Language and Colonial attitudes

I first became aware of language as a political tool while sailing around the Papua-New Guinea as a young man.I became aware that when ever an Australian official or local Europeans in general addressed a Papuan ,they always spoke in Pidgin English even though the Papuan replied in perfectly good English. It reminds me now of Orwell's comments that the best way to control people is to restrict their vocalibility. If they are unable to express themselves their life is reduced to good or bad without any shades of gray. Pidgin for those readers unfamiliar with the language is an abridged form of English comprising approximately five hundred words.

British and Australian colonial attitudes always seemed in my experience to be in marked contrast to the French at least in the Pacific region. In the New Hebrides (Vanuatu), New Caledonia and Tahiti all the native people spoke French there did not seem to be any restriction in language usage. They owned watches, bicycles and what have you items generally not in the possession of Papuans. France of course claimed their colonies where part of metropolitan France and therefor sent deputies to the French Parliament. All this was in marked contract to Australian attitudes where the White Australia policy was still in force. A Chinese resident in the  old German territories could not operate a business in Papau, so New Guinea and Papua (Australian)
 had different laws concerning race.

Personally during my time in New Guinea I found the  Ex German  territory a lot more pleasant, the towns such as Madang had wide tree lined avenues and a far more interesting commercial life. Port Moresby reminded me of Western Sydney at the time, treeless ,hot without any amenities, sound familiar lets just put it down to lack of vision.