.

The total number of leprosy cases at the end of 1961 was 5246 (of which 852 were lepromatous cases). The equivalent figures for the end of 1960 were 4685 and 761 respectively.

There are two foms of treatment: the tuberculoid (“non-infectious”) cases in out-patient clinics and the lepromatous (“infectious”) cases in treatment centres (leproseries).

Owing to the fact that all Papuan student nurses and already certified Papuan nurses are gradually having a tour of duty in one of the leproseries, the number of places where DDS treatment can be given is growing each year, until ultimately all the rural out-patient clinics will have such facilities.

Moreover, Papuan nurses are centrally stationed in six large leprosy centres. These nurses exercise general supervision of diagnosis, treatment and registration of the patients in hospital and rural out-patient climics, and pay special attention to patients discharged from leproseries.

The total number of tuberculoid cases receiving out-patient treatment in Netherlands New Guinea rose from 8 in 1952 to 791 at the end of 1961 (1960: 630).

The lepromatous cases are treated in the five treatment centres (leproseries) at Sorong, Wasior, Serei, Kaimana and Merauke. The total number patients admitted at the end of 1961 was 544 (1960: 482).

The total number of nursing days in the leproseries was 193,351 (1960: 163,405); the number of nursing days in the hospitals in the leproseries was 13,794 (in 1960: 10,612).

In 1961 136 patients were discharged from the leproseries, thus increasing the total of patients receiving after-care as at 1 January, 1962, to 351.

The return to the community nowhere created difficulties.

The leproseries at Kaimana and Merauke were officially opened during the year under review, and the Seroei leprosery was completed. All the leproseries are occupied and are in full use.

Much support was received from charity, including gifts of 10 houses for patients, 3 tuberculosis pavilions, 1 boarding establishment for children and 1 out-patient clinic.

In the Sorong, Wasior and Merauke leproseries there are village schools. Moreover, during the year under review a continuation school was opened in Sorong. In all 85 children are attending these schools.

Much attention is being paid to sport and recreation.

In all leproseries it is now possible to do paid work, with which a start was made in 1960 in the Sorong leprosery. All patients are incorporated in this, except the children. The principal forms of work are farming, fishing and stock-breeding, together with home industries. Besides free accommodation, food clothing and treatment the patients receive a monthly payment varying from 10 to 30 guilders.

The families left behind by patients admitted to the leproseries qualify where necessary for social assistance from the Government. To support these social measures the assistance of a Social Work official was obtained.

The second doctor of the Leprosy Section left for a 3-month WHO fellowship in the Philippines, Thailand, Malaya, Singapore, Hongkong and India.

At Sorong a leprosy conference was held, an annual opportunity for contact between the two section doctors and the five heads of leproseries.

Smallpox

During the year under review there were no cases of smallpox. The existing vaccination situation was kept at the same level. The internationally approved RIV smallpox vaccine replaced the Bandung vaccine. The number of vaccinations was 62,657, of which 14,059 were for the first time.

Other infectious diseases

This year, too, no cases of quarantinable diseases occured.

The following diseases occurred in epidemic form:

influenza	2436 cases reported
measles	2326 cases reported
mumps (parotitis epidemica)	1286 cases reported
Whooping cough	1405 cases reported

Influenza or influenza-like diseases occurred this year in epidemic form, but on the whole mildly. This was also true of the measles epidemic. The mumps epidemic of 1960 ened in 1961.

A serious whooping cough epidemic with a large number of fatal cases afflicted the population of South New Guinea. Mass whoping cough vaccination prevented the disease from spreading further.

The following diseases are endemic:

amoebic dysentry	543 cases reported
bacillary dysentry	758 cases reported
infectious dysentry	5629 cases reported
chickenpox	951 cases reported

The following diseases occurred only sporadically:

diphtheria	0 cases		paratyphus	25 cases
encephalitis	9 cases		poliomyelitis	1 case
gonorrhoea	12 cases		syphilis	0 cases
hepatitis infectiosa	148 cases		scrub typhus	18 cases
meningitis	10 cases		enteric fever	23 cases

8. STATE OF NUTRITION AND HEALTH EDUCATION

The most important nutritional problem is the shortage of potein in the population's daily diet.

During the year under review particular attention was devoted to this deficiency. Analyses were made of the most common foodstuffs. Further, the eating of food rich in protein was greatly publicized. In particular the importance of using the good and inexpensive skimmed milk powder was stressed. A considerable increase in the consumption of legumes was perceptible; the population were given advice and information on how to incorporate legumes into their diet.

Th