Quentin was born in 1932 and lived in Rabaul, New Guinea, prior to the outbreak of World War 11.  His father went to New Guinea as a surveyor in 1927, with two young intending kiaps Keith McCarthy and Horrie Niall, retiring in 1961 as the Deputy Secretary, Lands Department.

 

Of interest, Quentin’s aunt’s husband, Paul (Kar Kar) Schmidt went to New Guinea in 1904 and established plantations on Kar Kar Island and later at Palmalmal in New Britain.

 

Quentin joined the Department of District Services and Native Affairs in December 1950 and at age 18 was selected for the March 1951 Cadet Patrol Officers’ course at ASOPA.  He was then posted to Lake Kutubu in the Southern Highlands District with Assistant District Officer Sid Smith and Patrol Officer Des Clancy.  With Patrol Officer Bill Brand he later discovered the Tege oil seepage in December 1951.  He surveyed and assisted in the construction of Moro airstrip and the establishment of Tari Patrol Post in 1952. 

 

Quentin was posted to Popondetta and Tufi in the Northern District in 1953, and then to Milne Bay District in 1955, with postings to Samarai and Baniara.  He established Konimaiava Patrol Post on the south coast of Papua.  Quentin returned to the Southern Highlands District in 1958, to Ialibu Patrol Post where he was involved in patrolling in uncontrolled areas.  He was then promoted as Assistant District Officer Erave, by then as a married officer. 

 

Quentin’s final posting was to Port Moresby as Assistant District Officer (1961-64), when he worked with David Marsh. He also acted as simultaneous translator in English/Motu/Tokpisin in the inaugural House of Assembly in 1963-64. 

 

He was then appointed as Departmental Training Officer at DNA Headquarters before returning to Australia in 1964 to accept a position with the Commonwealth Public Service, retiring from that position in 1994.  Quentin and Jan’s three sons were all born in Papua New Guinea, 3 generations.

 

 

 

The Role of the Kiap - by Quentin Anthony :

 

For over 100 years in PNG, in fact since the time of the German occupation, the patrol officer has been known as "kiap", derived from the German "kapitan". So perhaps I should explain the multifarious functions and responsibilities of the Kiap.

 

The first task of the kiap obviously was to explore and map areas that the white man had never visited.          This was some of the most rugged and forbidding mountain country in the world, rising to 16,000 feet, covered by dense rain forest, bisected by fast flowing streams.  All this to be done on foot in an energy-sapping climate of heavy rainfall, living in clothes constantly wet from rain and sweat. The kiap faced illness and accident, malaria and scrub typhus, food shortage, no contact with the outside world, dangerous wildlife in the form of crocodiles, snakes, wild boars, mosquitoes and leeches, and the most dangerous        threat of all, hostile tribesmen who resented the intrusion of these light skinned strangers.

 

These were Stone Age people, who had never seen steel, glass or cloth. They had never heard an engine. They had never seen their own image in a mirror and had no comprehension of firearms. They had no tolerance of foreigners and were engaged in constant tribal fighting.

 

So peacemaking was a priority for the kiap, combined with the Government’s clearly expressed peaceful intentions. If successful, this was followed by exchange of gifts, purchase of food with trade goods and the conducting of a census.

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The location of a suitable site for the construction of an airstrip and patrol post was important. This would be followed by the provision of basic medical services, dispute and conflict resolution, the cultivation of local leaders, and all the activities which would persuade the people that the presence of the Government was a good thing.

 

Patrols radiating out from the patrol post would typically comprise 1 or 2 European officers, 10-20 armed RP & NGC police including 1 or 2 NCOs, a NMO, interpreters, guides, cooks and 40-80 carriers.

 

Eventually client departments such as agriculture, health and education would be brought in and the construction of roads commenced. Young tribesmen would be encouraged to work on the Govt. station to broaden their knowledge and language capability.

 

In order to perform his duties, a kiap was appointed as a commissioned officer of the Royal Papua and    New Guinea Constabulary, a Magistrate for Native Matters, a Justice of the Peace and a Coroner. These were in addition to the extensive list of his other duties.