Kiaps, variously known as district officers and patrol officers, in pre-independence Papua New Guinea

Territory of Papua and New Guinea

The Territory of Papua and New Guinea was established by an administrative union between the Australian-administered territories of Papua and New Guinea in 1949...

 were travelling representatives of the British and Australian governments.

History

Soon after the establishment of British New Guinea in the 1880s a system of patrols was established to expand the government's administrative control beyond the major towns. The system continued despite the change from British to Australian administration after the Second World War.

Role

Under Australian administration the kiap was a one-man representative of the government, taking on policing and judicial roles as well as more mundane tasks as completing censuses. The kiaps were commissioned as officers of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary

Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary

The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary is a national police force with jurisdiction throughout all of Papua New Guinea.-History:The RPNGC was formed from two predecessor bodies that existed prior to the independence of Papua New Guinea....

and were appointed districts magistrates.

During the 1960s the kiap became more of a formal magistrate, moving away from law enforcement.