Pacific Islands Monthly - 21 March 1935

A sharp fall in the London copra quotation was announced on March 18.

The market appears to have Sydney operators completely puzzled, and none now ventures a forecast. A recent authoritative survey of the world position in relation to oils and fats by Messrs.

Harrop, Sydney, discloses a general shortage which, it is said, is likely to last for at least a year.

By March Macdhui

THE B.P. liner Malaita left Sydney for Papua and New Guinea on March 14, with a full complement of passengers. Her skipper was the cheery Captain A. Campbell, who recently took over command from Captain Williams, after many years of service with Burns, Philp and Co. As Chief Officer of the Macdhui, Mr, Campbell became a well-known figure in both Territories, where he is well-liked and highly respected.

The passengers included many prominent Islands folk. Geoffrey Hemsworth, Ray Parer’s companion in the Centenary Air Race, returned to Port Moresby from whence he will fly over to the Morobe goldfield to take charge again of P.A.T Co.’s activities. Brigadier-General A. E. Wisdom, formerly Administrator of New Guinea, was on his way to Papua, where he will look over the various areas taken up by goldmining companies in which he is actively interested.

Mr. J. Ward-Williams, American mining expert, returned to Papua to carry out investigations in the Fly River district. Wally Digby, well-known N.G. prospector and one of the finders of the rich Day Dawn mine, was en route to Morobe to supervise his gold interests, after furlough in Australia.

Father F. Lyons, accompanied by Brothers Pearce and Vogt, left for the Sacred Heart Mission at Saraarai.

Mr. Moresby Gofton, popular son of Mrs. Stewart, of Wau hotel, reluctantly said “good-bye” to Syd ney, after three months’ holidaying. On a tour of inspection of the Sacred Heart Mission stations was Rev. Father Janssen, Superior-General of the Mis sion. Mr. G. V. Maunsell-Turner, of the N.G.

Crown Law Office, returned to Rabaul, after leave in Australia.

On behalf of Misima United N.L., Mr. A. A.

Hargreaves, consulting engineer, left for Misima Island to superintend the preliminary work in con nection with the option his company recently exer cised over four leases there. Captain D. G. Irvine, of W. R. Carpenter and Co., departed for Rabaul, where he will pick up the schooner “France,” and sail her across to the Gilbert and Ellice Islands.

Rev. Maurice Nixon, L.M.S. Missionary, re turned to Port Moresby, en route to Moru Station, after furlough in Tasmania. Dr. W. M, Strong, Chief Medical Officer of Papua, also was a passen ger for Port Moresby. With him were 18 Papuan medical students, who have been undergoing train ing at Sydney University to fit them for medical work among Papuan natives. The students, neatly dressed in Scout uniform, created considerable in terest among the large congregation which had gathered on the wharf to bid farewell to friends.

Among the deck cargo were three draught horses, a pony, two rams, and a small bleating goat, all for Salamaua. On board also was a ferocious looking boar consigned to Wewak. For Sunshine Gold Development Co., a new sturdy Ford lorry was taken aboard. A trim 27-ft. launch, the ‘Pap con,” fitted by Mr. G. Rutherford, of Sydney, with a 15 h.p. Kelvin engine, was shipped for Papuan Concessions N.L., for use on the Fly River.

N.C. Governor On Tour

From Our Own Correspondent.

Noumea, Feb. 2.

Having completed a cruise up the West Coast of Noumea, the French man-of war Admiral Charner left recently with His Excellency the Governor, M. Sia dous, on board for the Loyalty Group (Mare, Lifou, and Ouvea Islands), and the Isle of Pines.

When she returns to port again on Feb ruary 5, the Governor will leave imme diately for Wallis Island in order to investigate the economic conditions there.

Checking “Wildcats”

Comment on Fiji Position

ON page 20 there is an article entitled “Fiji Wildcats Checked.” Since that article was put into type our Suva cor respondent has supplied us with the fol lowing interesting comment upon the mining situation in Fiji.

SUVA, March 1.

The Koroere and the Loloma flotations in Mel bourne put Tavua as a whole right in the centre of the speculative stage in Melbourne, and a scramble took place to secure any old sort of option on any so-called claim on the Tavua field.

Our recent visitors include well-known men. Sir Charles Marr and Mr. Napthali represented Tavua Options for whom Mr. Weekly has been examin ing three areas for some months. Mr. Campbell represented the Fiji Prospecting Syndicate, cf which Messrs. Victor, Jaffrey and Wallace-Smith, of Melbourne, are directors. Mr. Boyd came to look us over on behalf of Messrs. J. C. Were and Sons, of Melbourne; and Mr. Thomas was investigating for another Melbourne group.

By mid-February, Fiji local folk who held areas on Tavua began to dream of great wealth. The price of Tavua options soared, as the 10/- shares of Koroere and Loloma (paid to only 3/-) sky rocketed in Melbourne to 17/- and 29/- respec tively. Current gossip here in Suva is that W. G.

Lawler, who paid £25 for the Loloma area, is now worth something like £60,000; whilst the Pat Cos tello interest in Koroere was valued at £30,000; the Theodore group received shares in both co.’s, upon which the share market put a valuation of £100,000.

The Governor viewed all this speculative activity with some concern, and it was then that, in order to check the wildcats and protect the good name of Fiji, he issued his statement of policy. It came like a dash of cold water to those who had contented themselves with putting four pegs in the ground and then sitting back to await the profits.

On the Tavua field the original prospecting licence over 400 acres was given to Pat Costello, later being transferred to Mr. E. G. Theodore, who had meanwhile taken out a similar licence over an adjoining block of 400 acres. No difficulty was made as to the granting of licences at that time, and altogether 16 prospecting licences covering about 6000/7000 acres were issued. More would have been issued had not Sir Murchison Fletcher, at that time on leave in London, decided firmly on a policy of restriction of licences until the original prospectors had proved, or disproved, the existence of gold. A number of optimists took out mere prospectors’ rights, put in their pegs, and made applications, to be told they could not be considered at that stage. It was the offering for sale at large figures of these non-existent rights which really stirred the Governor, and caused a plain declaration that under no circumstances would alleged transfers be recognised.

The Governor, in his statement, after explain ing the position under the Fiji Mining Ordinance, said that only one mining lease had so far been justified on the Tavua field. The reference, of course, was to E. G. Theodore’s Emperor Gold Mining Co. He then pointed out that of the sixteen prospecting licences granted, four had already expired and the remainder were due to expire on May 31.

It is known that the Government has referred the whole subject of goldmining in Fiji to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and some instructions from that quarter are expected at an early date.

Mr. E. Lane Poole, of the Common wealth Forestry Department, returned to Australia by the Macdhui on March 5, after investigating the timber resources of the Mandated Territory.

Mr. A. V. Leggo, of Melbourne, has been appointed to the board of directors of the Upper Sepik Gold Syndicate N.L., formed recently in Victoria.

Mr. J. Kidnie, of Gizo, returned to the Solomon Islands by the Malaita from Sydney on March 9.

Awarded Cilento Medal

THE Cilento Medal (which has just been founded in perpetuity by Sir Raphael Cilento, Director-General of Health in Queensland, to be awarded annually for the best work in tropical hygiene and native welfare) has been awarded to Mr. F. E.

Williams, Government Anthropologist in Papua. Mr. Williams has thus been awarded the Cilento Medal in recognition of his brilliant field work in anthro pology.

Mr. F. E. Williams photographed while engaged in field work in an inland district of Papua.

New Guinea

To Seek Gold in Dutch New Guinea Powerful Company Formed

IT was announced in Batavia in January that the Netherlands New Guinea Min ing Company had been formed, and re gistered in Batavia, to search for gold in Dutch New Guinea, and carry on any necessary developmental work in connec tion therewith. The nominal capital Is 1,500,000 guilders—about £250,000 Aus tralian, The new company has been formed by the Billiton Tin Company, the Oroville Gold Company, Erdman Sielcker and Co., and the Anglo-Oriental Co.—four very large and powerful organisations.

It is understood that the search for gold will be carried out in the north-eastern corner of Dutch New Guinea, in that area contiguous to the border of the Man dated Territory of New Guinea. It is proposed to use aeroplanes freely in the work.

Major C. B. Joske, managing director of the Suva firm of Brown and Joske, Ltd., arrived in Sydney in March. He will return to the Colony in April,

Better Times

Optimism in Papua

From a Correspondent.

Port Moresby, March 1.

TIMES are beginning to mend and everybody here is very optimistic, compared with the feeling that had been displayed during the past four years. If the copra market will only hold, Papua will again become quite an attractive place in which to make a living.

Steamships Trading Co., Ltd., recently purchased from Mr. J. Downs a half-share of the Delta sawmill and store at Kikori.

Mr. Downs had been far from well, and has been ordered South by his doctor. The business was floated into a company (Sawmillers and Traders, Ltd.), and Steamships Trading Co. are the managing agents, and hold half the shares. This is a growing and prosperous business.

Steamships Trading Company Ltd., have purchased outright, from Mr. Geoffrey Syme, of the “Age,” Melbourne, the New Guinea Rubber Estates, at Kemp Welch, in Papua. This plantation consists of 2283 acres, of which 625 acres are of fully-bear

ing coconuts, and 70 acres of rubber.

Mr. C. N. Nicholson, the present man ager, will continue in that capacity under the new management.

The same company are opening on Mi sima (where there is now much mining activity), having a fine corner block in the newly laid-out town there. The build ings are about half-way completed.

The company purchased, two months ago, the “Kikere,” to add to their fishing and shelling fleet at Samarai, where they have seven vessels operating. A thorough overhaul of the “Kikere” having now been completed, she will shortly be put to fish ing beche-de-mer, and will carry 21 boys and six dinghies.

Minister On A Visit To

Norfolk Is.

On an official visit to Norfolk Island to discuss trade problems and com plaints about the administration, the Minister in Charge of Territories (Sir George Pearce) left Sydney on March 16 by the Morinda, and will spend a day and a night on the island. He will re turn to Sydney on March 25.

Lost

Trading Vessel

Wreck in the Solomons

THE well-known trader and recruiter, A Mr. M. Harper, of Mandoliana, Solo mon Islands, had the misfortunte to lose his trading vessel, the “Trader,” on the coast of Guadalcanal early in the morn ing of February 3.

Mr. Harper had been recruiting on the weather side of Guadalcanal, and was anchored about three-quarters of a mile from the Roman Catholic mission station at Avu Avu. About 3.20 a.m. a south erly came up and shortly afterward it changed round to south-west and attained gale force. Two anchors were down, and the engine—an excellent machine, a 30-40 horse power Invincible Diesel—was started going full speed ahead, but in spite of this the ship was driven stern on to the shingle and the propeller began to

throw up stones. So the engine was stopped and the boys ordered to grab any thing they could and jump over the stern on to the beach.

Mr. Harper lost practically everything— drums of kerosene, oil, half a ton of rice, etc. A few odds and ends of things were got ashore, but practically everything went down with the ship, which later dis appeared in deep water alongside the shore.

In trying to save his vessel, Mr. Harper received a severe cut on his leg, and this later turned septic and compelled him to spend some time in Tulagi Hospital.

The unfortunate trader received much assistance from Father Boudard and Father Courtais who came to his assist ance with their boys from the mission, and did their best to save Mr. Harper’s property from the surf. They then took him to their mission house and nursed him carefully until he could get a passage to Tulagi.

The “Trader” was insured, but only for the hull and engine. Mr. Harper estimates that his loss in gear and goods is about £1000.

Photos taken immediately after the wreck of the “Trader.” Left: The two Marist Fathers with some of the mission boys who assisted Mr. Harper. Right: Inspecting the remains of the “Trader” thrown up on the beach near Avu Avu.

Quaint Memory of Southern

Sailing Against The

Propeller

Quaint Memory of Southern Cross III.

We are indebted to Mr. F. S. Whit combe, of Levuka, Fiji, for the follow ing interesting story of the old Melan esian Mission Ship, Southern Cross

Iii.:

IN the P.I.M. of January you printed a history of “Southern Crosses.”

Southern Cross III. was not a threemasted two-topsail schooner, but was barque-rigged, when owned by the Mis sion, and she was a little beauty. Her main royal was the size of a large hand kerchief.

After Capt. W. Ross bought her she was barquentine-rigged; foresail, two topsails, and a top-gallant sail, with main and upper staysails. Her topsail yard was rigged with Cunningham’s patent topsail reefing gear, and every time we used to reef down it jammed, and a hand would have to go aloft to overhaul the down haul.

When Captain Ross made his first run to Tonga in her (after doing away with the boiler and machinery and making a sailer of her), the propellor, a two-bladed one, was left in place up and down; but the aperture was boarded up, with the propellor inside.

During the trip, when near Sunday Island, we struck dirty weather, and the planking was stripped from the aperture, with the result that the propellor, which was a pretty long one, worked athwart the ship or cross-ways, like a barn door, and stopped the ship’s way.

The dear old man nearly had a fit over the next two days’ runs. With a fair wind, the vessel was only doing 5 to 6 knots, with the wind on her quarter, when she should have been doing 10.

Anyhow, one of the hands happened to think of the propellor, and we lowered him over the weather quarter in a bow line, and he spotted what was wrong. So we rigged a hook on a |in. iron bar, and straightened her up until we arrived at Nukualofa.

The Ysabel could sail like a witch, and could do 30 to 40 miles to windward, against a dead muzzier, any day in a day’s work.

I was A.B. on her, and she was a happy ship.

“Bounty Mutiny” To Be

Filmed In Tahiti

From Our Own Correspondent.

Papeete, Feb. 11.

IT is announced that the advance party of the Metro-Goldwyn Company, which will make two films in Tahiti, is due to arrive by the Maunganui on Feb ruary 23. The party consists of 29 operators who will be housed at the Stuart Hotel.

The company will first of all be occupied with Herman Melville’s story “Typee,” and will then film Messrs. Hall and Nordhoff’s “Mutiny on the Bounty.” In connection with the latter story, it seems that a ship—an exact replica of the old Bounty— has been built in America and will be sent to Papeete for the purposes of the picture

Malaria Drug

Success Claimed for New Malaria Drug

TWO hundred cases of malaria in Ceylon have been cured by Dr. A. T. Simeon, an Englishman, who used the drug ate brim musonal, the Colombo correspon dent of the “Daily Mail” states.

Two injections, it is stated, are sufficient to prevent a relapse, in contrast with the long treatment necessary with quinine.

The Ceylon Government, impressed with the success of the new drug, proposes to treat 50,000 sufferers.

Dr. Simeon, accompanied by his young German wife and one assistant, works in the jungle villages, where thousands clamour for treatment.

Supplies of the drug are exhausted, but more is coming by air from Germany, where it was discovered.

Drug Known For Some Years.

Claims of the new malaria drug by London users were described as “far too optimistic” by Dr. Richard Green, bac teriologist of the Institute for Medical Research, Federated Malay States, who was interviewed by the “Sun” in Sydney on March 9.

Dr. Green, who has used the drug him self, said he could not agreed that two injections were sufficient to prevent a relapse.

The correct name of the drug was “ate brim,” he said. It was introduced by the Bayer Meister Lecus in 1932. A yel low drug, it was the first synthetic sub stitute for quinine produced.

The relapse rate, compared with treatment with quinine, was distinctly lower. The new drug, however, cost two and a half times as much. It had been successfully injected, but the usual method was to take it by tablets.

Dr. Green said malaria was still the major disease in the tropics. Progress is being made against it through the Gov ernment appointed trained malarialo gists. With a rainfall of 250 inches a year it is impossible to control all breed ing places, but the specialist can tell which of 300 odd species of mosquitoes is responsible.

Quinine had been the chief weapon against malaria since as early as 1660, Dr. Green added. During the war, how ever, there had been great difficulty in obtaining supplies of the bark from which it was extracted. Research had led to a substitute, first of plasmoquinine in 1926.

Now atebrim, the first real synthetic, was offered to the world.

Lieutenant-Governor

Visits Western Papua

From Our Own Correspondent.

Pt. Moresby .March 2.

HIS Excellency Sir Hubert Murray, K.C.M.G., Lieutenant-Governor of Papua, accompanied by the Government Secretary, the Official Secretary, and the Hons. H. W. Champion and H. L. Murray, left Port Moresby by the “Laurabada” on February 20, on an official visit to the western stations of the Territory, and those in the Gulf and Central Division, west of Port Moresby.

His Excellency held sittings of the Cen tral Court at stations where criminal cases were awaiting trial.

The “Laurabada” returned to port on February 28.

Rev. F. J. Lewis, Chairman of the Methodist Mission Society, New Guinea, arrived in Sydney by the Macdhui on January 21. He praised the work of the native mission teachers who are out among the tribes in uncontrolled areas.

At present, said Mr. Lewis, there are about 350 native missionaries doing evan gelistic work in such areas.

A recent photograph of Mrs. Bowring, one of the most popular women on the New Guinea goldfields. Mrs. Bowring went to Edie Creek when it was simply an unsightly collection of shacks (it is now beginning to look like an orderly township) and took charge of the mess-room there. She has now established a modern guest-house. She is famous for her kindness and hospitality; and scores of young Australians, transported suddenly from city comforts to this wild, rain-soaked place on the top of the New Guinea mountains, include her name in their prayers o’ nights.

Pidgin

A New Guinea resident supplies the

following delightful examples of Pidgin as

it is used in the Territory :— Planter (arriving on the beach after having previously made arrangements for his departure to town): Pinnace ’e stop?

Boss Boy: ’e stop.

Planter: Boat’s crew ’e stop?

Boss Boy: ’e stop.

Planter: All the time-finish boy ’e stop?

Boss Boy: 'e stop.

Planter: Boat’s crew ’e got kai-kai?

Boss Boy: ’e got.

Planter: Kai kai belong me he come up?

Boss Boy: ’e stop finish.

Planter: Bed belong me he come up?

Boss Boy: ’e come finish.

Planter: Got water?

Boss Boy: ’e got.

Planter: Got benzine?

Boss Boy: ’e got.

Planter: Now altogether something he all right?

Boss Boy: Altogether sumfin ’e all right; thas all; crank shaft; ’e b — up finish.

Cook Boy to Planter; One fella Master ’e come—now he ’ide all Beer belong you.

Planter (meeting one of his old boys in town, after he has repeatedly but vainly asked him to sign on again): What for you make new paper along one fella Mas ter? Before me hard work along you to make new time —close up three fella moon me askem you all the time.

Boy: Master, what for you no askem me one time more?

Planter (who is about to be married, to cook-boy who swears on the least pro vocation) : Missis belong me he come up lik-lik time and this talk-talk no good, must finish.

Cook-boy: Me savvy fashion belong all the Misses, Master.

Bride duly arrives and they are wait ing for dinner to be served, when there is

a crash of crockery on the concrete floor of the kitchen.

Cook-boy rushes in: Master altogether new fella dishes 'e come along Sydney, 'e b—r up finish!

Planter (looking sternly at boy):

What ?

Cook-boy: Altogether new fella dishes 'e come along Sydney ’e (turning to Missis) Aw —me make mistake Missis —’e no b—r up—’e broke thas all.

Boy (who has lodged 10/- in bank during previous week) to bank teller: Me like catchem altogether money belong me.

Bank Teller: What? Altogether?

Boy: Yes, Masta.

Bank Teller closes the account and hands over 10/-.

Boy, having spread the silver along the countar and, carefully counted, it, pushes it back across counter; Me like putem back —me like lookem, thas all!

Collapse of bank teller.

Planter (addressing house-boy, who has a habit of entering the bedroom of plan ter’s wife before she has finished dress ing); “You no can go along room belong Missis suppose she no got clos,”

House-boy: “Masta me like talk straight along this sumthin. All time me look along hole belong lock—suppose Missis he no got clos, me no go along room belong him.”

Goods From Papua and New

Guinea

From March 15, goods imported into Australia from Papua and New Guinea will be subject to primage duty at the same rates as similar goods admissible under the British preferential tariff, in stead of at the foreign rate, as hitherto.

There are now about 700 cars of British and American make in Rabaul, and the roads are fairly good. The climate of New Guinea has a destructive influence on cars unless special precautions are taken.

Mr. A. W. Seymour

Promoted from Fiji to Trinidad

MR. A. W. SEYMOUR, Colonial Secretary of Fiji, has been selected for appointment as Colonial Secretary of Trinidad, in succession to Sir Selwyn Grier, Governor designate of the Wind ward Islands.

This is an important promotion for Mr.

Seymour, and he has received many con gratulations. Mr. Alfred Seymour is 53 years old. He was educated at St. An drew’s University, and joined the Colonial Office Service, as a cadet in Ceylon, in 1905, and rose, step by step, in that ad ministration, until he was Registrar-Gen eral, in 1926.

He was appointed Government Secre tary in Fiji in December, 1926, and he since has acted, on occasion, as Governor and High Commissioner. Before leaving Suva in May last for ten months’ furlough in England, Mr. Seymour was invested with the Order of C.M.G., which had been conferred upon him by the King.

Solomon Is. Goldmining

From Our Own Correspondent.

TULAGI, February 20.

A DEFINITE effort is now being made to put the Solomons gold industry on a satisfactory footing. Messrs. Thebon and J. Williamson arrived from Sydney by the February Malaita to inspect one of the propositions.

Two other syndicates actively inter ested in prospecting on Guadalcanal have availed themselves of the opportunity to have their areas given an expert survey, with a view to development or abandon ment, according to the verdict.

Two new German liners, which are be ing placed in the N.D.L. service between Hong Kong and Germany, have been named Scharnhorst and Gneisenau —recalling the names of German warships which made Pacific history in 1914.

Photograph taken during the visit to Fiji of the Duke of Gloucester.

Standing (left to right): Capt. A.

H. Stafford, Hon.

A.D.C.; Capt. D.

Schreiber, Extra Equery; Capt.

Howard Kerr, M.V.O., Equery; Major C. B. Joske,

M.C., Hon. A.D.C.

Sitting (left to right): Capt. A.

R. Curtis, C.M.G.,

C.B.C., M.C., Pri

vate Secretary; H.E. Sir Mur chison Fletcher,

K.C.M.G., C.B.E.,

Governor of Fiji; H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester; Ma jor-General How ard-Vyse, C.B., D.S.O., Chief of Staff; Capt. M.

Godley, A.D.C. —Photo by Caine, Suva.

Ceremonies

pp. 10-11

Ancient Samoan

Prince Henry Honoured With Rare King’s Kava

From Our Own Correspondent.

Apia, Feb. 12.

A MOST unique function arranged in honour of the Duke of Gloucester’s visit to Western Samoa was a huge native Ta’alolo (feast of welcome) held on Feb ruary 7 at Mulinu’u, the seat of the old kings of Samoa, now a suburb of Apia.

The quaint traditional rites and customs, reminiscent of the historical Samoan kings, greatly impressed the Royal visitor and astounded even local residents, who seldom have occasion to witness such a performance; while the King’s Kava, in tended to show deference to visitors of Royal blood, is executed only once in a generation The large Malae (village play-ground) in front of the Native Affairs Office, served as a theatre for the important ceremony.

Long before the proceedings started, about 8,000 Europeans and natives had gathered

in the vicinity. A prettily decorated dais had been erected at one end of the malae, from which the Prince and his suite could best follow the proceedings.

On arrival, His Royal Highness and party were welcomed by the native repre sentatives, the Hon. Malietoa, O.B.E., M.L.C., and the Hon. Mataafa, M.L.C., and the National Anthem was sung by a Native school choir. Leading Samoan chiefs and orators were then presented to the Duke, amongst whom were 29 Faipules (members of native parliament).

King’s Kava, a custom of respect to Royalty since immemorial times, was then prepared with many quaint rites. The people of the Falealili district (Southern Coast of Upolu), who are the hereditary purveyors of the rite to the Tupua, the head of one of the two main clans of the Samoans, performed the ceremony.

In former times at ceremonies the kava was chewed by certain dignitaries, and in daily life by girls, but to-day it is pounded by stones, mixed with water and strained in an ancient, reverently kept kava bowl.

Accompanied by various rigidly observed rites it is then poured into a coconut shell, and offered to the Royal recipient, who drinks it and hands the cup back, where upon a crier calls out his chiefly name and title. The ceremony is then repeated

for each recipient lower in rank than the first. The serving of the kava is accom panied by clapping of hands by all those present.

After the kava ceremony the Su’d Taute took place, the offering of food to Royalty.

To the accompaniment of beating drums a large line of Samoans, headed by a taupou (village virgin) approached the Duke, carrying an opened drinking coconut and cooked food, wrapped in leaves, amongst which was large cooked pig.

The Ta’alolos then followed by the tra ditional old districts of Savaii and Upolu.

The men of these districts in a dense crowd approached the dais, slowly march ing forward, singing songs of welcome, preceded by chiefs and a number of taupous in full ceremonial dancing dress with tuigas (high headdresses), dancing to the tune of the Samoan songs sung by the men. In front of the dais they paraded, district after district, offering a pretty and colourful typically Samoan spectacle.

After the ta’alolos a Samoan song in honour of the Royal visitor was sung by the male choir of Laulii village, followed by a dance performed by 200 girls from the Government native schools, dressed in Samoan style and singing songs specially composed in honour of the occasion. This dance and the subsequent performances of an axe dance by 200 natives of the Aana district, and a spear dance by 250 Manono Islanders were heartily applauded by the Prince and the large crowd.

At the finish of the programme a presen tation of gifts by representative Sameans from all the districts of Western Samoa took place. The gifts consisted ot fine mats, kava bowls, walking sticks, tapa cloth, native carvings, fans, etc.

Samoa

p. 10

Prince Henry’S Visit To

Top picture: The King’s Kava is served to His Royal Highness by the people of the Falealili dis trict of South Upolu. The Prince is seated on the prettily decorated dais.

Centre picture: The Royal party at Vailima, near Apia, the former home of Robert Louis Stevenson, and now the Residency. In the group—Seated, left to right: Mrs. Fairbrother, His Excellency the Administrator (Brigadier-General Hart), His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester, Mrs. Hart, Gene ral Howard-Vyse. Standing, left to right: Lieut.

Schreiber, Captain Curtis (Private Secretary), Miss Hart. Captain Howard-Kerr, Captain Fairbrother,

A.D.C.

Lower picture: The arch of honour in front of the new business premises of Messrs. Burns Philp (S.S. Co.) Ltd. in Apia.

New Co. For Papua

T'HE following appeared in the Sydney newspapers at the end of February: British Australian Fibre Co. Ltd., capi tal £750,000, in shares of £1 each, was registered in Canberra. The objects of this company are the production of nipa palm, the extraction of alcohol, and the manu facture of paper pulp from palm and other fibre in Papua and New Guinea.

Subscribers: D. Hampson, J. C. Paige, E.

D. Antire, B. H. Oxlade, A. D. Reid, C. E.

Taylor, S. I. Battershill.

This is a new concern formed to take over the Commonwealth Hemp Corpora tion Ltd. (which has been trying to estab lish sisal hemp in Papua) and other in terests. Its plans include the investiga tion of Kurukuru grass as a possible source of supply for paper pulp. The offices of the Co. are at 14 Martin Place, Sydney. Mr. E. J. Frame, of Port Moresby, who arrived in Sydney early in March, has been consulting with and advising the new company.

Papuan Kuru Kuru Grass

From Our Own Correspondent.

Port Moresby, Feb. 21.

A great deal of interest has been aroused by the investigations of Messrs.

W. D. and L. D. Mason, who arrived by the last Macdhui from Australia, repre senting a company which is testing the possibilities of paper pulp from the Kuru Kuru grass that abounds in the Terri tory.

The Kuru Kuru grass of Papua is said to be superior to the African grass known as Esparto for the manufacture of paper and paper materials. Messrs. W. D. and L. D. Mason left on February 20 for Kanosia, accompanied by Mr. R. A.

Goodyear, to inspect suitable areas.

The Mau

Prince Henry And

Incident of Samoan Visit

WE have been supplied with copies of two letters, signed by leaders of the Mau, which were sent to Government House, Apia, on February 5, 1935, on the occasion of the visit of H.R.H. the Duke of Gloucester. They are as follow: — Faleata, Vaimoso, 5th February, 1935.

His Excellency, Brigadier-General H. E. Hart, Administrator for Western Samoa, Apia.

Sir, —We beg leave to enclose a letter to His Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester which we respectfully ask you to cause to be delivered to His Royal Highness on his arrival in Samoa, and wish to repeat to Your Excellency our regrets that conditions still existing in Samoa do not per mit of our participating in the welcome reception and function being prepared for His Royal High ness. The ceremony to be held at the Clock Tower only reminds us that the man who pre sented that memorial, and paid for most of the cost of the tower is now in exile from his native country, because of the harsh laws against which we have complained for so long without avail. We feel confident that should His Royal Highness desire it, the whole of our petitions and prayers for the redress of our grievances will be placed before him.

We have the honour to remain. Sir, Your most humble servants, (Signed by 14 Mau leaders).

“Samoa Mo Samoa”

Faleata, Vaimoso, 5th February, 1935.

His Royal Highness, The Duke of Gloucester, Apia.

Sir, —On behalf of the Samoan national organisa tion known as “O le Mau” of which the very large majority of the Samoans are adherents, we beg leave to extend to Your Royal Highness a sin cere welcome to Samoa, and our heartiest good wishes that you will enjoy your short stay in our country.

It was our earnest hope that the Mandatory Government will have given due consideration to our longstanding and oft-repeated complaints, and removed the harsh laws against us, so we could have gladly participated in the welcome functions and addresses being prepared for Your Royal Highness. Nevertheless, we sincerely pray that your visit to these Islands will be a most interest ing, and a very successful one.

We have the honour to remain, Sir, Your most humble servants, (Sgd.) Tuimalealiifano, (Sgd.) Faumuina Fiame, Prince. President of the Mau. (Sgd.) Tamasese, Prince. (Sgd.) District of: Aufa’i Gagaemauga (Saleaula) Alipia S. Aana (Leulumoega) Tuilagi Faasaleleaga Tupa’i Atua (Lufilufi) Autagavaia Palauli Masoe E. Vaisigano Talamaivao Vaa-o-Fonoti Lavea T. Gagaifomauga (Safotu) Fata T. Tuamasaga (Tuisamau) Vaafataua’i Satupaitea Lei’ataua T. Aiga-i-le-Tai We have been informed that, at the end of February, the Mau leaders had received no acknowledgment of those letters.

Mr. L. H. Courlander and Mr. Riley, of the Solomon Islands, arrived in Sydney by the Malaita recently. While in Sydney they made their headquarters at “Belve dere,” Darlinghurst.

Mrs. G. F. Cradick, of Lautoka, Fiji, arrived in Australia recently after an ex tended tour of Europe and England. She left Sydney for Suva by the Niagara on February 28.

This Land—Papua

WHATEVER call I felt to leave this land In bygone days, a prey to thoughts that seemed To promise more than what I had in hand Of calm and ease and pleasures real or dreamed; Whatever call I felt I must obey, To find relief from longing’s plaintive cry, It is to this wild land that now to-day My spirit clings, my calmer soul gives way.

I feel and know that here where I have fought And sinned and suffered, laughed at passion’s heat.

Drunk all the draughts of pleasure life has brought Or bitter cups of misery and defeat— Here in this land whose discords suit my ear, Whose features once were sullen in my eyes, This very land that has to me grown dear, Now holds me close in mild but sweet surprise.

Whatever call I feel to wander now To distant lands with wider ways that hold For other men a heavy-laden bough Of care, success, or crop of gleaming gold, This land the mother of all I know unkind, Whose wayward steps I never could explain, This very land the only place I find Where I can live at rest with heart and mind.

Richard Humphries.

Kikori, Papua.

Engineer

Mr. W. H. Taylour

Death of New Guinea Mining Engineer

AFTER a varied career in England, Australia, and New Guinea, Mr.

William Henry Taylour, a well-known figure in New Guinea mining circles, died at Wau, aged 72, on February 14. His son, Mr. Harold Taylour, is Government Mining Warden on the Morobe goldfield.

Mr. Taylour was born at Dover, England, in 1863, and went to Australia at the age of 20. In he became sub-editor of the “Mildura Cultivator,” and for many years was actively in terested in agriculture and citrus fruit growing.

The first intercolonial convention of fruit growers was convened through his efforts in 1894, and the following year he organised the first citrus fair held in Australia.

Going to Tasmania, he established and edited the “Mt. Lyall Standard” at Queenstown in 1896.

Then for almost 14 years he was metallurgical ac countant of Mt. Lyall Mining Co. During late years he had been connected with mining ventures in New Guinea.

At the time of his death, Mr. Taylour was N.G. representative for Enterprise of New Guinea N.L.

Owing to illness, arrangements had been made for him to depart for Melbourne on furlough, but a few days before he was due to leave for South his death occurred at Wau. Enterprise of New Guinea has appointed Mr. W. Cash to carry on Mr.

Taylour’s work for the company in the Morobe district.

Chrome Mine

Rich New Caledonian

From Our Own Correspondent.

Noumea, Feb. 4.

The Australian mining syndicate which held an option over the Sunshine Mine at Bomber, owned by Mr. Griffiths, has taken it up. It is understood that a company with 250,000 shares will be formed immediately to develop it.

For some time Mr. Griffiths has re ceived handsome offers for his mine, but feeling confident that it was exceptionally good, he held on to it.

The chrome on the dome of this mine is on the surface, and only needs a pick and shovel to develop it. Mr. Griffiths declares that it is even better below, and that three great spurs of pure chrome jut out on the far side of the mountain.

Tropicalities

p. 12

THE social life of Apia is not devoid of amusing incidents, and European residents, usually belonging to this or that clique, find the social game interest ing and entertaining. A certain highly placed official organised a champagne dinner and a dance at a certain place of entertainment recently. He had inten tionally and pointedly, for reasons of his own, omitted to invite to his party, given in honour of several distinguished visitors to Samoa, some of the more prominent residents of his set, who con sidered this omission a deliberate slight offered to them. They quickly decided to get even with their friend, and organized a “counter” dinner and dance on a much larger scale at another place of enter tainment, but at the identical time. Of the two parties, that of the official was a complete washout, while the “counter” party proved to be a huge success, form ing a welcome topic of conversation for several days on the Beach. Since then relations have been somewhat strained between the various sets of Apian society. * * * A SYDNEY journal, noted for the inti mate character of its social revelations, has announced, in a “front page story,” that Prince Henry became dis creetly gay in Suva. It is stated that the first evidence of His Highness’s determi nation to break away from official bore dom was seen at the Government Ball in Suva when, after a couple of duty dances, the Royal eye fell upon Miss Marjorie Harcourt, “the tall, blue-eyed, dark-haired daughter of a well-known Fiji family’’; and that he danced with her far more often than with any one girl during his tour. Later, at a private Government House dance, Miss Harcourt was again the favourite. At the conclusion of this function, the Prince clambered from his room down a fire-escape, and joined a merry “bacon-and-eggs” party at the house of a well-known bachelor. Here, His Highness again met Miss Harcourt and (says the newspaper, with a journal istic smack of its lips) he escorted the young lady home at 4 a.m. * * * MR. W. R. CARPENTER, since he pur chased the motor vessels “Rabaul” and “Salamaua” for the Pacific Ocean- Europe trade, has experienced some of the joys of trans-ocean shipowners. The “Rabaul,” en route to London from New Guinea, called at Darwin at the end of February; and had to lie there four days before a berth was available.

Then, because of the notorious “go slow” tactics of the wharf workers, and partly because of the lowness of the tide, she had to leave the berth with only about half of the 50 tons of pearl shell she was to have loaded for the London market.

When the Rabaul moved out into the channel, police searched the ship and found two men, who had stripped off all their clothing, owing to the excessive heat.

They were hiding underneath the cargo of copra in a forward hold. Soon afterwards, another stowaway was discovered among the cargo in the after hold. They were taken ashore by the police.

A search was also made for two men (one a prominent Communist), who went aboard early in the morning, but who were not seen to come ashore. They had not been found when the Rabaul finally clear ed the harbour.

Darwin was included in the itinerary of this new line because it was believed that added shipping facilities would assist in the development of the Northern Ter ritory. What with one thing and another, the shipowners must be wondering whether any public spirit is worth while, after all.

Later: Officially announced that no more Carpenter ships will call at Darwin. * * * JAPANESE cruisers will be seen in Is lands ports during the coming year. The training squadron cruisers Asama and Yakumo, under the command of Rear- Admiral Kanesaburo Nakamura, with 180 cadets, sailed from Yokosuka on Feb ruary 20, via Hongkong and Singapore, arriving at Fremantle on April 13. The cruisers will visit Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney, and New Zealand, returning via Suva, Apia, Honolulu, and the Man dated Islands. * * *

Congratulations To Mr. Jack

Hides, Papuan A.R.M., on the birth of a daughter. The happy event occurred in Camden, New South Wales, at the end of February. Both doing well. Jack Hides will not receive these congratula tions, nor recognise the glad thrill of proud paternity, for some months yet; because Mr. Hides is leading an explor ing expedition in the far interior of un known Papua. He disappeared, accord ing to plan, beyond the headwaters of the Fly River in January, and if all goes well his expedition will re-appear in the Mandated Territory of New Guinea, somewhere between Mount Hagen and the Sepik River, about May.

Messrs. Blackie, London, will publish this year a book recently written by Mr.

Hides. * * * WE beg to make formal protest against the continued use of “British” Solo mon Islands. The word “British” actu ally has no meaning. At the beginning of the century, as the result of some terri torial adjustments in the Pacific, the Northern Solomon Islands (Bougainville and Buka) went to Germany, while the remainder of the Solomons remained British. Thenceforward, we had the British and the German Solomons. But, in 1914, Germany lost her Pacific terri tories; and in 1920 Bougainville and Buka were included, with New Ireland and New Britain, as part of the Mandated Territory of New Guinea, and now virtually part of the British Empire, The use of the term “British” Solomons, therefore, has been quite unnecessary since 1920, and, indeed, absurd, and confusing to the people of the younger generation. * * * MR. A. H. E. SCOTT, who has just retired from the service of the Union Bank of Australia, joined that staff in Fiji in 1889; and he has told the newspapers some interesting things about that period. Fiji in 1893 was not linked by cable with the outside world. One day the mail steamer arrived with sufficient bullion aboard for the bank to make possible the immediate discharge in gold, if necessary, of all the Union Bank's liabilities to its Fijian customers. A mystified local manager rubbed his eyes.

Letters and newspapers brought by the steamer soon made things clear. The first great Australian banking crisis had arrived, and. the bank was determined not to risk suspension of payments even

by the most remote of its branches. But the run on the Fiji branch began and ended with a single customer, who was back next day to deposit the gold he had withdrawn. He did not redeposit it. The bank took the stand that it had no fur ther desire for his business. * * * A CHEERFUL letter is to hand from Mr. I. H. Grabowsky, general manager of Guinea Airways, Ltd., who recently underwent an operation in Melbourne and had one of his legs amputated. He now is making a satis factory recovery from his serious illness.

“I was particularly ‘tickled’ with your statement that I would be a better man with a wooden leg,” writes “Grab.” “I am in agreement with that fact myself and, to put it quite frankly, I was darned glad to get rid of the one that had been causing so much trouble.

“I do not know what my personal boys in New Guinea will think when I pass them over a perfectly good artificial leg to play around with and polish up. They tell weird stories about Shark-eye Park’s eye and artificial teeth, so there may be a few running around about the collapsible leg.”

Queen Of Sud-Est

p. 12

Mrs. Elizabeth Mahony, known to an earlier generation as “the Queen of Sud-Est Island," and still remembered and loved by all the older residents of Eastern Papua, is now living in Bathurst, N.S.W.

DEAR lady, if you would but please— For you amongst them long did. dwell — What stories of the tropic seas And Islands frolics you could tell!

You queened it o’er that coral isle, And ruled your subjects white and brown, At times by force, at times by guile, And some times merely with, a frown.

With confidence the natives came To sell to you the gold they’d won; You held respect, but, all the same, They knew how you could use a gun.

The gentle savage, white or tan.

Would see he didn’t get too. gay, While it was known you’d “get your man/ From over fifty yards away.

And when the stocks were getting low Around your little trading store You’d take a native crew and! go Away to Samarai, for more.

You’d safely steer your little craft Past island, atoll, reef, and palm, When seas were crashing fore and aft, Or when both wind and sea were calm-.

Whether skies were grey or blue, You’d never seem to care a rap; You’d bring your vessel safely through, With neither sextant, chart, nor map.

And when the stores were in the hold.

Be it sunshine, storm, or rain, Perchance if cyclone were foretold, You’d sail her straight back home* again.

Sick miners in that tropic land Young and blithe or old and grey, They blessed your skilful, soothing handl That drove their fevered pains away.

And victims of misfortune’s whim, Your help were always sure to find — Tho’ sometimes you looked rather grim, Your heart was tender, warm and kind.

Old days are gone; but know that we All join to wish you Fortune’s best.

In you, old timers always see Their Queen of Fair Sud-Est.

Frank Pryke.

Reconstruction

p. 13

New Guinea Goldfields Ltd. are Proposing Reconstruction

THERE is little comfort for either shareholders in New Guinea Goldfields Ltd. or the Administration of New Guinea in a statement made by Earl Castle Stew art, the chairman of the Mining Trust (which controls N.G.G. Ltd.) at the annual meeting of the Trust in London recently.

The Earl said that for some time past negotiations had been going on with the Sydney board of the New Guinea Gold fields Ltd. in regard to financial recon struction of the latter company. He had recently received a cablegram to the effect that agreement had been reached upon the general principles which should govern such a reorganisation. There were still some details of substantial importance to be settled.

Which probably means that, as we have forecast repeatedly, those shareholders of N.G.G. Ltd. who trustingly accepted N.G.G. scrip in payment for their valuable leases on the Morobe field, are going to “take it in the neck.” They have seen this “pup” of the all-powerful Mining Trust muddle along for about five years, wasting many tens of thousands of pounds through stupidity and inefficiency, and they are just as helpless to do anything now as they were then. It is a tragic example of the kind of thing that has distinguished some large-scale mining operations in every country and in every decade.

The Trust chairman stated also that New Guinea Goldfields Ltd. had in hand at the beginning of December £A240,255 and £stg 45,000 was due to the company as the remainder of the call on the Min ing Trust’s shares. It had been estimated that ore reserves at the Golden Ridges would permit of work being continued until early in 1936 at the present rate of profit. Before then the mill at Edie Creek would be erected and would be treating 30,000 tons a year. It was estimated that the scale of operations could be maintain ed for five years at least.

It was impossible to estimate profits from alluvial work (he continued) and no statement of annual profits for the five year period could be made. Further profits would depend on the results of develop ment work now being undertaken to test the Edie veins at depth, and on discoveries on the other leases of the company. The search for sulphide ore in depth on the Edie veins was being continued by drift ing from the No. 1 shaft.

Any casual person, reading that vague statement of pious hopes, would suppose that N.G.G. Ltd. had commenced opera tions quite recently. Instead the Co, has been at work in New Guinea for at least five years. The Mining Trust group and the Placer-Bulolo group got in on this rich, new goldfield almost simultaneously.

The Placer-Bulolo people formulated a plan and set to work to produce gold on a worth-while scale; and their gold has been coming out for the better part of two years, on a steadily increasing scale, to the great enrichment of the Territory. By comparison, the Mining Trust-N.G.G. Ltd. group have not appeared in a favourable light. Their gold production to-day, when set against the issued capital of N.G.G.

Ltd. (4,405,389 shares of £1, of which 4,130,389 are fully paid) is ludicrous— particularly when it is remembered that N.G.G. Ltd. is squatting on a large sec tion of the rich and still undeveloped leases of the field.

Bulolo G.D. Ltd.’s £1 shares are quoted

at £9; N.G.G. Ltd.’s £1 shares at 6/3.

Further comment is needless.

The Annual Meeting

The annual meeting of shareholders in New Guinea Goldfields, Ltd., will be held in Sydney on March 27. It is reported that Mr. Frank Hambridge will retire from the directorate.

A proposition has been made—but, we understand, has not been seriously con sidered—that the interests of New Guinea Goldfields, Ltd., should be sold to the Placer-Bulolo group; or that, alterna tively, the two groups should be amal gamated. From the public point of view, it seems a great pity that something of the kind cannot be done. The connec tion with Placer-Bulolo would provide a guarantee that operations on the field would move swiftly on a well-ordered plan, and that there would be adequate gold-production within a reasonable time; and it also would assist the un fortunate N.G.G. shareholders by raising immediately the market value of their holdings.

Something of a definite and drastic character should be done. Only a super optimist can expect the price of gold to remain indefinitely at its present level.

If N.G.G. continue at their present rate they will reach worth-while production about 1938, when the economic pendulum will be swinging back to lower gold prices. [Since the above article was put into type, the company’s directors issued their annual report, and proposals, for the general meeting. It is proposed to reduce nominal capital from £5,250,000, in £1 shares, to £1,312,500, in 5/- shares.

Paid-up capital which has been lost or is, unrepresented by available assets is to be cancelled, representing a loss of 15/- per share on 4,472,331 issued shares that is, £3,354,248 is to be wiped out.

The issued capital would then be £1,118,083, in 5/- shares.]

Governor Of Fiji

p. 13

Sir Murchison Fletcher, K.C.M.G., Gov ernor of Fiji, left Suva for England by the Niagara on March 8. He intends to return at the end of July.

Our Suva correspondent reports that during the absence on leave of Sir Mur chison Fletcher, Hon. A. A. Wright, the Acting Colonial Secretary, is to act as officer administering the Government of Fiji, whilst Hon. A. L. Armstrong is to act as Colonial Secretary. The affairs of the Western Pacific High Commission will be administered by the Assistant to the High Commissioner, Captain Sir Maxwell Maxwell-Anderson, C.B.E., R.N. (retired).

The health of the Governor of Fiji (who is also High Commissioner for the Wes tern Pacific) has not been satisfactory, and he is suffering from nervous strain.

He plans to return in July; but as his term of office expires about September he is unlikely to do so unless his appoint ment is extended for another twelve months. In any case, a lot depends upon medical advice.

Sir Murchison joined the Colonial Ser vice in Hongkong in 1901, and most of his earlier career was in the East. Later, he had a strenuous period of service as Colonial Secretary in Ceylon at the time when the Donaughmore report was being framed. From Ceylon he was appointed to his present post in 1930. His prede cessor, Sir Eyre Hutson, had taken office when the Colony’s balance sheet showed an accumulated deficit of nearly £250,000, but had turned that deficit into a surplus. Sir Murchison continued the good work and to-day the Colony’s accu mulated surplus is round about the half million mark. Naturally such an amaz ing reversal inside a decade has been only possible through unexpected wind falls, such as gold sales and exchange,. but Sir Murchison’s policy of stringent and meticulous economy has helped con siderably to build up the present rock sound state of affairs.

Mr. C. Southey, of Ba, Fiji, was stay ing at “Belvedere,” Darlinghurst. early in March. He was joined later by his son Jack, from Norfolk Island.

About Islands People

p. 14

Miss Patience Rowe, B.A., Th.L., of Labasa, Fiji, who had been in Bundaberg and Brisbane on furlough, left Queens land on February 18 to return to her mis sion station.

Mr. T. J. Shepherd and Mr. J. Victor, Victorian mining engineers, left Mel bourne for Suva by the Mariposa on March 2. On behalf of the Australian Prospecting Co. N.L., they will prospect several gold-bearing areas in Fiji.

Mr. C. Thebon, mining, engineer for Pioneer Goldmining Syndicate N.L., de parted for the Solomon Islands from Sydney by the Malaita on March 9. In January last he left Sydney for Guadal canal to examine an auriferous deposit there. While in the Protectorate, he was laid up with dysentery and was ordered back to Sydney for treatment.

He has now returned to S.I. to carry out further investigations for six weeks on Guadalcanal.

Mr. E. C. Carr arrived recently in Papua to collect specimens of plant life for the British Museum. He left Pt.

Moresby in February for Kanosia and the western districts, where he com menced his collections.

Sir Maynard Hedstrom, of Suva, has been appointed to the boards of Koroere Gold N.L. and Loloma Gold Mines N.L.

He is a director of Messrs. Morris Hed strom Ltd., and a member of the Execu tive and Legislative Councils of Fiji.

Mr. S. Elliott Smith, Patrol Officer in the Papuan Administration, who has been stationed for some time at loma, is at present on leave. In February, he was spending a quiet holiday with relatives at Bathurst, N.S.W.

Mr. W. E. Grose, of Kavieng, New Ireland, who has been visiting Sydney, sailed by the Orontes on March 13 for the Far East. He will return to Rabaul in June.

Mr. N. Hagen, well-known merchant and ship-owner of Noumea, who has been spending a few days in Brisbane and Sydney, will leave for New Caledonia before the end of the month.

Mr. Dermott Lane, son of the late Dr.

R. M. Lane, of Melbourne, and Mrs. H.

M. Lane, of Manly, sailed for Edie Creek by the Macdhui on March 14.

Prior to leaving Sydney, he announced his engagement to Miss Anne D’Arcy, of Newcastle.

Pastor A. G. Stewart, of the Seventh Day Adventist Mission, left by the March Macdhui to visit the St. Mathias Group, in New Guinea, and the Ramu-Purari section of the Morobe goldfield. He will return to Sydney in May.

Mr. L. Williams, of the staff of Messrs.

Burns Philp (S.S.) Co. Ltd., at Ma kambo, Solomon Islands, has been trans ferred to Salamaua, in the Mandated Ter ritory of New Guinea.

Mr. T. H. Downs and his wife, of the Solomon Islands, are at present spending their furlough at Mittagong, New South Wales.

Right Rev. Walter H. Baddeley, M.A., Bishop of Melanesia, arrived in Sydney via Brisbane on March 12. He addressed meetings of the Australian Board of Missions, and left for Perth on March 17.

He will return to Sydney, after visiting Adelaide and Melbourne, and depart for the Solomon Islands by the Malaita on April 18. Bishop Baddeley who, before going to the South Seas, was Vicar at South Bank, England, had a very dis tinguished war record, being awarded the M.C. and D.S.O.

Mr. Charles Lewaid, of Kalbar, Queens land, left Brisbane for New Guinea early in February. He proceeded to Madang, where he will do mission work for the Lutheran Church.

Mr. Frank Stock, postmaster of the Solomon Islands Protectorate, left Sydney by the Ballarat on March 6, for furlough in England.

Miss Margaret Carvers, who has been working for the Melanesian Mission for two years, returned to Raga station in the New Hebrides by the Morinda on February 14.

When You Visit Sydney

p. 14

Nowhere can you be more highly re commended to stay than at the Great Southern Hotel, 717-723 George Street, Sydney (facing Central Railway Station, opposite Rawson Place). Bed and break fast 7/6, luncheon 2/-. dinner 2/6.

About Inlands People

pp. 15-16

Dr. E. P. Ellison, who took command of the situation following the hurricane in Rarotonga last month, in the absence of the Commissioner (Judge Ayson), is a New Zealander, who has served as a medical officer in different parts of the Pacific. He comes from well-known South island stock, and married into the famous Taia roa family, of football prowess. Dr. Elli son was himself a footballer of promin ence in his young days.

Professor Peter Buck and Mrs. Buck, who have been staying in Tahiti for some months, arrived in New Zealand by the “Maunganui” en route to their home in Honolulu, where the former will resume his duties at the Bishop Museum.

Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata, until recently Native Minister in New Zealand, is seri ously ill in Rotorua, and has been excused from attendance in Parliament.

Judge Ayson, Resident Commissioner for the Cook Islands, who went to New Zea land on furlough by the last “Makura,” left Wellington hurriedly on his return by the same vessel when he learned the extent of damage sustained by Rarotonga and other islands following the recent hurricane. Consequently, a proposed stay in Rotorua was abandoned.

Dr. N. T. Coulson, a retired American doctor of dentistry, departed from Sydney by the Montoro in February on a visit to Papua and New Guinea. An Englishman by birth, Mr. Coulson was a member of the company on the mission ship Southern Cross, which left Cornwall and sailed the South Seas with Bishop Patteson, who was later murdered by Santa Cruz natives in the Solomon Islands. Having attained the venerable age of 80 years, Dr. Coul son was anxious to visit Norfolk Island and New Hebrides to view again the Islands among which he voyaged as a youth. Unfortunately, however, he was unable to make satisfactory steamer con nections, and was compelled to abandon his plans. On his return from the Man dated Territory in March, he will sail direct for his home in San Francisco.

Mr. Frank Hambridge, the local head of New Guinea Goldfields Ltd., returned to Sydney by the Narkunda in February, after visiting New York, London, and Paris.

Mr. D. G. Kennedy and Mr. H. E. Maude, Administrative Officers in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands service, have been appoint ed by the Western Pacific High Commis sion as Native Lands Commissioners for the Ellice Islands and Gilbert Islands, respectively.

Mr. H. Pitman, driller, and Mr. S. C.

Shaw, engineer, arrived in Sydney re cently from South Australia, en route to the New Guinea goldfields, where they will complete a 12 months’ engagement with Guinea Gold N.L. They sailed for the Territory by the Macdhui on January 31.

Mr. E. G. Banks, technical managing director for Australian Mining Trust, Limited, sailed from Melbourne for Fiji

on February 28 to inspect certain areas in which Australian Mining Trust Limi ted is interested. Mr. Banks, who is a director of Loloma Gold Mines, N.L., Fiji, will also visit that company’s property.

Rev. H. S, Perkins, London Missionary Society worker, who had been at Apia, Western Samoa, from 1925 until he left with his wife for England last year, will return to Australia in April next. For six months he will do deputation work in various Australian States and will then sail for Samoa.

Sir Charles Marr, M.P., who is chairman of directors of Mineral Developments, Ltd., returned to Sydney by the Niagara on February 23, after visiting the company’s gold options at Tavua, Fiji. He said there were big possibilities for gold mining in the group.

Rev. Alfred A. Butchart, of the Melane sian Mission at North Mala, S.I., fell down some steps at his home on Malaita in February, and broke his left leg in three places. He was put aboard the Malaita and spent the whole of the voyage South in his bunk, with his leg in plaster. At Sydney he was trans

ferred by ambulance to St. Luke’s Hos pital, Darlinghurst, where he was re ported at the middle of March to be making good progress.

Captain J. L. W. Rawson, skipper of Lever’s Pacific Plantations Ltd. motor vessel Kurimarau, was in Tulagi Hos

pital in February suffering from a septic elbow. He made a quick recovery, how ever, and has now resumed command of the Kurimarau.

Mrs. C. Kendrick, a well-known and popular resident of Papua, left Port Moresby for Queensland by the Montoro on February 7. On arrival in Brisbane she was married on February 19 to Mr.

James Wilton, of Watut, New Guinea.

Mr. F. L. Pinching, travelling medical officer for Lever’s Pacific Plantations, Ltd., in the Solomon Islands, returned to Gavutu by the March Malaita, after furlough in Australia.

Mr. G. Pinchot, late Governor of the State of Pennsylvania, with his wife, arrived in Tahiti in February by the Stella Polaris. Mr. Pinchot is an ardent fisherman and his stay in Tahiti will be devoted chiefly to the pursuit of sword fish and other pelagic monsters for which those waters are noted.

Mr. Georges Simeon, correspondent of the French newspaper “Paris Soir,” arrived in Tahiti by the Ville de Verdun recently and has taken up his residence in the Murnau establishment at Punaavia.

Mr. Simeon is the author of a number of romances, and it is understood that his visit to Tahiti is in connection with another story which is shortly to be put on the French screen.

Mr. Loring Andrews, American writer and author of “The Horizon Chaser” and “Isles of Eden,’’ left for the States last month after over a year’s residence in the Cook Islands. He completed, during his visit, a new novel which will appear under the title of “Nature Boy.” The most accomplished accordion player heard in those parts for many years, Loring Andrews was a popular figure among the Maoris, with whom he lived as one of themselves, becoming an expert underwater fisherman, using diving glasses and a twelve foot spear.

Mrs. P. Hinds, wife of Mr. Percy Hinds, merchant, of Pt. Moresby, and late of Daru, Western Papua, is the proud mother of a baby girl—Elvira Edna— born at Newcastle, N.S.W., on Feb ruary 26.

Mr. Osbert Freeman, aged 59, of Nadu ruloulou, Fiji, died after a sudden col lapse at his home on February 8. Going to Australia from England as a boy, he lived for some years at Bodalla, N.S.W.

About the year 1900, Mr. Freeman went to Fiji and was for many years engaged in sugar-growing at Rewa. Recently, however, he had been farming at Vunitoa.

Mr. J. D. Rogers, who for the past five years was assistant general manager of

the Vacuum Oil Co. in Western Australia, has now taken up the position of N.S.W. assistant general manager for the com pany. Mr. Rogers had a distinguished war record, and was awarded the Mili tary Cross and the Croix de Guerre.

Mr. H. C. Monckton, accompanied by his wife and daughter, returned to Fiji by the Aorangi on February 8, after sev eral months’ furlough. He is a senior District Commissioner of the Colony, and is stationed at Rewa.

Mrs. Leah Levy, of Suva, who had re sided in Fiji since 1913, died at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital on Feb ruary 15, at the age of 75.

Miss F. Johnstone was a passenger to Papua by the last Montoro. On her arri val at Port Moresby, she was met by her fiance, Mr. R. Hunter, manager of the Papuan Courier. Their marriage will take place at Port Moresby in the near future.

Mr. William Broedelow, who was born at Lomaloma, Dau Group, in 1891, died at Suva on February 14, after a short illness.

At an early age he went to Western Samoa, and there resided for many years.

In 1924, he returned to Fiji, and had since been employed in the Fiji Public Works Department. Though a reserved and quiet citizen, Mr. Broedelow was very popular with his large circle of friends.

He is survived by a widow and two children.

Madame Unger, wife of M. Adolphus Unger, Conseillor-General of New Cale donia, died at her home in the Valle de Colon on January 5. She was a member of one of the old families of the Colony, and was loved and respected by many friends.

Rev. D. M. Cattanach arrived in Fiji by the Aorangi on February 8 to replace Rev. T. H. Roseveare at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Suva. Mr. and Mrs. Roseveare departed for New Zea land by the Niagara the following week.

Mis Estelle Field, of the Melanesian Mission hospital on Malaita, Solomon Islands, who has been on short furlough, arrived in Australia early in March after visiting her relatives in New Zealand.

She left Sydney for S.I. by the Malaita on March 9.

Mr. Lucien Sigogne, Consul for Sweden at Papeete, Tahiti, died at Darlinghurst, Sydney, on February 27. During a voyage across the Tasman from Welling ton, New Zealand, to Australia, on board the Monowai, he became seriously ill.

When the Monowai reached Sydney, Mr.

Sigogne was rushed to Wootton private hospital, but there died two days later.

Engagement

p. 15

THE engagement is announced of Miss Olive Leiwia Newman, elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.

F. Newman, of Pentecost, New Hebrides, to Mr. Stanley Breusch, of Longana, New Hebrides, eldest son of Mr, and Mrs. J. Breusch, of Bundaberg, Queensland.

Copra Outlook

p. 17

Will Prices Stay on Higher Plane?

THE following interesting summary of the copra market in 1934 and pros pects in 1935 was issued by Messrs.

Faure Blattman and Co., London, on January 14: The imports into and exports from the United Kingdom of oils, fats and oil seeds, the latter converted into their oil equivalent, for 1934, as compared with the previous two years, show that the net impor: s, arrived at by deducting the ex ports from the imports, including butter, lard, and margarine, amounted to 1,263,888 tons during 1934, against 1,202,821 tons during 1933, and 1,139,439 tons dur ing 1932. The total net imports for De cember, 1934, amounted to 96,098 tons, against 93,316 tons for December, 1933.

In all our recent monthly reviews, we have had to report a steady advance in markets, and a prospect of a further lift ing of values. In our last review, we foresaw a temporary halt in the Ameri can buying, and although for a few days American buyers did hold off, the de mand was soon renewed with increased vigour, with the result that we have seen a sharp advance all along the line, apply ing to practically all oils and oilseeds.

Even copra, which up to quite recently continued to be sadly neglected, suddenly seems to have come to life and has seen a rise of over £2 per ton since our last report.

There is no doubt that consumers in Europe are gradually waking up to the fact that this American buying is more than just a temporary wave, but that there is a real shortage to be made up, and tljat the American consumers will continue to be in the market until they have satisfied their requirements.

The latest reports on hog production in the U.S.A. are generally construed as extremely bullish, and the same applies to the prospects of tallow production, pros pective supplies of both of which must be wery seriously affected by last year’s drought.

If it had not been for the exchange diffi culties in Central Europe, which have caused Germany and other Central Euro peans countries to remain practically out of the market for months, there is no doubt that we would have seen a much sharper advance, and the rise might even have been in the nature of a panic.

One of the reasons why the Germans have been able to refrain from buying is no doubt to be found in their large pur chases of whale oil which would be equivalent to a cover for the imports of fat for two or three months, their only other purchases being effected by corti pensation business, that is to say, bar tered against German goods. It is gene rally recognised that Germany is getting to the point where she is again in need of oils and fats, and one hears already of large purchases of butter, etc., whioh have been made in the Argentine. We may therefore assume that before long the imports of oils and fats will again be given precedence in the allotment of foreign exchange, and that Germany will once again enter the market, although the tendency will be only to buy what is absolutely needed.

The latest figures on the whale oil catch show a production at the end of December of 666,490 barrels, against 1,207,450 barrels in 1933/34, and 1,132,750 barrels in 1932/33. This, however, does not mean any falling-off in the supply of

whales, but is due entirely to the agree ment to commence fishing operations only on the Ist December.

The American cotton oil consumption for December was 250,347 barrels. This figure in itself cannot really be construed as either bullish or bearish, as it is just what the trade expected. It is, kowever, well up to the average of last year, and in view of the heavy consumption during the first months of the present season, leaves the deficiency foreseen in our last month’s report unchanged.

There is no doubt that the feeling is gradually gaining ground that the low level of prices of oils and fats to which we have grown accustomed in recent years must be looked upon as a thing of the past, and that prices for some time to come will stay on a higher plane.

Mr. A. H. Marlow, of Fiji, has been elected a member of the Suva Municipal Council to replace Mr. W. G. Halstead, who recently retired.

Tricks of European Buyers

p. 17

Free Fatty Acid

From a Special Correspondent.

London, Feb. 3.

YOUR cartoon in the December P.1.M., concerning “free fatty acid” in copra, is timely.

Do you know that buyers in Europe, as a regular practice, use free fatty acid as an unfair means to get copra for a lower price? The United Stated buyers seldom, if ever, make any claim on this account; but, here in London, the buyers claim ar bitration as soon as the steamer is re ported in the Channel, and they go to all lengths to try and get some reduction in price.

Free fatty acid, according to expert modern chemists, is not the trouble that some manufacturers say it is; and, with present-day methods, neutralisation is a fairly simple matter.

Ex-Queen Of

p. 18

Tahiti

Death of Pomare V.’s Divorced Wife

From Our Own Correspondent.

Papeete, Feb. 13.

February 2 the titular ex-Queen of Tahiti, Joanna Marautaaroa Salmon, died, aged 74, in Papeete Hospital, after a grave operation. As befitted her im portant position in local society, she was accorded an impressive funeral, at which the French Administration was fully rep resented, and to which delegations from all the districts of Tahiti and Moorea were in attendance. Her passing represents the severance of a very interesting link be tween present day conditions and Tahiti of olden days.

Madame Marautaaroa Salmon was the daughter of an Englishman named Alex ander Salmon, who married Ariitaimai, the daughter of Tati, chief of Papara district, by whom he had eight children. Ariitaimai, though not of Royal blood, was of good lineage, and had been brought up by the same foster-mother who reared Queen Pomare IV., who reigned from 1827 to 1877. In consequence of this association a deep affection existed between Pomare IV. and her foster-sister Ariitaimai, which later came to fruition in the marriage of the Queen’s son (afterwards Pomare V.) and Marautaaroa Salmon. This marriage, which was consummated shortly before the death of Queen Pomare IV., was neither happy or fruitful.

Not long after his accession to the throne of Tahiti in 1877, Pomare V. di vorced Marautaaroa, who thereupon re sumed her maiden name of Salmon. King Pomare V. never re-married and died without issue in 1891. He it was who ceded Tahiti and its dependencies to France in 1880, and who was, therefore, the last reigning King of Tahiti. Marau taaroa Salmon, however, was recognised by the French Government as the ex- Queen of Tahiti, and was granted a pen sion up to the time of her decease.

Of stately presence, finished education, and strong personality, the titular ex- Queen maintained the dignity of her as sumed rank, especially in the eyes of foreign visitors, and of those local resi dents not familiar with the history and genealogy of the Tahitian Royal family- The majority of the natives, however, un yielding in their allegiance to the legiti mate inheritors of the blood Royal, ac cepted Madame Marautaaroa with re serve.

The present head of the Royal Pomare family is the younger brother of Pomare V., Ariipaea Pomare, the last surviving son of Prince Hinoi (deceased in 1916), who was the eldest son of Teriitua (called by the French, Joinville). There are eight adult princes and princesses to day of the blood Royal in Tahiti, six of whom are the direct descendants of Ta matoa, through his daughters Teriivaetua and Teriinavahorua. The other two are Ariipaea Pomare and his sister Tetuanui, grandchildren of Teriitua (Joinville). Ta matoa and Teriitua are the only children of Queen Pomare IV., who left legitimate issue.

Rev. and Mrs. H. Johnstone returned to Suva by the Mariposa on March 6, for work at the Methodist Mission at Nad roga, Fiji.

Young N. Guinea Officer Murdered

p. 19

By Police Boy

A.D.O. McDonald Fatally Shot While Asleep

ATTACKED by a demented police boy, Edward Colin McDonald, A.D.O., at Ambunti, New Guinea, was shot dead while asleep, at dawn on February 27, during an exploring trip into unknown regions near the Papuan border. The frantic native, who had “run amok,” was overpowered while attempting suicide and was found to be suffering from severe concussion.

Assistant District-Officer McDonald, the second son of the Mayor of Geelong (Councillor E. A. McDonald), was 29 years of age, and unmarried. He had been in the service of the New Guinea Administration for 11 years.

Educated at Geelong High School and the Melbourne University, Mr. McDonald was one of the first two cadets chosen from hundreds of applicants throughout the Commonwealth for appointment to the New Guinea Service. After a 12 months’ course at Sydney University, he qualified in anthropology and law, and then commenced service in the Territory.

He was appointed A.D.O. in 1933, being stationed at Ambunti, a small Government outpost about 250 miles up the Sepik River.

In 1932 while a patrol officer, Mr.

McDonald had a narrow escape from death at the hands of hostile natives. A recruiter named Exton had been clubbed to death in uncontrolled country, and Colin McDonald was sent out to arrest the murderers. His party was ambushed, and it was only after a sharp fight that the police party escaped with their lives.

McDonald arrested nine natives, seven of whom were later sentenced to death for murder.

When on furlough a few years ago, Mr.

McDonald qualified as an air pilot. In 1933 he made a world tour, spending some time in Great Britain and on the Con tinent.

Last Letter To Parents

The last news obtained by his parents in Geelong from Mr. McDonald was received quite recently in a letter dated December 31. At that time he was operating from a base on the Sepik, three days inland by canoe from Angoram. Mr.

McDonald expected to travel further up the Sepik, and then hit across the mountainous country and reach a lake, 9000 ft. above sea level, which is believed to lie in that area.

He described the big trip ahead and endeavoured to dispel fears of possible danger by light-heartedly commenting, “Anyway, I’m getting too old to look for trouble, so I am avoiding it this time.”

“This may possibly be the last letter you will receive for a long time,” he

wrote, “as I am going away for three months into country which has never previously been explored by Europeans.

“I expect to be away for three months, but don’t worry. I am taking a young cadet with me and a party of police boys.

It will be good experience of the bush life for the cadet.”

The natives of the area between Sepik River and the Papuan border were, he said, reported to be rather friendly to Europeans. “So,” he added, “there will be no trouble with them.”

Friend of the Stone Age

pp. 19-21

THE following tribute to Mr. E. C.

McDonald and his work in the Mandated Territory, written by Mr. Bertram Calcutt, who was formerly an Assistant District Officer in the New Guinea Administration, and who is now resident in

Sydney, appeared in the “Sydney Morning Herald” on March 9: I first met Colin McDonald at Gasmata, New Britain, in 1929, a fortnight after the chief, Porlo, had felled me with an axe.

A few weeks later, after a stay in hospital, I returned to Gasmata, where I found that McDonald had the chief in custody, and that Porlo’s area had been quietened by him.

McDonald was then a patrol officer and a magistrate of the Native Court, and 23 years old. He was of military bearing, well-educated, and of good family. About Moewe Harbour was an area which was a fester on New Britain; the people lived in stockades built under fig-trees, the trees themselves being converted into fortresses into which the natives retired at an alarm; and it was the last stronghold of widow-strangling, a deeply religious ceremony. I had patrolled through portion of the area the previous year, and I then decided that a military situation existed in it, requiring only a strong hand.

McDonald was athletic, could do anything physically which the Stone Age could do, and he had physical and moral courage.

He was an officer of the Commonwealth Forces, and had the command of men, his

patrol organisation being the model of efficiency.

An Outstanding Triumph

In 1929 I sent McDonald to Moewe Harbour with instructions to bring the area under control, after building a substation at a place to be selected by him self, and to abolish the custom of strangling a man’s widow, or widows (for they were polygamous), immediately after his death. Formerly immolation of women was the custom in the whole of the area between Cape Merkus and Roebuck Bay, on southern New Britain, the native belief being that at death a man required everything he had possessed on earth. His coconut palms were cut down, his garden stripped for a feast, his house burned down, and his pigs killed for a feast; finally, his widow was strangled, after a gruesome dance under the waistband with which her blood-relations killed her. There are still recrudescences of the ceremony, but McDonald more than any other, by his presence and dash, must have saved the lives of hundreds of widows.

He was then fresh from his courses at the University of Sydney in anthropology, public health, law, and physical geography, and this knowledge, combined with his personality and dash, fitted him for the stupendous task of refining the Stone Age and bringing its conduct into line with that of educated English people.

By Christmas, 1929, McDonald, metaphorically, had the Stone Age people of Moewe Harbour “eating out of his hand,” and on such good terms was he with them that even the savage yokels from far inland attended his feasting and dancing assembly at Arung Bay, and a spot which was formerly a fester took on a healthy appearance. McDonald was young, but he did not fail to carry the heavy responsibilities I had placed on him, and Moewe

Harbour, an area where Government in fluence was small because of the natives' resistance to penetration of their country is one of his triumphs.

I next heard of McDonald in 1933, when, he was in charge of Wewak, on the New Guinea mainland, at which place I was in charge in 1925. At 27 McDonald had been promoted to the position of Assistant District Officer, a magisterial office with the same powers as a police magistrate in Australia. The hinterland, as with Moewe Harbour, needed a firm guiding hand, and McDonald distinguished himself by pressing deep into the Sepik Basin, at places fighting through armed opponents, to a village in which a recruiter had been murdered. He was tall and thin, healthy, physically and mentally vigorous; just the type of man the Stone Age admires —a foeman worthy of their spears, and one to whom it was not disgraceful to submit.

Exacting Service

The Sepik Basin was just the place for a man of McDonald’s ability, although it is a ghastly drain on health. McDonald was in charge at Ambunti, the Government station established in 1925, situated about 240 miles along the course of the Sepik River from the coast. I was stationed there in 1925 and 1926, and spent nine months amongst myriads of mosquitoes in the swamps which fringe the river.

Service there is the severest drain on physical and mental health, and the people need a strong hand, such as McDonald and few others could show.

There must be a quarter of a million members of the Stone Age in the Sepik.

Basin, and at the time of his death Mc- Donald was their temporal leader, guide, and friend. This at twenty-nine!

The Sepiks are head-hunters except in those areas under full Government con-

trol, head-hunting simply being part of a boy’s initiation to the privileges and re sponsibilities of manhood. The natives are grand physical and mental types, courageous, superior, and have highly cul tured arts and crafts. In the well-edu cated McDonald the Steel Age had sent its best product to guide, refine, and pro tect the Stone Age, which is the Stone Age’s right.

On February 27, 1935, McDonald was asleep in that sweet coolness of a tropic dawn, when he was shot by one of his own men, a maniacal police “boy.” The man whose sole aim was to guide, refine, and protect the Stone Age was destroyed by it. Vale, Colin McDonald—a splendid son of Australia!

Honour For Tahiti

p. 21

Botanist

From Our Own Correspondent.

Papeete, Feb. 12.

IN recognition of his services to agriculture in the Colony, Mr. Harrison W.

Smith, at one time Professor of Electrical Engineering at the Massachusetts Insti tute of Technology (Boston, U.S.A.), lias recently had conferred upon him by the French Government the distinction of Chevalier du Merite Agricole.

Since his arrival here many years ago with a cargo of tropical plants and seeds from Borneo and the East Indies, Mr.

Smith has been actively engaged in the introduction and propagation of useful plants and trees. His plantation at Pa peari has developed into a fair-sized botanical garden, the practical value of which will become more and more appre ciated as time goes on.

N. Guinea Expeditions

p. 21

Two Advertised in London Arouse Criticism

THE London newspaper, “John Bull,” of January 26, 1935, with unfavourable criticism, reviews “two remarkable ex peditions to the South Sea Islands,” which at that time were being extensively ad vertised in England.

The South Seas Film Expedition pro posed to go to New Guinea in a “luxurious yacht” (the “Jungle Hawk,” said to be lying at Southhampton) to make a film of wild animal life and of tribal customs, in the unexplored interior. A party of ten persons is to penetrate the region be tween Port Moresby and Aitape. The producer and general manager of the ex pedition (Mr. E. A. Cross) hopes to find, among the unexplored swamps and moun tains, “prehistoric animals and mon sters the like of which have never yet been seen by civilised man.” The secre tary is Mr. V. H. Tumidge, and the offices are in High Holborn. “John Bull” says that persons have been asked to sub scribe varying amounts, from £750 to £20,000.

The other concern has its offices at 84 Kingsway, and is directed by Lieut.- Colonel Delme-Radcliffe, D.S.O., formerly of the Indian Army, who is trying to get in touch with men to put in £400 each, wherewith to seek for gold in New Guinea, Papua and Dutch New Guinea. The pros pectus is based on reports made by the

Colonel’s son, Mr. Peter Delme-Radcliffe, who has been prospecting in New Guinea for two years, apparently in the Ramu, Purari, Finisterre Range region, and the company is to be called New Guinea Exploration Syndicate Ltd, There seems nothing more speculative

about the gold-prospecting- plan than about dozens of others now being hawked in Australia, but “John Bull,” for some reason, warns investors against it. The paper says that Colonel Delme-Radcliffe was formerly interested in gold enter prises in Western and Central Australia.

Fiji “Wild Cats” Checked

p. 22

No Speculation in Mining Permits Allowed Until Values are Proved

THERE appear to be interesting de posits of gold in Fiji—on the Tavua field, near the northern coast of Viti Levu, and on the Tanawai field, in the south west of Vanua Levu. No one knows yet whether these are really rich fields—they appear to be profitable. All deposits must come close to being profitable, while gold maintains its present record price in terms of sterling.

There seems to be a curious charm about the name of “Fiji gold.” Or does the excitement lie in the name of Theodore? It is a fact that, ever since it was seen that Mr. E. G. Theodore (the Labour

politician whose cleverness and long vision made him a very rich man) was interested in Fiji gold, Fiji developments have been followed feverishly by Aus tralian speculators.

The “boom” commenced about Novem ber. All sorts and conditions of people began to rush off from Australia to Fiji and seek some sort of title over land near the area taken up by the Theodore- Costello interests; and by the end of De cember there were Fiji wild-cats prowling, naked and unashamed, in Pitt Street and Collins Street.

People were falling over each other in

their eagerness to invest, when the Gov ernor of Fiji (Sir Murchison Fletcher) and his responsible Council stepped in, and effectively put a stop to the shear ing of the tender lambs. (The metaphor is getting mixed! Shall we say that the swallowing of the innocent lambs by the sophisticated wild cats received a check?) The Fiji Government very wisely de cided that no person, syndicate or com pany should have the right to hold and exploit mining land until it had been clearly shown that such land contained gold of value.

The baffled wild-cats are snarling and cursing: but everyone who is jealous of the good name of Pacific Islands gold mining will heartily commend the action of Fiji officialdom.

A message from Suva, published in Syd ney on February 25, stated that the Fijian prospecting board will not consider appli cations for prospecting licences on the Tavua and Yanawai goldmining areas for the present. A number of applications has been made on behalf of Australian in terests.

The Fijian Government’s goldmining policy is published officially in the “Fiji Royal Gazette” of February 15. The Gov ernment invites the co-operation of pri vate enterprise in the proving and extrac tion of Fiji’s gold deposits, and it will assist genuine enterprise by all reasonable means. It intends, as far as lies in its power, to prevent any form of specula tion which may tend to damage the colony’s good name. It is proposed to amend the law in order to enable the Gov ernment to issue a prospecting licence for such term as it may think fit. A prospect ing licence is not transferable, except upon conditions approved by the Govern ment. The holder of a prospecting licence has a prior right to a mining lease, but a mining lease will not be granted unless reasonable evidence is produced that the gold is present in payable quantities within the area which it is desired to lease, and that the applicant possesses or commands sufficient working capital. It may be made a condition that suitable ex traction plant shall be installed.

The proclamation continues: “Rumours have reached the Government regarding proposals which are being made for the sale of Tavua prospecting licences. All existing Tavua licences expire on June 1, 1935, they are not renewable, and they cannot be transferred except upon con ditions approved by the Government, and interested parties are warned that they should ascertain those conditions before they conclude an agreement. . . . The Government is informed that certain per sons who have filed applications for pros pecting licences are endeavoring to sell non-existent rightsi. No trafficking in such applications will, in any circum stances, be recognised. ...

“Persons proposing to float companies in connections with the colony’s gold de posits are reminded that the conditions must be approved by the Government. As at present advised, the Government is of opinion that ‘no liability’ companies are undesirable. Generally speaking, it is the desire of the Government to promote by all means in its power the orderly com mercial development of the colony's gold deposits. It intends to prevent the get rich-quick type of speculation which seeks to gain unearned wealth at the ex pense of the community.”

The Cunard liner Franconia, which is carrying more than 200 passengers of all nationalities on a luxury cruise around the world, arrived in Sydney from New York on March 4. She left on March 6 for East Indies, via Port Moresby.

Queen Salote

p. 23

Will Visit Australia in September Next

TOURING September of this year, Queen Salote, of Tonga, will arrive in Mel bourne, en route to Fiji to attend the Methodist Mission’s Centenary celebra tions. Her Majesty will remain in Aus tralia for a month, and then will travel by the Katoomba to Suva, where she will be the guest of the Governor.

Queen Salote occupies a position unique in the Pacific. She is a constitu tional monarch, ruling native subjects who owe no allegiance to any other ruler or State. While other Pacific groups have been annexed by foreign powers, Tonga has

remained an independent kingdom, en joying the protection of Great Britain.

Born on March 13, 1900, Salote Veiogo Tubou was educated in New Zealand.

She ascended the throne in 1918, having married Prince William Tugi in the pre ceding year.

Coming from a line that has produced several men of outstanding ability and remarkable leadership, the Queen is a woman of commanding stature and per sonality. She has been described by those who know her intimately as having the highest intelligence and being the clever est speaker in Tonga to-day.

Queen Salote of Tonga and her Consort, Prince Tugi, who is Premier of the Kingdom.

Tourist Ship Aground At

p. 23

Noumea

From Our Own Correspondent.

Noumea. Feb. 1.

EARLY on Saturday, January 19, the Mongolia, with 750 tourists on board, arrived at Noumea. She moored out in the stream, as is customary with these great liners, and an effective service of launches brought the passengers to and from the vessel.

The visitors made excursions to the native villages near St. Louis and then through a cool grove of coconut palms to a small farm near Plum. Two hundred of the tourists visited Magenta racecourse

in the afternoon to watch the native dances.

At 5 p.m. on Sunday afternoon the Mongolia weighed anchor. The pilot decided to go round Infernal Bank in the har bour, but found his ship too large to turn, and she went ashore on Artillery Point, where the captain experienced an anxious hour and a quarter. Fortun ately, it was a mud bottom, and, after manoeuvring ahead and astern for some time, she finally floated off with the full tide—apparently none the worse for her adventure.

The Admiral Charner, the French man-of-war, was in the harbour, and was of great assistance in making soundings and signalling the Mongolia’s captain.

’Plane Damaged At

p. 23

Tulagi

From Our Own Correspondent.

TULAGI, February 20.

SOME very heavy weather has been experienced recently in Tulagi, Mr.

S. G. Masterman’s aeroplane, upon which he has been working assiduously to con vert it into a seaplane, was very badly knocked about, and is almost beyond repair. Mr. Masterman, undaunted, con templates purchasing an all-metal ’plane.

Norfolk Island Trade

p. 24

Imports

Month. From Aust. From N.Z.

January. 1934 £1804 .. Nil January, 1935 £2266 .. Nil

Exports

Month. To Aust. To N.Z.

January, 1934 £2034 .. Nil January, 1935 £1584 .. Nil

Trading By Missionaries

pp. 24-25

Another Protest from Eastern Papua

Letter to the Editor.

IF you would allow me space again in your valu able paper, I would like to follow up my letter, published in your issue of November, on the old subject—Missionaries and Traders.

Since writing, I have been informed by a Samarai resident that the grant given to Kwato Extension Inc. is £1200 per year (£800 for technical training and £400 for child welfare). This information was obtained direct from the Govern ment Secretary by the person to whom I am in debted for the information.

The contradiction of Mr. Harrison’s letter by the secretary of the L.M.S. in Sydney in June, also one by a Mr. Smith in October, is rather amusing to read by any resident in this Territory conversant with the subject.

It is a remarkable thing that the mention of the subject trading always brings forth an indignant denial from the secretaries of Mission Societies.

Some time ago we had the spectacle of a secretary publicly denying that any member of his Society was trading, and when he was proved in the wrong, there was no apology tendered per the medium of your paper, which he used to make his absurd statement.

Mr. Smith talks of an apology. What for?

When Kwato were under the L.M.S., years ago, they traded in opposition to Europeans in Milne Bay, the same as the foreign Company are doing to-day.

The excuses made by the L.M.S. that they do not trade in opposition to the man on the spot is a mere quibble. They do trade, and that is the bone of contention at present.

We will take Fife Bay as an example of Mr.

Smith’s argument. This is controlled by the L.M.S., under the Rev. C. F. Rich, one of the most popular and best-respected men in the Ter ritory, and incidentally, one of the most success ful traders. There has never been any complaint as far as his trading is concerned, but to follow up Mr. Smith’s contention about the “man on the spot,” the reason the Mission have the field to themselves, is simply because any ordinary trader has no earthly chance of competing against them. I can safely say that if Fife Bay was not used as a Trading Station, two or three traders would be making a living there.

The same applies to Mailu and other stations on the South Coast. Further, Fife Bay is also run ning in opposition to the three slips in Samarai, for all boat repairs, etc.

I would further remind the secretary of the L.M.S. and Mr. Smith that if it was not for their Society handing over or selling their interests in the Eastern division, we would not be inflicted with the Kwato Extension Inc., and, instead of asking for apologies, it would enlighten a be wildered public, if they would explain why they handed over this part of the Territory to a foreign Mission.

There is a very considerable population in the Kwato area, and as the land was granted in the first place for religious purposes *to the L.M.S., and they continued their teaching there for some years, it seems incredible that a sound financial Society like theirs should suddenly abandon this area to another Society not recog nised in Australia.

As the two gentlemen both disclaim any asso ciation with Kwato, one may now ask what re ligion is being taught the natives since the L.M.S. faded out of the picture.

In 1925, Kwato was under the New Guinea Evangelization Society Inc. of New York, of which Walter McDougall was the treasurer, 156 Fifth Avenue, New York. Who they are and what re ligion they represent I have no idea. That they are not a recognised Australian Mission Society is well known, and it is astonishing how readily they were received and recognised by the Papuan Government.

To show that some Missionary Societies do a bit of exploiting, as well as the trader, I am enclosing you a document issued by a Society asking for public subscriptions towards evangelizing the poor natives; and, on enquiry from any Govern ment office, you will find this document is, in the main, a tissue of false statements, issued to delude the public into subscribing to a cause which does not exist. (Document received—very remark able.—Ed. P.I.M.).

I omitted several ventures in my last list which Kwato had tried —viz.; Milk vendors, sawmillers, and caterers. In your issue of November it says “shop” proprietors. This should read slip pro prietors. It is now announced that they are enter ing into the freighting trade in Milne Bay.

To trade in Papua, one has to obtain a trading license, a nominal amount of £1 per year, but the site selected must be quarter of a mile away from the nearest village. This is not a regulation, only instructions issued to the Government officers.

Owing to the small amount of gold obtainable here, the only hope I had to pay living expenses was to augment my income by opening a small trade store. I built a home and store on the beach, on Crown lands, not 66 feet from high water. The natives selected the site and asked me to build there. I am only 100 ft. from four village houses on one side of me. I am now told no license will be granted to me, as I am not a quarter of a mile from the village. This deters me from making a living at all here, as there is no spot anyway handy, that I could get within a quarter of a mile from a village.

Kwato Extension Inc. have been trading for years in Milne Bay, on sites granted “for re ligious purposes only,” and they do not pay any license fee at all. Why the distinction? I have no £1200 a year grant, or rich friends in America to contribute towards my support.

Can we not find someone in the Federal Parlia

ment with the same courage as Mr. Casey (As sistant Treasurer), who brought up the matter of the S.D.A. trading. The reply given him would not apply here, as the Government give grants for educational and medical work.

We constantly read this piffle about the ex ploitation of the natives by traders. It may have been the case 40 years ago, but for nearly 25 years, to my knowledge, the natives in the Eastern and South-Eastern divisions, through working for and mixing with Europeans, know too much about prices of trade goods ever to be exploited. To-day we find that if any exploita tion does occur, it is done by the native to the European.

In this respect, he is encouraged by the Gov ernment. If you assist a native by giving him credit to go fishing for shell or searching for gold, you have no redress if the native sells the result of his trip to someone else, and you are left with the debt. The Government informs the native he need not pay the white man. Most firms in Samarai and elsewhere have had to write off large sums as bad debts, incurred by natives.

Another thing all the missionaries lose sight of when uttering the old fallacy about exploitation is that, although being a Missionary Society, they can buy all their trade goods at a price much below that given to a small trader, and as they sell to the natives at the same price as the trader, it looks as if the exploitation is on their side.

Missionary Societies are, or were, granted con cessions in freight on their goods by the sub sidised mail steamers —another little bit of extra profit over the trader.

Mission trading is a matter for the Federal Gov ernment to take up. So far, any redress that has been received has been solely due to your valuable paper; and we further hope that by the constant publication of these grievances a fur ther improvement will take place.

I am, etc.,

Reg. Fletcher.

Kwanaula,

Normanby Island, E. Papua. 7/1/35.

William Lockerby

p. 25

In Fiji 135 Years Ago

A WRITER in England, when inquiring about an old house that was being demolished in Liverpool, England, brought to light a bit of the fascinating early history of the Pacific. The house, known as Fairfield House, was built and occupied over 100 years ago by William Lockerby—the man who wrote the “Jour nal of William Lockerby, Sandalwood Trader in Fiji, 1808-1809,” which was pub lished some 25 years ago—a long time after his death.

Lockerby came from the famous Lock erby family of Annandale, in the county of Dumfries, and he was born in Annan dale in 1782. This family was devoted to the Stuart cause, and most of the Lockerbys threw in their lot with Bonnie Prince Charlie, in the 1745 rebellion. A notable incident in the southward march of Prince Charlie in 1745 was the rescue of Janet Halliday from a burning house.

Janet Halliday carried in her arms an infant girl; and this infant was after wards the mother of William Lockerby.

William Lockerby settled in Liverpool, and was married there about 1798 or 1799. Then he mysteriously disappeared, and it was thought that he had been taken by a Press Gang. But it turned out subsequently that he had somehow got away into the Pacific, and he was shipwrecked or marooned in the then totally unknown Fiji Islands. He was there from 1800 until 1802; and then he was able to get away to America and thence to Liverpool, where he rejoined his wife. He had some amazing adven tures in Fiji; but he was a shrewd, far seeing man and he noted many things in Fiji which he afterwards turned to good

account. He settled down at Fairfield, in Liverpool, and established himself in business as a ship owner. He apparently returned afterwards to Fiji, and did much to develop the sandalwood business there. He was still living in Fairfield, Liverpool, in 1849.

He wrote an extraordinary account of his experiences in Fiji, but this was strictly preserved from publication until one of his great-grandchildren, in co operation with Sir Everard F, im Thurn (at one time Governor of Fiji) had it published by the Hakluyt Society, some time early in the present century, as “a unique cpntribution to the history of savage life in the South Seas.”

Lockerby’s old home, Fairfield House, was recently demolished, and his fascin ating story was retold.

Lockerby had several children, and Jane, his second daughter, married one Richard Gaskell. Mr. Robert Gaskell, who is a resident of Tulagi, Solomon Islands, is a grandson of this Richard Gaskell, and, therefore, a great-grandson of William Lockerby.

Pastor W. N. Lock returned to Papua by the Montoro on February 20, after six months’ furlough in Australia. He is a Seventh Day Adventist missionary at Mirigeda, the S.D.A. headquarters near Port Moresby.

Mysteries Of The Copra Market

p. 26

From a Special Correspondent.

London, Jan. 22.

THE Copra market seems to have taken a definite trend for the better. But how long it will last, is a horse of another colour.

One of the brilliant Financial Editors of one of the Sunday newspapers starts his page this week by: “I had a letter from a friend in Fiji last week . . . He runs a 7,000 acre Plantation (coconut).

His landlords are the ‘Ecclesiastical Commissioners’, who I believe are the world’s largest owners of land”; and so on until the Benevolent Editor is asked whether his good friend in Fiji should sell his land and come home, or words to that effect. And the “B.E.” has told him not to.

With all due respect to such an august person, I feel that if the Benevolent Editor were asked what copra is made from and also why it is made, he would need to refer to a book to have the questinn answered for him The reason I am giving all this detail

is to enable the reader of your journal, to understand just how much faith they may put into any report which appears in the ultra-controlled English news papers.

Some of the reasons given for the rise in the selling price of copra are too well known to the coconut planter to need re telling; but, at the same time, there is a strangeness in the air, and even the Benevolent Editor will need to dig deep down to explain the position.

I refer to the lowering of the retail price of soap. Sunlight soap, which has never been (at least not for some years) below 5d per box, has now dropped to 4d, or fully 20 per cent., and at the same time the selling price of the essential parts have increased almost that equiva lent. In fact, although all vegetable oils have advanced fairly rapidly, the com modities which need the oil for their manufacture have been reduced in price.

The cotton seed market is not so plenti fully supplied as during the past few years; consequently Soya Bean oil has benefitted to the extent of £2 per long ton. But whale oil has not moved much, and the soap people have purchased the balance of the Norwegian stocks of this commodity for around £10 per ton.

But, with all this, the exact position of the copra industry is still shrouded in mystery, and it is still impossible to get anything definite in the way of a forecast from the people who have handled the produce for over 25 years past.

In any case, seeing that Soya Bean is a short oil producing crop, and also that 80 per cent, of it comes from a foreign country, why cannot the British Govern ment put a huge embargo on it, so as to give the Empire copra producers a chance. I do not think that the soya cake is any better than copra cake; and, if that is the case, then why not do what, other nations are doing, and put their own countries first, and then work with the foreigner on the same basis he works with us.

We all know, however, that Manchuria cum-Japan supplies the largest tonnage of soya bean, and also that the trading side of the balance sheet between the Empire and Japan is largely in the Empire’s favour. But surely something could be done to enable the Old Country to get this oil business down on to a different basis. If nothing else can be done, for the coconuts, then give them the same backing as is given to bacon, potatoes, etc., in England, and lay a definite programme of help for those Colonies which are still, for all practical purposes, an integral part of the British Isles.

Anyway, our friend with the 7,000 acres; owned by the Church will need to join the anti-tithe community now operating in England, and if he has such a nice large block of land in one area, then he is in a most difficult position, as the collector of tithes in England does not appear to have any soul, and cannot even read the Bible on such questions as benevolence.

We can leave that to the editors of the Financial Sections of some English news papers.

Miss A. I. Samuels, a young nurse from Ashburton, New Zealand, left Sydney for New Hebrides by the Morinda on Feb ruary 14. She is en route to the Melane sian' Mission station at Torgil, Banks; Islands.

Sepik Gold

p. 27

Dr. Atcherley to Search in N.W.

New Guineea

DH. J. R. ATCHERLEY, well-known in the Mandated Territory of New Guinea as a skilful gold-prospector and explorer, sailed from Sydney for Salamaua with Mr. George Beenhan, mining en gineer, by the Montoro on February 20.

On behalf of Morobe (New Guinea) Gold Options N.L., they will recruit a line of boys, and will then leave on an eight months’ prospecting and exploring trip into the north-west interior of New Guinea.

The expedition intends to travel 300 miles up the great Sepik River, and then cut across into the little known region between the Sepik and the borders of Papua and Dutch N. Guinea, where the party will prospect for gold. Dr. Atcherley is confident that rich dirt in payable quantities will be found in the area he intends to search.

Morobe (New Guinea) Gold Options N.L. was formed in Victoria at the middle of February with a capital of £7,500, the shares of which, paid to £3, were quoted at the end of February on the Mel bourne Stock Exchange at £ll. The directors of the new company include Brigadier-General E. A. Wisdom, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O. (Administrator of New Guinea from 1921 to 1932), Mr. Wallace- Smith (stockbroker of Melbourne), Mr.

Douglas (mining investor) and Mr. Blake more (solicitor). The Melbourne firm of Stringer and Phillips is the legal adviser.

Some months ago, Dr. Atcherley with Mr. Albert E. Palmer, led a prospecting expedition to the Mandated Territory for the Equatorial Gold Exploration (New Guinea and New Britain) Syndicate.

After taking up gold-bearing areas on New Britain, and pegging out dredging claims on the Ramu River, the party re turned to Australia by the Macdhui on December 13.

The report submitted to his principals by Dr. Atcherley was very optimistic, and the syndicate decided to form a subsi diary concern to work the Ramu leases.

Subsequently, Ramu Gold Reefs N.L. was formed in Melbourne; the name, however, was later altered to Barola Gold Reefs N.L.

Barola Gold Reefs N.L. has a nominal capital of £7,500, in shares of £5 each. Of the 1500 shares, 690 fully paid were allotted to the Equatorial Syndicate. About £300 was also paid to the Syndicate for ex penses incurred in securing an option over Mr. E. R. Rowlands’ leases on the Ramu.

If Barola Gold Reefs decide to purchase the property after an option period of 12 months, Mr. Rowlands will receive £2000 in cash, and £6000 in fully paid shares. In the meantime he will get £300 cash and 10 per cent. of gold won during the option period.

Rev. S. Ray Rooney, a pioneer Metho dist missionary in the British Solomon Islands, died at Prospect, South Australia, on February 1, after a long illness. In 1903 he went to Roviana and served there until he was transferred in 1906 to Choi seul, Northern Solomon Islands, remaining there until he went to South Australia in 1913. The name of Rooney ranks high in the annals of the Methodist Mission Society, his father also having accom plished much pioneer mission work in New Britain, after serving for 15 years in the Fiji Group.

Crime In Samoa

pp. 27-28

From Our Own Correspondent.

Apia, Feb. 13.

JUDGE J. H. LUXFORD arrived recently from New Zealand by the Maui Po mare, on circuit, and presided at the High Court of Samoa on February 8, when a number of cases were tried.

There were several sexual offences of a serious character on the calendar.

The most serious case was that in which a native of Saleaula (Savaii) was prosecuted for rape on a young Samoan girl. The unanimous verdict of the four assessors (three Europeans and one Sa moan) was “guilty,” and the judge, con curring with the verdict, sentenced the accused to seven years’ imprisonment with hard labour. In a second rape case, several Samoans of Aleipata district were found guilty by the jury, and sentenced to five and three years’ imprisonment respectively.

In a case of forgery of documents, sev eral Samoans, after pleading guilty, were sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment. A few cases of theft and burglary were also tried before Judge Luxford.

IT was announced from Paris, during the Melbourne Centenary Air Race, that France shortly would organise a similar competition—“probably to some distant colony, such as New Hebrides.”

Nothing further has been heard of the project, however. Such a spectacular event certainly would place some of the Pacific Islands Territories on the world’s map—particularly New Guinea, Solomon Islands and New Caledonia.

Murders

p. 28

The Mount Hagen

"Story Behind the Story”

From a Special Correspondent.

SALAMAUA, February 18.

NONE of the newspapers appear to have told “the story behind the story” of the murder of the Roman Catholic mis sionary at Mount Hagen, in New Guinea.

As I understand it, the Roman Catholic missionary fathers pushed out into this unknown and uncontrolled area quite a long time ago—I think that Father van Braan was actually the first man in. The missionary was not welcomed by the natives and they resisted the building of his church. These missionaries, however, do not lack courage and they went on with their enterprise. Then the hostile people burned down the mission buildings. The exasperated missionaries are said to have then committed an error of judgment they promptly retaliated by shooting a number of the natives’ pigs. This was tantamount to fining a white man in his worldly goods.

Father Morschheuser, the murdered mis sionary, was unlucky enough to follow in the footsteps of the pioneers, and he

merely collected the punishment intended by the natives for white people generally.

One cannot blame the primitive savages— they acted simply in accordance with age old customs. Neither can one blame the missionaries —they were fearlessly carry ing out their duty as they saw it. But, the basic conception of the whole thing is wrong, and lives —both European and native —have been uselessly wasted.

It has been suggested that the influence of another mission organisation is at the back of the natives’ refusal to have the Roman Catholic church established in their midst. I do not believe this for a moment —although there are others who do. It is a fact, however, that there is very keen competition between the missionaries re presenting different churches who have pushed out into the new country.

Old Man New Guinea

pp. 28-29

By Gordon Thomas.

EVERY now and then Old Man New Guinea stirs from his lethargy and strikes, and the sound reaches round the world in a tragic echo.

From its mysterious hinterland there comes a voice saying: “You can pene trate my vastness; you can take away my distances with aeroplanes, and you can become familiar with my people; but I am still New Guinea, with my sacred, customs, which are as old as the Cross and none the less sacred to my people because you term them pagan.”

And when we hear the voice of Old Man New Guinea and see him strike we suddenly realise the truthfulness of it all.

Because of our own modern powers of penetration, and our self-satisfied western slant on things primitive, we underesti mate the power and ignore the feelings; of the Old Man. We are liable, too, to forget that New Guinea, under its skin, is still New Guinea —despite our aero planes zooming over its jungles, our re frigerating plants standing in homes in. its valleys, and the wireless sets bringing to-day’s news to our ears.

The Old Man has his customs and his prejudices, as deep-rooted as our own; his ethics are as worthy of recognition as ours. When he objects to their dese cration by the White strangers he feels, perfectly justified in meting out justice and retaliation in his own methods. The trouble is, his methods are not our methods; A wrong is committed by the Whites and the Old Man deals with the offence collectively: not individually. The

white tribe has been responsible, not so much the individual White, and hence so many innocents have had to pay the penalty.

Puffed up with altruistic principles wished upon us by the terms of Mandate, we proclaim the policy of freedom of conscience, and yet, when Old Man New Guinea indicates his opposition to the introduction of the White man’s creed within his boundaries, such opposition is not only ignored, but defied, and the Old Man s most valued property destroyed.

The recent Mount Hagen tragedy is a most regrettable incident. Other innocents have been called upon to pay the

penalty of an error of judgment.

Fortunately, now, the Administration has adopted the policy that an uncon trolled area is an uncontrolled area, and no one is permitted to enter there, save properly organised government patrols whose duty it will be to establish peace ful relations with the children of Old Man New Guinea, paying proper deference to tribal customs and due regard to native property.

With all our twentieth century know ledge we must remember that the Old Man is still a primitive, and must be treated as such; his evolution—not his revolution—is in our hands and may not be abused with impunity.

Nauruans Are Expert Cricketers

p. 29

An interesting photo taken at Ocean Island, Central Pacific. It shows the winners of the 1934 cricket competition. The team was captained by an ex-Newington College (Sydney) player, Harold T. Bentley.

Bitter Note From

p. 30

Solomons

Could Australia Save The White Planters?

THE following is an extract from a letter to the editor, from a planter in the Solomon Islands. Its date is January 18, 1935: The ruin of the Western Solomons and of its British pioneer settlers and traders continues. Two more sailed by the last boat to Australia.

Vella Lavella, the most closely-settled island in the Group a few years ago, is to-day littered with abandoned planta tions. Of the ten properties on that island that were in production two years ago, eight have been closed down or aban doned. His Excellency the High Commis sioner will, no doubt, be pleased to leani that while the last two pioneers were passing, the prosperous Chinese in Gizo slapped on another trading vessel against the few remaining doomed British traders.

A deep hatred of Fiji has become pre valent here. We feel we have been

thrown to the wolves and can expect no pity nor redress from the High Com missioner. Public opinion is turning to Australia as our sole means of salvation.

There is an upsurge of feeling against the Colonial Office connection, and it is con sidered that we would get a fairer deal from Rabaul than from Suva. At least we would receive from Rabaul the sympa thetic consideration, which is denied us by Whitehall and Suva.

As all our affiliations —commercial, shipping, banking and ethic —are with Australia or the Mandated Territory, the last step, that of political union, should be taken, and freedom from the always irksome and illogical Fijian connections be bestowed upon us.

Fiji’s indifference to the settlers of the Solomons is no new development. Sir Cecil Rodwell, when High Commissioner, on a visit to Gizo many years ago, told the Secretary of the Solomon Islands Planters and Settlers’ Association that the Government “wished there were no small settlers in the Solomons —as they only added to the difficulty of Government”!

No doubt, it would have been much more simple for the High Commissioner to solve administrative problems over a dinner and cigars with the executives of a few big companies than have to endure the boredom of listening to the troubles of the small settlers. Certainly, Suva ever since has done its best to eliminate the nuisances by encouraging Chinese com against them.

Fiji can take comfort in the fact that its fell work is nearly done. Quite effec tively, and with the most satisfactory rapidity, the new policy is removing the unwanted, obnoxious white settlers. What a pity Fiji did not think of it earlier!

Montoro In A Storm

p. 30

THE Burns, Philp Islands liner Montoro ran into a heavy storm after leaving Brisbane for Townsville, en route to Papua and New Guinea, at the end of February.

Shortly after departing from port on Friday, February 22, the vessel struck severe weather, which increased in vio lence on Sunday. Unable to pick up land marks through bad visibility, Captain Williams hove-to, as the squally weather continued and the seas grew heavier.

There was no anxiety among the pas sengers, and the Montoro rode the storm splendidly. At midnight on Sunday she resumed her course and continued on to Townsville, through gusty squalls and dim visibility. The Montoro’s deck cargo and the numerous animals on board did not receive any damage.

“Talkies” For Samoa

p. 30

From Our Own Correspondent.

Apia, Feb. 14.

A FEW years ago Apia could boast of two picture theatres. Competition and the depression, however, brought about the ruin and liquidation of both enterprises, and for the last year, Apia has had no moving pictures, silent or “talkies.”

A new picture-show company has now been formed in Samoa through the enter prise of Mr. E. Paul (director of the Gold Star Transportation Co.). This new com pany has taken over the assets of the late Tifaga Playhouse Co. (in liquidation), and will instal up-to-date “talkie” equip ment. The new establishment will pro bably be opened at Easter.

Dammar Resin

pp. 31-32

Possible New Industry for N. Guinea

AN industry that may be worth investigating so far as the Mandated Ter ritory of New Guinea is concerned is that of exploiting a species of Kauri pine, the Dammara (or Agathis) tree. The Dam mara tree (Agathis Orientalis) is well known in the Federal Malay States, the East Indies and India, where it produces a resin of value in manufacturing colourless varnish.

A Japanese company in recent years discovered that this tree grew in large quantities in the vicinity of Geelvink Bay, on the northern shores of Dutch New Guinea. This company obtained from the Nederlands East Indies Govern ment valuable concessions under which it proposed to export timber from this region and also the valuable Dammar resin obtained from the Agathis tree.

Believing that investigations would show that the tree grows in the Man dated Territory of New Guinea, the “Pacific Islands Monthly” made inquiries at the National Herbarium, Sydney, which controls the Botanie Gardens, where several species of the Agathis tree from the Pacific Islands are growing.

“I am of opinion that if investigations were made,” said Mr. E. Cheel, Curator of the Herbarium, “varieties of the Aga this tree, very closely related to the Kauri pines of North Queensland, Fiji, New Hebrides, the Solomons, and New Caledonia, would be found growing in the mountainous regions of New Guinea.

They would yield a gum very similar to the so-called Dammar resin.

“At the end of last century, the Ger man botanists made a very thorough examination of the lower forms of New Guinea flora, the valuable results of which were subsequently published. The scientists were still engaged on the tre mendous work of cataloguing the higher forms of plant life when the Great War broke out.

“I am sure that had not their work been interrupted,” he continued, “they would have completed a comprehensive survey of the major flora of the Territory and found the Agathis pine growing pro fusely in certain elevated districts on the mainland.

“When in Fiji several years ago, I saw magnificent Agathis Vitiensis trees growing to a height of over 150 ft. With the hotter New Guinea climate, the trees should grow even taller there.”

The Agathis trees in the Botanic Gar dens are well-developed trees of the Ovata and Moorei (New Caledonia), Viti ensis (Fiji), Robusta (Nth. Queensland), and Obtusa (New Hebrides) varieties.

The North Queensland variety, which it is thought is similar to the New Guinea species, is a large tall specimen of about 100 ft. in height. The girth of its mottled brown trunk measures six to eight feet at the base and tapers to about 18 ins. at the summit. Branching out on alter nate sides, the slim limbs bear a profuse growth of smooth, bright green leaves, about three inches long and one inch wide.

The valuable Dammar resin has many uses, the chief of which is its use in the making of colourless spirit varnishes. It is also utilized, with certain other pre parations, for varnishing fabrics, paper, cloth, etc., and for interior decorative

work. Dammar resin is an important constituent of duco for renovating auto mobile bodies, etc. In India the black resin has a wide variety of uses for medi cinal purposes. Its present worth in Sydney is about £50 per ton, though No. 1 Singapore grade is selling on the world market at about £78 per ton.

Apart from the resin, the Agathis tree itself, having a close grained, easily worked wood, is in considerable demand for housebuilding and for the manufac ture of furniture. This aspect has been commercialised in the Solomon Islands by the Vanikoro Kauri Timber Co., which exports (mostly to Melbourne) the huge logs cut from the forests in the southern Solomon Islands.

In Fiji the Agathis Vitiensis tree is known locally as the Dukua, and the resin is called “makadre.” The Fijian natives collect this gum from time to time and occasionally small parcels are shipped from the Colony, The general practice of extracting the gum is by incision, or by cutting down the tree, firing the roots, and gathering the gum as it oozes from the cut. In New Zealand, however, large deposits of fossilized Dammar resin are found at 5 to 6ft. below the earth’s surface, thus indicating the presence of huge forests of Kauri trees at some former period. The gathering of this “Kauri gum” has been

for many decades an important industry in northern New Zealand.

In 1924, the Government of Papua sent the Imperial Institute of London samples of Dammar resin dug from the ground on Sudest Island, 180 miles S.E. of Papua.

The resin, somewhat stalactic in form, was a light brown colour and mostly transparent. On analysing it, the Im perial Institute’s chemists found that it softened at 115 degrees Centigrade and turned into liquid at 170 degrees.

When mixed with two parts of turpen tine oil the resin formed a good colour less varnish. The main difficulty, how ever, was that this particular type of resin was almost insoluble in alcohol, and therefore useless in the preparation of com mercial spirit varnishes. It was stated at the time that to render the gum sale able it would have to be sold in England at £30 to £40 per ton. At that time, before the use of synthetic resins was widespread, first class Dammar resin was bringing £150 per ton.

As far as could be ascertained nothing further was done to develop the Sudest Island resin.

Murals for Rabaul Church

p. 32

WHEN Archdeacon Ralph de Voil, of New Guinea, returned to Rabaul from Sydney in March, he took back with him a unique trip tych for the Children’s Chapel of the Church of St.

George at Rabaul. The triptych, which consists of a centre mural and two side panels, is intended to link up Bible history with the surroundings familiar to the New Guinea children.

Portrayed on the main mural (centre) is the arrival of the Holy Family at Rabaul; the scene being Rabaul Harbour with the Madonna and Child in the foreground. Local atmosphere is supplied further by hibiscus and frangipanni blos soms scattered at the feet of the central figures.

Carrying the banner of St. George, the Rabaul choirboys are depicted climbing a hill in the back ground.

The side panels each represent a New Guinea savage wearing a brilliant head-dress and arrayed in ceremonial costume; while standing behind the native is an angel beseeching him to turn to the Church.

These interesting mural panels were executed by the foundation members of the Turramurra Group of Wall Painters, Mrs. A. T. Anderson, Mrs. B. Foott, and the Misses Jean and Gwen Ramsay.

Effect Of Betel-Nut

p. 32

Chewing

Letter to the Editor.

MR. , VOGAN’S article in your December P.I.M. concludes with the statement that “Two facts seem already harvested from Pacific investigation; That Northern races de teriorate under tropical conditions for a time, and then slowly recover themselves; and that the Arica-nut (the mis-named betel chewing) has a very deleterious effect upon the brain, although preserving the teeth from decay.”

In answer to the first “fact” I would refer him to Northern Queensland; and in answer to the second “fact” to the Mandated Territory and the Morobe District as an example.

The most intelligent natives are from the coastal area, and the Markham and Waria valleys, where betel-nut chewing is rife. In the rest of the district, by far the major portion, the habit is unknown to the Kanakas, although their teeth are equally as good, and look a lot better. But their physique and intelligence are far below that of the betel-nut chewers.

So that Mr. Vogan’s “researches” have not even disclosed two “facts.”

Every country in the world has its own par ticular stimulant and benefits by it. It is only abuse that makes it deleterious.

I am, etc.,

Salamaua.

January 24, 1935.

Question Of Corporal Punishment

pp. 33-34

In New Guinea

Letter to the Editor.

I READ with a mixture of pity and amusement the outpourings of “Veri” from New Ireland and “Duk Duk” of Rabaul (comrades in dis tress) in the December issue of your valued jour nal. Both are at least deserving of a little sym pathy, but unfortunately of a great deal of correction.

Our friend “Veri” was evidently quite oblivious while writing the latter portion of his letter of his opening remarks; or at least he quite forgot to read over his journalistic product, otherwise he could not have failed to observe the glaring inconsistency that one part bears to the other. (1) “Veri” begins by informing us that ten white men have been charged with killing natives, and countless others have been imprisoned and fined for assaults on natives. (He might have added that only a fraction of the cases ever reach a court.) (2) The cause of all this trouble, accord ing to “Veri,” is the lax system of governing the natives. (Truly a scathing indictment on Austra lian intelligence and administrative ability.) (3) The remedy, in “Veri’s” opinion, is the re-introduction of the German system obtaining here over twenty years ago, of giving a settler legal power to punish natives. (This is alleged to be the panacea for all evils.) Unfortunately, however, for “Veri’s” case, he states further down in his letter (and I do not for a moment dispute the veracity of the admis sion) that the natives are receiving far more punishment now than in the German time.

If the Germans used corporal punishment on natives and secured by means of it such happy results —contentment, docility, obedience, respect for authority and, most important of all, more work-one would naturally conclude that as the quantity of corporal punishment has been greatly increased (and it certainly has) the bulk of happy results would have increased, at least in equal ratio. Yet, according to “Veri,” the identical op posite is the case.

It would be very difficult to reconcile the evi dence placed before the court in the killing cases with the claim that those who committed the heinous crimes were men of such high moral and social virtues as “Veri” would like us to believe.

Facts are stubborn things and very unyielding. An honest survey of the court records would upset many fantastic calculations. If those few who have been convicted and punished are types of cultured Australians with honourable records, I can quite understand the notice posted up outside at least two South African hotels after the Boer War, “No admittance for dogs, devils or Aus tralians.”

Whether the Germans were right or wrong in giving settlers legal power to punish natives (and I do not agree with it), we are not concerned now. At least the German Administration gave legal status to the practice, so the poor native knew at least he was receiving legalised cruelty.

Now the native’s back is bruised, but a far greater injury is inflicted on his mind. The natives here to-day are naturally far more men tally developed than their primitive ancestors twenty or thirty years ago. The natives know through officials, luluais and the village schools, that the white man is forbidden in law to inflict corporal punishment; and, still, according to “Veri,” the natives are receiving more punish ment than ever before. No wonder there exists resentment, bitterness and disrespect for law. If we wish to teach the natives respect for law and reverence for authority we should first set the example.

Take, for instance, a case that came before the cdurt from that perpetually unhappy region, the Kavieng District. Natives were charged with attempting to kill their master. Yet evidence wrung from that employer in the court showed that natives were forced to work on Sundays, and

were corporally punished by the master, as well as given bitter medicines to drink for punishment Evidence was placed before the court showing that the oppressed people made an attempt to go away a long distance and report the matter to the District Officer, and were brought back and punished. The employer concerned knew the law as clearly as he knows the alphabet, yet the cruel practices were continued. The facts of the case were faithfully presented to the court by the Crown Law Officer; the Chief Judge, in summing up, strongly pointed out that each of the cruelties used were illegal. Yet the offender was neither fined nor imprisoned. Why? No wonder the oppresssed people are so often driven to seek re dress by violence, after having exhausted all rea sonable means!

In my opinion the “White Australia Policy," stretched and strained until it has become an instrument of oppression in the hands of a number of unscrupulous whites, is the cause of 95 per cent, of the troubles between Europeans and natives to-day. People come here from Australia and make no attempt to conceal the fact that they loathe the native and, in fact, everything coloured.

They cannot dispense with the native’s service, but this only accentuates their ingrained aversion of him. For such people the native is and ever will be a beast of burden, and is entitled to no better treatment.

When Mr. McKenna (Permanent Head of the Queensland Education Department) was invited here to report and advise on the education of the natives, he wrote, inter alia, “That one of the

strangest things in this strange land was the attitude of the whites towards the natives. Any suggestion that a little kindness would produce better results meets with derision and contempt.”

Mr. McKenna was a keen and intelligent observer and in my opinion he was not long in noting the cause at the root of nearly all the trouble here to-day.

All colonial administrations have found it necessary to check and restrain the exploitation tendencies of their colonists. Australia, in dealing with her own aboriginals, has a black and bloody history to live down. Arsenic was deliberately put in bags of sugar to poison off the people; they were shot down most cruelly by early settlers; and these facts are known even to school children in English schools to-day. In my opin ion, if one thing more than another will prompt Geneva, Canberra or the local Administration to tighten up and more rigorously apply laws for the protection of the native races, it will be the perpetual hate now at white heat, seeking to legalise barbarity in the Territory. If the German system applied to primitive people was reintro duced even for a month among the at their present stage of development, those whites now clamouring for it would be the first to urge its repeal to save their own lives.

“Duk Duk’s” lament is that there is no jury system in the Territory. Yet if his letter is a faithful reflex of his mind it is evident that zeal for the execution of justice was not his primary motive in writing. The introduction of the jury system in this Territory now would certainly benefit and unjustly protect the white and even in many cases give him a licence to violate law.

It would absolutely rob the native of the pro tection of law.

If the jury system, on account of the many loopholes it offers to injustice, is on trial in so many places, what hope is there it would ever succeed here? The system has been caustically criticised in Victoria and N.S. Wales many times by those whose legal training gives value to their

opinions. Tasmania is reported to have dispensed with it.

In a country like New Guinea with its sparse and scattered European population and its large native and coloured population, where the native is condemned and despised, I honestly believe that the jury system would mean the collapse of jus tice in the Territory. The work of Police, District Officers, Crown Law Office and Judges would be at the mercy of cliques whose ingrained aversion would prejudice and blind them in any dispute or case where Black would be against White. The jury system would be an inducement for prospec tive law-breakers to act with impunity and would drive the native to seek redress by the only means left to him—violence. Twelve jurymen could never be empanelled in this Territory to re turn. a verdict of guilty against a European.

Even after the clear exposition of the barbarous details of the killing of a native, published in succeeding issues of the “Rabaul Times” recently,, potential jurymen, volatile and talkative with liquor, were holding up the culprit as an unfor tunate hero, more deserving of a V.C. than a terra of imprisonment.

If there is anything in “Duk Duk’s” case, the only sane and logical inference must be that we have a judge or judges who are corrupt, incom petent, or at least prejudiced against their own countrymen. Mr. Justice Wahliss, the Chief Judge, is a sound lawyer and a just judge, and has, moreover, a long and honourable military ser vice. He enjoys the respect and confidence of every educated person here to-day.

It is neither pleasant nor just to the living relatives of those who have been sentenced to review the details of the cases cited by “Duk Duk,” in support of his plea for a jury system.

The reports can be read by any interested party.

How any sincere critic could hope to succeed by pointing to such cases is beyond comprehension.

If they are types of “cultured” white men with honourable records, Australian culture must be of an extremely inferior quality. Perhaps this ex plains why the natives are so slow at absorbing it.

“Duk Duk,” I observe, has quoted approvingly the Crown Law Officer for the Territory (Mr. G.

Hogan) as stating that native evidence was worthless and unreliable. Only last week the Crown Law Officer stated in the Legislative Coun cil that he did not cause a letter to be written stating that he fully realised that native evidence was worthless and unreliable. I know that the Crown Law Officer has repeatedly stated in court the direct opposite to “Duk Duk’s” contention.

What the Crown Law Officer probably did say was that in a particular case the native’s evidence was worthless and unreliable.

I would remind “Duk Duk” that a person who sets out to prove too much usually ends by prov ing nothing. The logical, sane and traditional way is to collect and survey the evidence first and then draw conclusions.

I am, etc.,

Lover Of Justice.

Rabaul, N.G., 1st February, 1935.

Mr. David R. McNicoll, son of the Ad ministrator of the Mandated Territory of New Guinea, sailed by the Montoro for Rabaul on February 20. After spending several weeks with his parents at Nama nula, New Britain, he made a trip across to New Ireland in the Administration schooner Thetis. Mr. McNicoll, who is a journalist, will return to his duties on the editorial staff of the “Sydney Morn ing Herald” in April next.

Anthropology

p. 35

And “Enthusiasm” in New Guinea

Letter to the Editor.

THE statement in your Tropicalities column, that, according to a newspaper report, I told the Anthropology Section of the Science Con gress that “everywhere in New Guinea European representatives were enthusiastic about anthro pology . . . including planters, judges, and miners,” will be as much enjoyed by my friends as it was “by me. The idea of those Morobe miners rushing away from their claims to pursue the fascinating lore of the Kanaka is enough to reduce us all to tears.

It is true that one Melbourne journal did report me thus; but that particular journal is notorious for its lack of sense of humour.

Needless to say, nowhere at the Congress did I make any such stupid statement. My whole paper pleaded to the anthropologists to face reali ties; to come down to Earth from their academic planets; pointing out that, except in the official world, where the work was beginning to be ac cepted as having relation to and value for native administration, our science was not regarded with esteem or favour; and this was because its pur pose was not understood. I quoted the critical reference by a member of the Legislative Council in Rabaul, last year, to the “horde of anthropolo gists” who have been in and out of New Guinea, without, according to the critic, having shown any great or practical results for the Territory.

So that the point I tried to emphasise was not that planters, etc., were enthusiastic, but rather that it behoved each anthropological field-worker who goes to New Guinea to attempt to give his work a practical application; and, in addition, always to be prepared to show to any European who appeared interested or critically inquisitive, the nature of the work being done and some idea of the technique of a sociological survey.

“Let the anthropologist come out into the open; table all his cards; show that he has nothing to hide; attempt to have his work and his point of view understood by the Europeans in the Terri tory, and so remove from the work the blight of suspicion and ridicule that are due solely to lack of understanding. Anthropology is beginning to justify itself in the official mind—after a long and uphill fight,” I said; “it is still far from finding acceptance and justification in the mind of the ordinary European. And until it does—as it will do when it is understood—it cannot hope to achieve anything great or of lasting worth.”

When I met the late Eric Randahl at Sio Island last year, for instance, I spent a couple of hours showing him, with all my records in front of us, what I was trying to do. At the outset, he was openly critical. He had just come from the Sepik River, where he had heard from the natives some thing of the doings of an anthropological party.

“What do you anthropology birds do?” he had asked me, in all seriousness. And I was glad of the opportunity to show him what one at least of the “horde” was doing. His honest remark after our session, “H’m—there’s something in this anthropology after all,” was reward for my pains.

That every anthropologist—or “ethnographer,”

if you like (perhaps we ought to put it more simply and say “every one who sets out to understand native life”) —should attempt to bring about under standing of his work and point of view amongst the Europeans in the Territory, who, after all, are responsible for its management and development (including planters and miners; I don’t know why the paper dragged the judges ini), was the burden of my plea.

But that they are enthusiastic about it already —Oh, la, lal One more point, Mr. Editor. In the summary of the paper of Mr. F. E. Williams, you quote: “Even anthropologists have come to see what academically-minded people saw long before them,” etc. This should read: “Even anthropologists have come to see . . . what less academically-minded people saw long before them.” The omission of the little word “less” makes a world of difference in the meaning. And Williams’s paper is too im portant and valuable to be misinterpreted.

I am, etc.,

W. C. Groves.

Melbourne, 23/2/35.

Ta’Ina—The Sisters

p. 35

THE success of the Melanesian Brothers movement has led to the formation of a similar order for Melanesian native girls—the Ta’ina (the Sikaianna word for Sisters).

Six years ago, before the Melanesian Mission white Sisters of the Cross went to Sikaianna, a small group of atolls about 100 miles east of Malaita, the natives were heathens. Gradually, the mission influence asserted itself and the natives turned towards the Church.

Among those who were baptised were two young Sikaianna girls—Marie and Anna who expressed a desire to live consecrated lives, doing for native women what the Brothers have accomplished for their fellowmen. For various reasons, however, nothing was done until three years later Bishop Baddeley took them in the Southern Cross to Siota, Florida Island, for instruction. Now they are back at the Sisters’ school at Sikaianna conducting small kindergarten classes for young native children.

These two young teachers were later joined by three other young girls—Mary, Ruth, and Nesta —and the five brown Sis ters emulating their guardian white Sisters of the Cross, are doing much helpful work for their own Christian people on lonely Sikaianna.

The Pending Appeal

p. 36

Mr. O. F. Nelson

Letter to the Editor, WHEN the Supreme Court of New Zea land delivered judgment last June on my appeal against convictions entered against me for political offences by Judge Luxford at the High Court of Western Samoa in March, 1934, and the four Supreme Court Judges were evenly divided for and against the main convic tions, my counsel asked in open court for leave to appeal to the Judicial Commit tee of the Privy Council.

After some discussion of the matter, the Judges ruled that they did not think they had power to grant leave to appeal, but it was suggested that leave may be grant ed by the Judicial Committee direct, so it was no secret that leave to appeal was being applied for. Latest advices from London state that an early fixture is expected for the hearing of that petition.

It will be remembered that Mr. Justice Blair, one of the four Judges who sat on the Supreme Court hearing in Wellington, gave a very strong dissenting judgment, in which he ruled that the whole of the convictions should be quashed, and the

Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, sup ported him in regard to what he termed the main conviction. It was therefore surprising to read Mr. Marc Greene’s let ter in your December issue, in which he stated, inter alia ; “ . . . There is not a chance in a hun dred of the Privy Council reversing it, even if it is taken to that body.” And “I am the last person to maintain that the system is a success or should be con tinued, but it is certain that no High Court would take the responsibility of action that would amount to a settings aside of the authority of the Mandatory.”

In view of the facts mentioned above, there is no question but that the case is sub judice, and had it been an Australian, instead of a New Zealand case, the ques tion of privilege to publish such com ments at this stage might have arisen.

To say the least of Mr. Greene’s remarks, they show no respect for the high integ rity and discretion of the highest judicial tribunal in the British Empire, with juris diction over appeals from outside of the United Kingdom. Perhaps this cannot be expected from an American journalist like Mr. Marc Greene, but that a British journal of the high standing of the P.I.M. should publish such a letter, at this junc ture, must be amazing to many who hold the last court of appeal in Dominions and Colonial matters in that high respect to which it should be entitled.

I am, etc.,

O. F. Nelson.

Auckland, 11 February, 1935.

Norfolk Island’s Customs

p. 36

Tariff

THE following letter by the Collector of Customs in Sydney, which appear ed in the “Sydney Morning Herald” on February 22, is self-explanatory; In a letter bearing the caption “Back to the- Dark Ages,” appearing in your issue of to-day’s date, Mrs. Sylvia K. Morgan complained about the collection of duty on a case of groceries sent by Anthony Hordern and Sons, Ltd., to her son at Norfolk Island, and expressed the opinion that as Norfolk Island is a part of the Commonwealth, such duty should not have been charged any more than if the goods had been sent to Victoria or any of the other States.

Now, Norfolk Island is not a part of the Com monwealth, but is a territory which, by the Norfolk Island Act, 1913, was placed under the authority of, and accepted as a territory by, the Commonwealth, the Parliament of which is em powered to make laws for the government of any territory placed by the King under the authority of, and accepted by, the Commonwealth. Nor folk Island has a Customs Tariff, which is ap plicable to all goods, including those of Australian origin, which are provided for therein, and such duties are collected by this department in Sydney prior to the shipment of the goods to Norfolk Island, and are paid to the revenue of Norfolk Island for defraying the expenditure of the island, as provided in Section 14 of the Norfolk Island Act, 1913.

It might be added that duties of Customs are not chargeable on goods imported into Australia from Norfolk Island if the goods (a) are the produce or manufacture of Norfolk Island, and (b) are shipped direct from Norfolk Island to Australia, and (c) are not goods which, if manu factured or produced in Australia, would be sub ject to any duty of excise.

Mr. Howard S. Hipkin, of the Solomon Islands, arrived in Sydney recently from short furlough in New Zealand. At pre sent he is studying at the House of the Ascension, Goulburn, N.S.W., before re turning to his work at the Melanesian Mission, Mala.

House-Keeping Aboard

p. 37

Ship

FOR those who can spare the time, a pleasure-cruise on a well-found ship provides the ideal holiday. One travels in luxury, various sports, bathing and dancing can be enjoyed on board, and there are interesting trips ashore.

Passengers have often remarked on the good condition and spotless cleanliness maintained aboard; some have also said that they have never seen the sailors working.

Cleaning a ship and keeping her clean means a great deal of careful planning and hard work; this is particularly the case with the liners employed in ocean cruising.

The Chief Officer is responsible for the general maintenance and smartness of the ship, as far as the deck is con cerned. The Boatswain and his mates supervise the actual working. With the large amount of work to be done there is no time to waste, and a regular routine has been carefully planned out ahead to cover the entire voyage. Wind, weather and the vagaries of passengers must all be taken into consideration, but the ship’s reputation for smartness must be upheld.

In the early hours of the morning, from about two until six, the ship is the scene of a co-ordinated rush in which every man gets his job and has to carry

it out with mathematical precision. The decks are swept, litter and rubbish thrown overside, deck-chairs are folded and stacked away, and a general clear ance made for washing down. Paint work is cleaned, decks scrubbed with sand and hosed off, all surplus water being removed with rubber squeegees.

All this work is carried out quickly and

quietly without disturbing the sleeping

passengers.

The cleaning operations over, the decks are marked out again for the vari ous sports. Nets and screens are rigged for tennis, courts are prepared for shuffleboard and quoits, and deck-chairs

are replaced.

It is amazing how many odds and ends, handkerchiefs, wrist-watches, cam eras and occasional pieces of jewellery are found each night and turned in to the Purser’s office. Some passengers are very casual with their property.

Life-saving equipment is inspected

daily, boats, rafts and lifebuoys must be ready for any emergency. A large pro portion of the crew are constantly on duty, while the remainder are available at very short notice.

A Sydney resident who tried to take a New Guinea parrot into Australia without notifying the Customs officers was fined £5/2/-. Australia is en deavouring to keep out a parrot-disease which attacks humans. It has a name that apparently was coined by a parrot— psittacosis.

Native Memories Of 1884

pp. 38-40

Things That Impressed the Primitive Papuan Minds of 50 Years Ago

IN this article, written with delightful humour, Mr. F. E. Williams, Govern ment Anthropologist, provides some inter esting and unusual sidelights on the cere monies which marked the addition of Papua to the British Empire.

THE ceremony of declaring the Protec torate at Port Moresby fifty years ago has been very fully described by Charles Lyne, the journalist, as well as by Chal mers, the missionary. Without expecting to learn anything new about the cere mony I thought, however, that it might be worth while questioning some of the oldest natives in the Port Moresby vil lages, to see what they could remember of it and how they regarded it.

The results of my enquiry were, I con fess, rather disappointing. I consulted three of those old-timers.

The first of them, Gavera Gavera, had but the haziest recollection of it all. He spoke of the men-of-war (there “were actually five in the harbour), of the firing of their guns, and of a diari, or “beam”— presumably the searchlight. He also re membered how the sailors and marines fell in and marched, and how they fired their rifles, the startling noise of three

feux de joie being clearly a vivid recollec tion. But there was no intriguing detail to supplement the written accounts of Chalmers and Lyne.

My second informant, Igo Gau, was al most equally a failure. He remembered however that, whereas the other chiefs who went aboard the “Nelson” were dressed in native fashion, Boe Vagi wore a shirt —a detail which is regrettably verified by Lyne, who says that the para mount chief “was dressed in a shirt, with a handkerchief round his loins, and a red felt hat on his head.” This costume in itself was sufficiently distinctive to have

Motu Nonuka wearing the naval hat and uniform presented to his grandfather, Boe Vagi, at Port Moresby in 1884, on the occa sion of the declaration of a Protectorate over Papua.

made an impression—and no doubt a favourable one—on Igo Gau; but it was nothing to what he was to see presently.

He was not himself one of the privileged fifty to go aboard the flagship. He had watched with the others for their return, and remembers how the villagers were amazed at the appearance of their newly created chief. For whereas he had gone onto the “Nelson” clad in a shirt, he came out of it carrying a stick and wearing a naval officer’s uniform. There is no doubt that Boe Vagi did wear a naval uniform later on, in his official capacity; but I think my informant may have anticipated this investiture in his account, for neither Chalmers nor Lyne makes mention of what would have been at least a very surpris ing transformation.

Igo does not forget the noise of the cannon, though he mistook its signifi cance, In the words of an English-speak ing native who has transcribed his ac count, “the meaning of the cannons which they fired, saluting the chief Boe Vagi.”

Dr. Lawes, the missionary, had fore warned the people of the display of fire works which was to take place on the evening before the actual ceremony, (It happened to be November 5. Were the rockets solely to impress the natives, or did the Commodore send up a few extra for Guy Fawkes?) To use the words of my scribe again: “In this occasion Dr.

Lawes told the villagers that they would not be afraid, but to watch and they can see some amazing things, viz., flashing lights, crackers, sky-rockets, etc. When the light flashed towards them, and when they heard the sounds, these things will do no harms; so they may not move from their villages. If this does not be told, I should say the villagers would be rushed to and fro.” As it happened, only the Koiari, visitors from the hinterland, were sufficiently scared by the entertain ment which had been staged for their "benefit to run away from it.

The last of the three old-timers was Taubada Ova. I entrusted the task of dragging out his recollections to a young educated native, and in due course re ceived a written account of them. It was a very short one, to which the young man, digusted at the failure of Taubada’s memory, wrote an indignant preface: “In my opinion he can remember things that happened yesterday, but not day before yesterday. His head is full saw-dusts, etc.” This is strong language for an up start to use of a rather eminent and cer tainly intelligent old native; but then the youth was anxious to please, and pump ing informants without result can be a little exasperating, Taubada Ova had been on a hunting expedition with his friends when they heard, reverberating through the hills, the thunder of the Royal Salute, They hastened back to the village to learn the meaning of these unaccountable noises, but by that time of course the celebration was all over. There was, however, “lots of news about appointment of Boe Vagi as a chief”; and he had been driven walking-stick, uniform, and hat by “Gamadoa (Commodore), a big man which was sent here for appointing some one as chief.”

Later in the evening, Taubada went to see the flag flying at Boe Vagi’s house— not the Union Jack of the Declaration, but a lesser emblem which will be referr ed to presently, “a beautiful flag . . . en aigned with Bird of Paradise.” Beneath it were gathered a crowd of natives who "talked amongst themselves about obey ing Boe Vagi’s order and respecting him when he walked about.”

But if living memories have grown in

distinct, some concrete mementos of the scene remain in a rather better state of preservation. Boe Vagi had been ap pointed by the Commodore (no doubt on adequate recommendation) as leader among the fifty or more assembled chiefs.

And at the conclusion of the reception on board the “Nelson,” when the guests had disposed of the “great tub of boiled rice, sweetened with brown sugar,” and had listened to the Commodore’s haran gue, he, Boe Vagi, was called forward and presented with an ebony stick. It was to be, said the Commodore, an emblem to him of his authority, and all the tribes represented by the chiefs there present were to “look to the holder of this stick, Boe Vagi.”

The emblem of authority—it would have made a very serviceable weapon—is a thick black stick, encircled at the top by a band of silver. This band encloses a florin, face upwards, and we may picture Boe Vagi and his fellow tribesmen (who had hitherto seen but one white woman, the wife of Dr. Lawes) passing the stick from hand to hand and gazing with won der at their new Queen who, as the Com modore had said, would guard and watch over them and would look upon them as her children.

At subsequent ceremonies performed at different parts of the coast, Commodore Erskine presented five of these staffs of office to “paramount chiefs,” the sixth being given to Mr. Chalmers as a souve nir. It is more than doubtful whether any of them, except the last, now serves the purpose for which it was given. Boe Vagi’s remains in the house of his grand son, and neither he nor any other is bold enough to carry it as a staff of office. For Boe Vagi's status from the beginning was a fictitious one, and his place was not taken by a successor.

The ebony stick passed into the hands of his only daughter, Gabadi Boe. She it was whom Dyne described as the “vil lage belle,” but as “not very beautiful according to English or Australian ideas of female beauty, for her face is broad, her nose flat, her mouth large, and her head of hair immense.” But her form was robust; she wore many bands of shells, and a large piece of pearl around her neck; and she “wagged her petticoat with as much style and effect as her sex in Sydney, much more elaborately dressed, can show in a walk round the block.”

It is not a very sympathetic picture.

Gabadi Boe must have looked, dressed, and behaved like the Motu kekeni of to day, who is uncommonly attractive; and incidentally I am sure she wagged her petticoat with more verve than would be tolerated on the streets of Sydney.

She was no doubt making the most of her father’s glory, for Lyne adds, some what fancifully, that she was “evidently the admiration if not the envy of a select circle of young female acquaintances who were generally with her in a capacity something like that of maids of honour.”

In short, she was permitting herself to be lionised.

Gabadi Boe in due course married, and it is her son, Motu Nonuka, who now has the stick in his possession. He is a re spectable little native with no pretensions to chieftainship, the highest public honour he has achieved being no more than mem bership of the Village Council.

When I visited his house he had the relics of his distinguished grandfather placed ready on a table. Besides the ebony staff, there was an old moth-eaten flag, dark blue, with a white square in the corner. Unfortunately, the white cor ner had almost totally disappeared, though on what remained of it could be distinguished some streaks of dye or

painting. This was the flag which Tau bada Ova had admired. It had been sub stituted by Commodore Erskine for the Union Jack given to Boe Vagi in the pre vious year by Mr. H. M. Chester, when the country was prematurely annexed to Queensland. The streaks of painting are all the remains of a design printed on the white square by Mr. Cooper, of the N.S.W. Civil Service —viz., a Bird of Para dise —the first official appearance of Papua’s emblem.

But the most interesting of the relics were still to come. Motu Nonuka opened a rusty tin box of most unusual shape, and disclosed a naval officer’s cocked hat, and then, unwrapping a brown-paper parcel, he carefully laid out a naval offi cer’s cut-away. Both were grievously moth-eaten and tattered; but some 60 per cent. of the gilt buttons remained on the coat, and there were a pair of heavy epaulettes which, despite their dilapida tion, still gave it an air of magnificence.

As we have seen, there is some doubt whether this uniform was actually given to Boe Vagi by the Commodore; though Motu, his grandson, as well as two of my ancient informants, declared that it was.

But whoever gave it, we may be sure that the paramount chief often wore it and that it made its due impression.

On his death it passed, like the ebony stick, into the hands of his daughter, Gabadi Boe; nor does it appear that anyone ever ventured to wear it again, save on one occasion Gabadi Boe herself.

She had married a man, Nonuka Daroa, who once found himself in gaol for the incautious or malicious use of fire in a native garden. His highly-connected wife came to his rescue. I have the story from their son Motu, who remembers see ing his mother don the naval uniform and thus apparelled proceed from Hanu abada to the office of the Resident Magis trate, where she petitioned for her hus band’s release. The Government —or so it would appear from Motu’s story—was sufficiently sentimental to be affected, and the husband speedily found himself free again.

This ludicrous but charming episode is enough to prove, what one suspected al ready, that Boe Vagi’s daughter was a woman of character. It is worth adding that she could not on this heroic occasion have worn the trousers belonging to the uniform, because Boe Vagi had been buried in them.

The present possessor of ebony stick, flag, and uniform is a modest man.

Though his mother habitually carried the stick and once dared ridicule by wearing the uniform, he keeps them inside his house. He readily agreed to dress him self up for a photograph, but if there is anything Napoleonic in his pose it is the photographer’s fault.

Motu Nonuka has no vanity in the pos session of these heirlooms. He regards them —the flag and uniform, at any rate —as junk, and suggested burning them.

I realiy did not know whether it was right to dissuade him, they are so far gone.

But he has decided to put them away for a further span, and recently turned up at my office to accept a handful of moth balls.

Cocoa-Planting Not

p. 40

Rubber Substitute

p. 41

Many Industrial Uses Indicated For New Rubber Company Product

(The following article, which appeared in an American business journal in January, 1934, will be of interest to planters in Papua.) PERFECTED in the laboratories of the B. F. Goodrich Co., Koroseal, a new synthetic rubber-like substance, is just being put into production on a commercial basis.

Continuous tests of the material and a wide variety of experimental applica tions to uses where rubber or other ma terials are used at present, have failed to exhaust market possibilities; new and previously unlooked for properties are still being discovered by Goodrich chemists and engineers.

Although of a different chemical com position, Koroseal, like rubber, can be variously compounded to be hard or soft. When given a doughy consistency, it can be molded into any shape. It takes a variety of colours and is odourless, Goodrich chemists point out that, un like ordinary rubber, Koroseal does not swell and soften when exposed to oils and greases, resists disintegration in the presence of corrosive chemicals, stands up under the action of hot, concentrated nitric acid or chromic acid, and offers great ‘ resistance to light and oxidation.

J. W. Schade, director of research of the B. F. Goodrich Co., adds that it also has a far longer flexing life than rubber.

For Moulding, For Gaskets

The ability of Koroseal to resist mois ture and its stability over a wide range of temperature is held to make it ideal for moulding ornamental plaster casts. In regular factory operation, over 500 casts from a single Koroseal mould left it still serviceable, where an ordinary glue mould would have failed after perhaps 50 castings.

For use at points where swelling is objectionable, oil sealing gaskets made from the new material have been found far superior to rubber, Koroseal also has been found effective for piston pack ing since it insures a tight seal around the piston in the presence of oil.

Mr. Schade states that at present the cost of manufacturing Koroseal pre cludes its adoption as a general substitute for rubber.

A Lucky Landing

p. 41

From Our Own Correspondent.

PORT MORESBY, February 12.

THE new Dragon two-engined ’plane, to be used by Carpenter and Co., Ltd., on the goldfields service, flying from Queensland, arrived safely in Port Moresby at 2.30 p.m, on Friday, January 25, on the Kila Kila aerodrome.

Approaching the Papuan coast the pilot, Mr. Ferguson, who was accom panied by his wife, had some extremely alarming moments. With visibility bad and no land in sight, and petrol so low that another 20 minutes would find it exhausted, they feared disaster and gave up all for lost.

But their luck held. Land loomed ahead and the landing was made —on time, but with not a pint of petrol to spare.

Bluejackets’ Graves

pp. 41-42

Wanted, A Brass

Plate!

Navy League Does Not Mark Bluejackets’ Graves

IN 1880, a number of naval men were murdered by natives on Mandoliana Island, near the present town of Tulagi, in the Solomons. They were buried at the scene of the tragedy.

Fifty years afterwards, Mr. M. Harper, formerly of the Australian Navy, became lessee of Mandoliana; he was interested in the 1880 tragedy, and finally located the unmarked graves.

Mr. Harper asked for the names of the murdered men; and the P.I.M., with the assistance of the Australian Naval authorities, obtained the names and other details, from London.

Then Mr. Harper decided that, at his own expense, he would place a concrete slab over the graves, and he inquired whether the Navy League would supply him with a suitable brass plate, bearing the names of the men, to be embedded in the concrete.

We wrote to the Navy League of Aus

tralia, passing on the request, explaining the reason for it, and formally applying for a brass plate.

The Navy League was not helpful and refused to take any interest in the matter.

It had no funds for such a purpose. We were left to wonder what a Navy League is for, anyway. Apparently, another or ganisation for the glorification of super annuated old gentlemen.

So then we compiled another explana tion, and made formal application to the Navy Office, Australian Department of Defence, for a brass plate.

The Navy Office “regretted that it was unable to comply with the request,” and suggested that we apply to the Admiralty, Whitehall, London. Which we now pro pose to do.

It is an extraordinary thing that, with all these naval organisations functioning, mere civilians like Mr. Harper and the editor of the P.I.M. should have to fuss and fret in order to arrange so simple a thing as the marking of the graves of bluejackets wfio were killed while on duty.

Rev. J. W. P. Gillan, Principal of the Teachers’ Training College, Tangoa, New Hebrides, who is in Victoria on holidays, was relieving the Presbyterian Minister at Beechmet, Melbourne, in February. He will return to the Condominium in May next.

A Moving Mass Of

p. 42

Crabs

Egg-laying Rite in the Solomons

From, A Lady Resident of the Solomon Islands ALWAYS there are a few crabs about the garden and paddocks, making a nuisance of themselves, digging holes in the front paths and nipping the tops off very special plants or eating chickens not properly cooped; but for the first week or two in November we noticed their numbers steadily increasing.

The climax came one night, about the third week in November, when, sitting inside reading, we could hear a strange rustling going on outside. A friend described it as a flock of sheep on the move. Going out to the front gate and flashing a shooting light round about we saw a sight which made me “creep” for nights after.

The ground was just a moving mass or carpet of crabs. On every bush and fence they swarmed in hundreds, all moving, with their funny cumbrous gait in the one direction —towards the sea. I was informed they were all female crabs because they didn’t have hairy legs.

Next morning, I was up at dawn, and it was still a case of “watch your step,” as they were still on the move. But as the light of day approached and the sun became hotter, those that had not reached the water’s edge, made haste to hide themselves under coral and pieces of rub bish, wood, or anything at all, until by 9 o’clock there was not a crab to be seen, unless one went looking for them.

We went to the beach, and there wit nessed what appeared to be almost a reli gious rite of some kind, for each crab advanced to the water’s edge, and, cross ing its claws above its head, shook itself hard —not once, but many times; and then moved back among the stones to make way for another. The crab’s belly was covered with what appeared to be a dark-coloured rubber sponge, only with very, very minute knobs in place of the holes in a sponge. Perhaps that’s not a very good simile, but anyway those are the eggs, and the natives told us that the female crab goes to the sea every year at the same time, and washes her eggs in the salt water and then goes back and hatches them in the sand.

On going round the plantation we saw the whole foreshore was riddled with crab-holes —looked just like a miniature battlefield.

Needless to say, a few of the creatures died on the journey, and a sickening stench hung over everything for days.

We are now awaiting developments, as the natives say they come back again in February.

At Rere, I have seen, at a certain time of the year, millions of very tiny crabs come out of the salt water, and my theory is that they are those hatched from the eggs we saw, and that they are left in the rocks and not taken back to terra firma at all. One year at Rere the baby ones were feet deep on the beach and against the copra shed. I cannot remem ber having seen the big crabs there, though.

These, here, are about 4in. to 5in. across, I suppose, and most ferocious looking creatures.

No Patrol ’Plane

p. 43

Federal Govt. Shelves Plan To Check Shell Poachers

THE Federal Government has decided to defer the project of supplying the New Guinea Administration with a sea plane to check poaching activities of Japanese shell-raiders in the Territory, and also to provide transport for admini strative officers.

It is some months now since the Com monwealth Government, as a result of representations made by the Administra tions and commercial interests in New Guinea, Papua, and Torres Straits, de cided to call for tenders for a seaplane and patrol launches. Tenders were in vited, but only one was received. This, however, was not accepted. The Federal Ministry was thus faced with the al ternatives of supplying a Government machine, pilot and mechanics, or of de ferring the project.

Formerly the New Guinea Administra tion maintained a steam-yacht for ad ministrative and other purposes in the Territory. This vessel —the Franklin— was sold about two years ago and, as the seaplane proposal was in the air, nothing was done to replace her. Now that the plan to obtain a suitable machine has been shelved, it is likely that a small steamer will be purchased in Australia for the New Guinea Administration.

No decision has been made concerning the patrol launches, and inquiries by the Federal Government are still proceeding.

Rev. James Orsmond

pp. 43-44

His Valuable Work in Tahiti

WRITING in the “Sydney Morning Herald” of February 2 last, Mr. Eric Ramsden supplies some interesting ma terial concerning Rev. James Muggridge Orsmond, pioneer “Duff” missionary to Tahiti. Mr. Ramsden has based his article on data contained in a document purchased by the Mitchell Library (Sydney) from the collection of the late Dr. John Dunmore Lang.

According to the recently purchased document, which was compiled by Mr.

Orsmond himself, the Church gained a firm footing in Tahiti only after King Pomare II. was converted, and, for his own political ends, advocated Christianity.

“After the King was baptised,” wrote Mr.

Orsmond, “the door was open, and a desire to follow his example ran through the islands like wild fire among stubble.”

Travelling to Sydney in 1817 in the company of two natives, Mr. Orsmond acquired a workable knowledge of Tahi tian. On his return to Papeete he studied

the language diligently until he obtained complete mastery over it. He saw the people in transition and made full use of this by going among the chiefs, priests, and commoners seeking their opinions, studying their customs and legends, and assimilating the fundamentals of their inherent culture. This mass of detail he recorded while it was still fresh in his memory, and so gathered a comprehensive and valuable collection of ancient Tahitian lore.

Later he generously presented his col lected writings, embodying his observa tions and researches, to the French Gov ernment. Unfortunately, these documents of inestimable value were subsequently destroyed in Paris. Years later his bril liant granddaughter, Teuira Henry, a fluent linguist and a profound student of Tahitian culture, undertook the tremen dous task of restoring Mr. Orsmond’s life work. After her death in 1915, Miss Henry’s manuscripts, elaborated with notes by other Tahiti experts, were pub lished by the Bernice P. Bishop Museum, of Honolulu.

When his wife died in Tahiti on Janu ary 6, 1815, Mr. Orsmond went to Sydney and married Miss Isabella Nelson, a Sun day school teacher of Parramatta, N.S.W.

Their daughter Eliza married Isaac S.

Henry, son of Rev. William Henry (vete ran missionary of the “Duff,” who later settled at Ryde, N.S.W.). From this union was born Teuira Henry, on January 24, 1847; thus she was the granddaughter of both the old "Duff” missionaries, Rev.

James Orsmond and Rev. William Henry.

After the French occupation of Tahiti, Mr. Orsmond realised that Britain would

not interfere with the position, and so he opposed the actions of the Protestant missionaries in encouraging the Tahitians to resist the French by arms. For this attitude he was accused of aiding the French, and, finally, dismissed from the London Missionary Society in July, 1844.

Subsequently, the French authorities made him Government pastor at the Papeete French Protestant Mission.

While on his way to Sydney in 1856, Rev. James Orsmond died at sea on April 23, at the age of 72.

Mr. Harbour, who is studying theology at St. John’s College, Auckland, New Zea land, will shortly be appointed to an Islands post by the Melanesian Mission.

Incredible Story

p. 44

How Lost Bag of Gold Was Recovered

THE following description of an inci dent in Papua is always given a prominent place among “Incredible Stories.” Yet it is absolutely true.

It is amusing to recall that the story was once written by a certain Bishop, and sent to a magazine that publishes “only truth” ! It was returned with thanks, and a reminder to the above effect.

Henry Dexter, writing from England to the editor, recalls the story, and re marks that Percy Leigh, the diver con cerned, and Sandy Christy, owner of the salvaged bag, were at the wharf to say good-bye to him when he left the Terri tory last November. Dexter retells the story in the book he now is writing.

A cutter from the North-east Coast of Papua was nearing Samarai, and there was much bustle on board as the miners stacked their goods on deck, ready for disembarkation. There came a sudden squall from the nearby mountains. The cutter was thrown on her beam ends and four bags, containing gold, slid gently overboard and sank.

The skipper kept his head, and imme diately gybed the cutter and took cross bearings to mark the spot. Then he went on to Samarai; and, soon afterwards, re turned with diver Leigh, and Christy, the frantic owner of the gold.

The cutter was jibbed about until the marks were in line, and Leigh went over board. They were right on the spot, and three bags were sent up. But a long search failed to reveal the fourth; and the despondent Christy said that that bag contained gold worth about £1000.

The diver, finally, gave it up, and climbed aboard.

“Heave up, boys!” called the skipper, and the native crew slowly raised the anchor.

A native, looking over the bow, sud

denly yelled:’

“Pusa yen-o-o Talbudda!” (The bag is there, Taubada.) And there it was.

When the anchor was dropped, it fell onto the bag, hiding it from the diver.

When the anchor was raised, one of its flukes caught one of the shoulder-straps of the bag and brought it to the surface, and into the hands of its anxious owner.

Danish Scientist

p. 44

Saves His Pacific Specimens

DR. AXEL HOLLER, a Danish scientist, who experienced many exciting ad ventures in the Pacific Ocean, including the wreck of his schooner, in the Southern Solomons, arrived at Darwin on the motor-ship Rabaul on February 24, on his return voyage.

Dr. Holler said that, with the schooner’s launch, they salvaged all the valuable ex hibits and the schooner’s equipment. The loss of the schooner was negligible com pared with the value of the exhibits, which were probably the best collection ever sent to Denmark.

Soaked Trader”

p. 46

Reminiscences of “Gin- Soaked Trader”

Henry Dexter is Compiling a Book

NO one expected that Henry Dexter, late trader, of Papua, when he retired to England, would sit about with folded hands; but at least he might have rested a while, after 25 years of hard work.

He is not like that, however. He says, in a letter dated January 15, that already he has written 20,000 words of his book of Papuan memories.

The sections of the book are intriguing.

“The Voyage of the Bentinck,” “Abau Patrol, 1915,” “Queer Happenings,” “The Prospector,” “The Mysterious Fish of the Veri Veri Islands,” “Types of Natives,”

“Missionaries v. Traders,” etc. —those titles will mean something to old Papuans.

Mr. Dexter writes: “The Bentinck yarn is readable, I know ; the Abau parol, in which I played a minor part as emergency magistrate, being in charge of the island at the time, keeping up communication with the patrol, trying all cases that a magistrate for native matters is competent to try. You know, of course, that the affair arose out of the massacre of a sergeant and three police.

“ ‘Queer Happenings’ are a collection of weird events, that are either my own experiences, or those of men whom I knew well.

“ ‘The Prospector’ deals with the man who is plucky to a fault, who would try

to get to the South Pole if gold was re ported there, a man ‘who knows every thing but how to keep his gold when he has found it.’ That last sentence was written by Beatrice Grimshaw over twenty years ago, but is equally true to day. I’ve given instances that are almost forgotten.

“ ‘The Mysterious Fish of the Veri Veri Islands’ was last seen by Butler (engineer) and me in 1910. Those who saw it during a number of years were Jimmy Fowler, Kunson, His Excellency the Governor, Chalmers (afterwards killed and eaten at the mouth of the Fly River), Thomp kins (a missionary who was also killed at the same time as Chalmers), Rev.

Dauncey (one time of Delana). Dauncey, with Chalmers and Thompkins, were bound up to P.M. from Yule Island when they saw it.

“Passing the spot in 1925 I told Rev.

Dauncey of my experience. ‘And you saw that fish, too,’ he said. ‘Chalmers, Thomp kins, and I were in a small cutter; it was before the days of motors. The fish came up astern of us; really, it almost looked as if it could take us—cutter and all —into its mouth.’

“In 1897, this water was being fished by three Japanese luggers after pearl shell.

On the first day, things were going well, and shell was plentiful. Suddenly the tube and line of one of the divers parted.

There was no pull, which showed it was not through the diver putting his foot into the shell of a giant clam. The tube was cut clean as if with a pair of giant shears.

“The next day the same thing happened and the boats left.

“Was this giant fish, which has never been identified by those who have seen it, responsible for the tragedy?

“As far as I know, that water has

never been fished since. In 1914, a firm in Thursday Island were sending me over two pearling luggers to give it a try.

They were to arrive in September; but war was declared just as they were about to leave.

“‘Missionaries v. Traders’: You can guess the line taken. It hasn’t a word that will hurt the ordinary, common, or garden missionary. I’m careful tp say that missionaries were among the most genuine friends I had in Papua. It is only the minority, who keep the old stock yarns going, that I hit at. In short, I ask for fair play for the trader, and that he should not be saddled with the sins of his forebears.

“The compilation is entitled ‘Reminis cences of a Gin-Soaked Trader.”

“A chapter is called ‘Paradise Plumes.’

It treats of the traffic after it became ille gal, and one or two of the incidents are humorous. The five men (Roche, Jack son, Dressier, Penrose, and Bell) who were all killed at different times over the Dutch border, were all known to me personally. Your article in the P.I.M., 22/2/’33, gives quite a good account of these men, but omits mentioning that Dressler’s skull was found by Lyons (R.M.) on the British side of the border.

“I tell of how it was found in a dubu.

The gold stopping in the teeth told of its being that of a white man. It was shown to ‘Daddy’ Leigh, who used to travel the coast doing dentistry work. He claimed two stoppings as being his work; two others were identified by a dentist at the internment camp, South. Dressier was an Austrian, not a German, as Doc. Vernon has it.”

Dr. Alan Grant, formerly Government Medical Officer at Nauru, left Sydney with his wife recently to do post-graduate study in England.

Solomons

p. 47

Chinese In The

Letter to the Editor.

A PERSISTENT investigator reports that when the Chinese question is mentioned in Tulagi, he receives a chilly reception, followed by a “heated championship of the Chinese by the higher officials.” Continues he: “Those officials will not hear a word against the Chinese, because they are considered so industrious and law-abiding.”

Granted. But, by implication, the British traders feel that in the official mind they are regarded as loafers and law-breakers, in comparison with the Chinese.

Regarding the industriousness of the two classes of traders, those officials would be the first to condemn as “beachcombers” and “loafers” a num ber of whites seen lolling about a small store, laughing and chatting with a crowd of lounging natives. Yet when the Chinese do this they are praised for being “industrious and giving service to the natives.”

The records of the Courts will bear witness that the Chinese break the trading regulations probably to a greater degree than the whites.

Though, taken on the whole, the laws are obeyed very well by both classes of traders.

The British traders feel that the Tulagi officials are altogether too eager to adopt the role of apologist for the Chinese. This excessive friend liness is undoubtedly responsible for the lack of perspective with which the trading position is viewed by Tulagi, to the benefit of the Chinese and to the prejudice of the Whites.

As Chinatown is on Tulagi’s doorstep, while the white traders are remotely scattered throughout the length and breadth of the Group, the Chinese, Because of their propinquity, are virtually in the position of permanently being in residence at Court. As the Chinese as a race are masters of diplomacy and underground engineering it behoves Tulagi to be ever on its guard against the danger of viewing trading conditions through Chinese spectacles only.

The trader is the only European in the Group who is subjected to Chinese competition. Assum ing it was possible to subject Government officials to similar competition, the complacency with which the majority of those good folk view the death throes of the white trader would receive a rude shock. The introduction into the Group of Chinese officials would result in an en masse native change over to the newcomers, and the British officials would be left in splendid isolation. When in due course they had lost nearly all their income and self-respect, they would feel as we few doomed British traders are feeling now.

The trader is criticised often enough, but has the Government courage enough to invite the natives to indicate their opinion by taking a vote on the question “Chinese Officials or British Offi cials”? It knows only too well that the vote would be overwhelmingly in favour of the Chinese.

Competition is a wonderful thing—for the other fellow.

The fantastic proposals in the foregoing para graph are deliberately made to bring into high relief the realities of the matter at issue.

The native is a child and is swayed by childish impulses and desires—all of which are not neces sarily for his own good. With him, the question of European versus Asiatic is not an economic one, as it is with us, but a racial one. The native feels he is nearer in race to the Chinese than to the Whites. The fact that the white traders’ prices, quality, and service are as good or better than those of the Chinese, carries no weight against the blind, unreasoning, racial pre ference of the native for the Chinese. The funda mental unfairness to the European was committed when the Government permitted the Chinese to compete against him. There being a kind of Gresham’s Law in this connection—“Asiatic

traders will drive out European traders.” The natives treat the Chinese more like one of them selves, and speak to them in a manner they would be afraid to adopt to a white man. This insolent indulgence of the natives’ inferiority complex spells business to the Celestials—who smile and rake in the shekels —but at the same time it means ruin to the Whites.

From what has been said we arrive at the con clusion that the official policy of the ‘‘open go,” and so-called “equality,” is utterly unfair, be cause the European, by virtue of his being a European, is always under a heavy handicap, the handicap of race.

Can the Government, or the Missionaries, for that matter, as guardians of the infant native race, contend that Asiatic contacts that breed insolence and create an anti-white complex in their charges, are desirable or necessary?

I am, etc.,

B.S.I.

Tulagi, 28 Jan., 1935.

Hurricane Rakes Rarotonga

pp. 48-49

Cargo Lighters Stranded in Main Street

From Our Own Correspondent.

Rarotonga, Feb. 25.

AFTER years of comparative immunity Rarotonga, is now recovering from the effects of the most severe weather expenenced since 1893.

On Thursday, February 7, barometers started to fall, reaching, on Sunday night, the lowest known recording of 28.97.

Meanwhile, the wind had increased from a gale to hurricane pitch, blowing at 90 miles an hour from the north-west.

Huge seas rolled in on the island, churning and volleying along the white curve of the reef like lines of smoking destroyers racing for the shore.

The main settlement of Avarua received the full force of the storm, the approach of which, strangely enough, roused singularly little activity until it

was too late to make any effective pro tection of property. With sinister rapidity the hurricane gathered strength, leaping with amazing ferocity from the darkness of Saturday night on to the ex posed, already shaken township. Jerry built native shacks went down before it, while galvanised iron roofs clattered like castanets, in several cases ripping away from their wooden rafters to be whirled off like so many sheets of grey blotting paper.

Along the water-front, where the buildings stand as close as 30 or 40 yards above high-tide mark, the damage was heaviest. A small shop and a neighbour ing dwelling-house were completely de molished, leaving in their places only a barren expanse of coral-studded ground.

Further along, the seas pounded the rear portion of Messrs, dagger and Harvey’s store.

Shortly after midday on Sunday the road skirting the settlement was torn up for a distance of several hundred yards and deposited, together with a consider able quantity of sand and loose rock, in the gardens of the Hotel Rarotonga and the Chief Customs Officer. At the same time a fleet of large cargo lighters be longing to the Union Steamship Co. were lifted off the slipway and sent foaming past the Administration offices, before stranding in the middle of the Tukuvaine road. One, caught by cross-currents, careened onto the Government steps and came to rest with its. bows a few feet from the Resident Commissioner’s room- The volume of water was so great that a tract of low-lying and thickly popu lated land behind the hotel was inun dated to a depth of six or seven feet.

In the hospital Dr. Ellison, S.M.O., performed a major emergency operation while waves lashed at the base of the back verandah, forcing a thin sandy trickle under the ward doors.

On Monday, the island presented an unusual appearance. Telephone wires curled in festoons across the Circular Road, which was for two or three days impassable at certain points. Here and, there whole sections had been obliterated by the sea, while at others passage was barred by fallen trees. Every village had its own quota of roofless or wrecked houses; and in Avarua the posts of Messrs. A. B. Donald and Co.’s private wharf rose from the surrounding waters

like blackened teeth in a rush of foam flecked saliva.

Considering the exceptional severity of the storm, surprisingly small damage was done. Volunteer labour corps were quickly organised to clear the roads; individuals rebuilt or removed the re mains of their houses, and rubbish was burnt so expeditiously and with such general good temper that it is now almost impossible to credit the memories of two weeks ago.

But, in events of this kind, the most serious effects are not immediately vis ible. They lie in the losses among orange and banana plantations, losses which have been unofficially estimated at be tween 60 and 80 per cent, of the total crop. The coming year will be a “lean” one, not only for native growers but for those business firms who depend largely for their trade upon the circulation of money derived from the sale of fruit.

The Resident Commissioner, Judge H.

F. Ayson, C.M.G., who was away on furlough, returned hurriedly from New Zealand by yesterday’s mail steamer.

The north-westerly hurricane which raked Rarotonga is reported to have extended over an area of 400 miles and fear has been expressed locally for the small low-lying atolls of the Northern Group. In response to radio requests the New Zealand Government have des patched the Union Co.’s ship Maital, which is due to arrive here early this week, whence she will proceed north on a tour of investigation. On board are Mr. Smith, Secretary for the Cook Is lands Department, and Dr. Dawson, of Christchurch. The Maitai is expected to call at Penrhyn, Manihiki and Rakahanga in addition to visiting the islands of the Lower Group.

Only incomplete reports of the hurri

cane in the Lower Group are available.

In all cases heavy damage to fruit crops is reported, the island of Aitutaki being particularly hard hit.

The White Star’s luxury cruiser Fran conia, scheduled to reach Rarotonga on February 13, was diverted on the request on the local authorities. The Franconia’s captain reiterated his wish to visit the scene of the hurricane, with 500 moneyed sightseers, but was again refused on grounds of inadequate provision for their reception. Steaming for Samoa, dis gruntled luxury passengers saw nothing, but saved the money which might other wise have been spent in the island.

Thursday Is.

p. 49

Notes

From Our Own Correspondent.

Thursday Is., March 2.

Prior to leaving Thursday Is. to return to her home in Sydney, Mrs. Gerald Bruce tendered a large picnic at Port Lihou on Prince of Wales Island, in return for some of the hospitality that had been extended to her during her long stay.

The picnic was a most enjoyable one, being favoured with splendid weather conditions.

The prices obtained for local mother-of-pearl shell lately have been rather low, making the future of the pearling industry insecure. The Commonwealth Government has undertaken to give financial as sistance to pearlers in order to prevent more un employment.

The business of the Port Kennedy Engineering and Shipyards Co. is now in full swing, owing to the presence in the harbour of most of the luggers and cutters used in the marine industry. The manager, Mr. S. West Newman, will pay a private visit to England in the near future.

Mr. Donald Walker, of the Customs Service, has been transferred back to Townsville, much to the regret of his friends.

The Bishop of Carpentaria has travelled down to Sydney to take part in the meeting of the House of Bishops on March 12. The chief item of business is the election of the Anglican Primate of Australia.

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Rowan, of the Lockhart River Mission, have been on a visit to T.I., where they were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Sulli van.

Mrs. J. I. Adams has proceeded South in order to place her two younger daughters in boarding schools. One of them, Patricia, has fine promise as an elocutionist.

The Pilot Service has lost a valued officer of long standing by the passing of Captain C. Priest, The deceased has been ailing for a considerable time. He was 58 years of age.

A mail left recently on a Norwegian tanker by the kind favour of Captain A. Rule. Thursday Island owes a great debt of gratitude to the mem bers of the Queensland Coast and Torres Strait Pilot Service for the trouble in bringing in and taking out mailbags to passing steamers. The regular mail service is scanty.

Mrs. Eric Corran has returned to T.I. for a holiday.

The Protector of Aboriginals has been on the annual recruiting tour of the Torres Strait Islands for the “company” boats—the luggers and cutters owned by the natives working in the marine in dustry.

His other partners having withdrawn from the business, Mr. Gordon Vidgen is now controlling the Port Kennedy Butchering and Ice Co., on lease.

A relieving teacher is being sought for the Torres Strait Island Schools. His duties when he is not relieving absent white teachers, will be to train native teachers, and assist in the growing office work of the Protector of Aborigines.

All five candidates from the local State school have passed the recent Scholarship Examination.

This is very creditable for all concerned, especi ally the head teacher, Mr. Harry Finter, who has been working hard bringing the candidates up to concert pitch.

The Synod of the Diocese of Carpentaria has been called to foregather on July 7, at the see-town, Thursday Island. The proceedings are likely to last about a week, and will be commenced with a Quiet Day to be conducted by the Rector of Darwin, Rev. Housden.

Circuit Courts In New

p. 50

Guinea

Proposal Under Consideration

THE establishment of Circuit Courts in New Guinea has been urged on a number of occasions. Mr. W. E. Grose, M.L.C., brought the matter up for con sideration at the last meeting of the Legislative Council in Rabaul, in January.

The Crown Law Officer (Mr. Gerald Hogan) said that the introduction of the system of circuit courts advocated by Mr.

Grose was under consideration.

“In my opinion,” added Mr. Hogan, “no machinery for the administration of jus tice can be regarded as effective unless it takes justice to the people and admin isters it with dispatch, with independence, with certainty, and with skill. Judicial work should be performed by persons with adequate experience who are trained in the weighing of evidence and the re quirements of legal proof; and, if practic able, by such persons in the district in which a crime is committed and the wit nesses reside. Sittings of the Supreme Court held at frequent intervals at Dis trict Headquarters would remove some of the defects of the existing system.

“Because of general agreement with these views, the error is sometimes com mitted of assuming that the holding of sittings of the Supreme Court in Districts must of itself improve the administra tion of justice. Whilst I agree that it is very important that trials by the Supreme Court should be held in the District in which the crime was committed and the witnesses reside, yet I think all matters affecting the administration of justice in the Territory have to be carefully weighed when considering the introduction of the circuit system. One cannot ignore finan cial considerations, the staff available, and Territory conditions generally when con sidering any matter of administration.

“The question is, would the introduction of the circuit system under conditions existing in the Territory at present im prove the administration of justice in the Territory? The paramount consideration is the administration of justice to the prisoner.

“Even if the necessary transport were available and the circuit courts could be held at frequent intervals in each District, I doubt whether the advantages which would result from the introduction of the circuit court system outweigh the disad vantages under present Territory condi tions. The question of the introduction of the circuit court system is being carefully considered by the Administration at the present time. lam in favour of the in troduction of the system as soon as prac ticable.”

In Papua

p. 50

Methodist Missions and Work In Papua

MISSION activities in the Pacific Islands were described at the annual demonstration of the Foreign Mission section of the Australian Methodist Con ference, held in Sydney on February 28.

The new President of the Conference, by the way, is the Rev. M. K. Gilmour, who, for 33 years, was a missionary in Papua, and retired last year. His many Papuan friends will be glad that his notable career has been marked by this signal honour.

Rev. John W. Dixon, of Papua, in an address recalled that it was 44 years ago that the ship Lord of the Isles took from Sydney the first party of missionaries to Papua. This pioneer party included Ton gans, Samoans, and Fijians, as well as European missionaries. That was an effective answer to those who asked what could be made of the natives. Amongst the 38,000 people for whom the Church was working there were many victims of the purveyors of magic. The work of evan gelism included education, trade tech nique, medical service, printing work, and agriculture.

Mr. Dixon told how he secured a print ing press for his work in Papua. By means of friends, he made a search of Sydney for what he wanted, without suc cess. Then Mr. E. C. Sommerlad, M.L.C., told him of a press that was held by the police—the property of men in gaol, who had used it for illegally printing postage stamps and Irish lottery tickets.

Having purchased this, he taught three of the natives in Papua to operate it, and by its means produced in six languages magazines and school primers. He be lieved “that the sound of the printing presses is dealing a death-blow to heathen darkness.”

The Rev. Usaia Sotutu, a Fijian min ister, stationed in the Solomon Islands, also spoke by the aid of an interpreter.

New Guinea Notes

p. 52

Administration Closes Mount Hagen Area

From Our Own Correspondent

Rabaul, Feb. 9.

AS a result of the tragic death of Father Mor schheuser and the subsequent passing away of Brother Eugene, who were attacked by natives in the Mount Hagen area, the Administra tion has decided definitely to close the "uncontrolled'’ areas in this part of the mainland. Govern ment patrols are now penetrating to villages where disturbances have occurred, and no other white parties will be allowed to enter the region.

Official sanction has been granted for members of the N.G. Legislative Council to bear the cour tesy title of “Honourable” during their term of office.

The motor ketch “Marina,” when leaving Rabaul Harbour recently, was struck by a nor'-west squall, and capsized when off Matupi Point. While being towed in the vessel sank in 13 fathoms of water, but was subsequently salvaged by the Japanese diver Nozaki.

The Rabaul Dramatic and Musical Society held a successful musicale on January 28, under the capable supervision of Mrs. Clive Backhouse. The string quartette, consisting of Messrs. Hopkins and Thornthwaite (violins), Haslam (cello), and Mrs. Backhouse (pianiste) rendered several items which were well received. The vocalists were:

Madames Bates and Youlden, and Messrs. Clive Mears and Virgil King. An outstanding item of the programme was an able pianoforte solo rendered by Mr. Keith Chambers.

On January 21 Rabaul hot air dried copra was quoted at £11/1/6 per ton in store Rabaul. This is the best price paid for our staple product since February, 1933, and, consequently, the rise has gladdened the hearts of all local planters and traders.

Advice has been received from the Australian Customs authorities to the effect that New Guinea residents, when taking their cars with them to Australia, are now permitted to enter into a guarantee instead of having to deposit in cash the value of their car during the time it is being used in Australia. This permission is a great convenience to New Guinea residents, who in the past have not always found it practicable to make a cash deposit while on leave.

During December the exports of copra from the Territory amounted to 2,941 tons. The amount shipped to Australia was 600 tons; the balance being exported to European ports, of which 1,195 tons was consigned to the United Kingdom.

The District Office of New Britain has been transferred from Kokopo to Rabaul and the Dis trict Officer, Mr. Don Waugh, and his staff have taken up their residence in Rabaul.

On February 9, the Rabaul Bowling Club was officially opened by His Honour the Administrator, assisted by Mrs. McNicoll, who bowled the first bowl. The greens were in excellent condition, and there was a good attendance. The club’s presi dent is Mr. T. W. Ellis, who for some time now has been an enthusiastic worker for its formation.

The secretary is Mr. J. E. Bennie.

The engagement has been announced of Miss Donella Refshauge, ok Melbourne, who has been attached to the Custodian’s office here, and Mr.

J. R. Walker of the Commonwealth Bank staff, Rabaul. Miss Refshauge recently departed for South on the “Montoro.”

Tontouta Bridge, N.C.

p. 52

Washaway Near

From Our Own Correspondent.

Noumea, Feb. 1.

The new Tontouta bridge was to have been opened on Saturday, January 12, at 3 p.m., by His Excellency, the Governor, M. Siadous. Unfortunately, torrential rain rendered this quite impossible, so the ceremony was postponed.

The river rose to a great height, five metres (about eighteen feet) above nor mal height, and there was a serious wash away in the approach on the Noumean side of the road. A hastily improvised bridge soon spanned the gap and the traffic was only interrupted for a few days.

Curiously, the old punt had been dam aged the day before through carrying a large canion heavily loaded, and was thus also put out of action.

Maui Pomare Refitted

p. 52

From Our Own Correspondent.

Apia, Feb. 12.

AFTER having been refitted and partly rebuilt in New Zealand, the N.Z.

Government steamer Maui Pomare ar rived here on February 7, the second day of Prince Henry’s visit to Samoa. She brought a number of passengers, who were fortunate in being in time to see the town in holiday dress and to be able o witness the rare spectacle of a mon ster ta’alolo and King’s Kava at Mulinu’u.

Amongst the passengers were Judge Luxford (on circuit duty), Mr. and Mrs.

Jones (manager of Vaitele Plantation), Mr Robson (Resident Commissioner of Savaii), and Mrs. Possin (Central Office).

A full shipment of over 7,000 cases of bananas of excellent quality was pro cured for Lyttleton and Wellington.

Youthful Veterans Of

p. 53

Eastern Papua

From a Special Correspondent.

Pt. Moresby, Feb. 20.

RECENTLY I had occasion to walkabout the eastern end of Papua, and I found remarkable evidence of the effect of our tropical climate.

First, I travelled xhto Samarai with Captain Andersen, of the “Papuan Chief.” Apple-cheeked and smart, in shorts, he looks a well-preserved 50; act ually, he is 70. Elias Solomon, at Sama rai, is close on 70, but is full of plans for developing his land. Dick Talbot, owner (with his brother Charlie), of Puni-puni, is well over 70, and as sprightly as an M.C. at an outback ball.

Jack Gray, of Annie Inlet, can (and does) refer to Henry Dexter as “a smart young fellow.” Jack speaks of the days of Sir William MacGregor as if they had ceased but last Shrove Tuesday. His eyes have “gone back on him,” the rheu matism cramps his style a trifle, and the malaria gets him down now and again; but, apart from that he is “pretty jake.”

He is more than half-way through his seventies, but lives an active oudoor ex istence, travelling frequently on foot be tween his two plantations, which are quite a few miles apart.

Dr. Harse, of Tomino, is also a septu

agenarian. The excellent state of his rubber trees bears ample evidence of his activity, even if one could ignore the testimony of his robust appearance, clear eye and springy gait.

The extensive repair and reconstruction of the Government wharf at Vavau, Tonga, gave the natives of this place some work to do. Five years ago they would not work for less than 8/a day; now they are glad to get 3/- a day. —Finau Photo.

Newly-Discovered New

p. 54

Guinea Official Descriptions of Ramu — Mt. Hagen Region

TWO papers of considerable interest are contained in the issue of the “Geo graphical Journal” of November, 1934.

The first, illustrated with striking and unusual photographs, is entitled “The Central Ranges of the Mandated Terri tory of New Guinea —from Mount Chap man to Mount Hagen,” by E. W. P. Chin nery, who is the official anthropologist in New Guinea and head of District Services and Native Affairs. The second, “Map ping the Purari Plateau, New Guinea,” is by K. L. Spinks, who is an official sur veyor, and recently examined this country.

These two papers constitute the first authoritative publication describing the remarkable new country that has been discovered in Central New Guinea during the past 20 months.

This region is certain to receive a great deal of attention in the future. It is a series of vast park-like plateaux, table lands, and well-watered valleys lying at an average height of 5000 feet, southward of the Bismarck Ranges and the Ramu River (which run parallel with the north ern coast of New Guinea). These mighty natural barriers had defeated for a cen tury the best efforts of exploration parties; and, although this vast central region was marked on the maps as un explored, it was assumed that it com prised the broken, rocky, jungle-clad wilderness that is characteristic of the

southern Morobe district and of the mountain chains which lie along the bor derline of New Guinea and Papua.

But in 1932-33 parties of Government patrol officers and gold prospectors began to push steadily westward from Wau, into the very broken country along the border; and north-west from the Bulolo end of the Morobe goldfield, down past the head waters of the Ramu River; and, in the latter country particularly they found densely-populated districts of astonishing beauty and fertility. Instead of impass able rocky crags, they found wide smiling valleys and great grassy plains watered by innumerable rivers. Instead of the semi-nomadic Kukukukus treacherous and elusive jungle tribes —they discov ered comparatively well-ordered com munities and natives of magnificent physique and unusual intelligence, whose well-planned and irrigated gardens and farmlets proved them to be agriculturists of no mean order. Instead of steamy jungles and malarial swamps they found healthy wind-swept uplands, lying at an average height which, although close to the equator, gave them a climate of sub tropical quality.

Goverment officials and prospectors dur ing 1933-34 pushed rapidly into this as tonishing country and their exploratory activities were greatly aided by aero planes. The skilled aviators of Guinea Airways, Ltd., Holden’s Air Transport Services. Ltd., and other companies did work of incalculable value. As the ex ploring parties advanced they cleared landing grounds, and thus the aeroplanes constantly sought them out with supplies and mails, and maintained communica tion.

More or less incomplete accounts of these discoveries have been published, and throughout the world intense interest has

been manifested in this fascinating new country, the existence of which was hither to unsuspected. The demands for further information have been insatiable; and for this reason the papers by Messrs. Chin ery and Spinks will be gladly received.

The two gentlemen named have not sought to provide anything like a detailed de scription of the new country and the new people; but the facts they have published are the results of the careful observations of trained and experienced professional men; and for that reason they are of value at the present time.

Together with the papers there is pub lished an exceedingly valuable map show ing in considerable detail the river sys tems, the villages, and the principal mountains in the region between the Ramu headwaters and Mount Hagen. A number of these river systems disappear into unknown country, and junction somewhere in order to form the head waters of the great Purari River, which later emerges in Papua.

It is most interesting, also, to note that on this new map, on the southern limits of the newly explored country (and there fore not far from the border between Papua and New Guinea), three new mountain peaks have been marked Mount Leahy (14,270 ft.), Mount Daniel (13,420 ft.), and Mount Spinks (12,500 ft.).

So far as we are aware this is the first time that these peaks, of such notable height, have been shown on any map.

Mr. Ray Mansell, a young aviator of Bathurst, New South Wales, departed from Sydney for Salamaua, New Guinea, by the Montoro on February 20. He in tends to take up a position as pilot with one of the major goldfields aerial trans port companies.

First Belgian Ship at Tahiti

From Our Own Correspondent.

Papeete, Feb. 9.

Belgian school ship, “Mercator,” a steel-built barque with auxiliary power, came into Papeete Harbour in the middle of January. As this was the first time that a vessel flying the Belgian flag had been seen in Tahiti, her arrival was something of an event, and she was ac corded an enthusiastic reception.

Official visits to His Excellency Gov ernor Montagne and the Mayor of Papeete (Mr. George Bambridge) were paid by Commandante Van de Sanie. He also placed a splendid wreath upon the monu ment to the Tahitian soldiers killed in the Great War. During the ceremony the band from the Ecole des Freres de Ploer mel rendered the Marseillaise and the Brabancone —the National Anthems of France and Belgium.

A native style fete was held in honour of the visitors at the beautiful King Albert Park, at Papeete. This was fol lowed by an animated ball in the open air, which, in true Tahitian style, did not end till well after daybreak.

The Mercator came to Papeete by way of the Canary Islands, Martinique, Gua quil, Easter Island, and Pitcairn. By arrangement with the Chillian Government, two large stone images were picked up at Easter Island for the Trocadero Museum in Paris and the Museum at Brussels.

Dr. Metraux, from the Trocadero Museum, and Dr. de Lavacherie, from the Brussels Institution were passengers on board.

Mission Launch Shipped to New Guinea

New Guinea

The new 40ft, Seventh Day Adventist mission launch Malalagi, built in Sydney in January, was shipped to New Guinea as deck cargo by the February Montoro. Embodying several new feat ures for ocean-going craft, the launch was built specially for tropical conditions by Lars Hal vorsen at Neutral Bay.

Mr. H. R. Steed, the S.D.A. missionary in charge of the launch, also left for the Territory by the Montoro, with his wife and son. After leaving the Montoro, Pastor Steed, with a party of S.D.A. workers, took the boat to Mussau Island, in the St. Matthias Group, about 100 miles north of New Ireland. The party landed at Bolin, where the head S.D.A. school for the Mandated Territory was recently established.

Mr. Steed, who formerly was at Buresala Train ing School for native teachers at Ovalau, Fiji, said that almost £2000 had been subscribed for the new launch. As it cost only £1300, the balance of the subscribed money is being devoted to the construction of another mission boat. Work on tthis new craft has been already commenced at Halvorsen’s shipyards.

Injuries

Died From Storm

Cook Is. Official

Mr. CECIL J. BOUCHIER, Director of Agriculture at Rarotonga, died as an indirect cause of the cyclone in the Cook Islands last month. He was caught and carried along by a great wave, and his leg was broken. Dr. Ellison, medical officer in charge (who was also acting as Resident Commissioner in Judge Ayson’s absence), had to amputate the leg beneath the knee. At first it was believed that Mr.

Bouchier was making good progress, but complications set in and he lost his life.

Mr. Bouchier had had an extremely use ful experience in other parts of the Pacific and his late post was considered one of the most important, because of his expert knowledge of citrus fruits, in the Cook Group. The New Zealand Prime Minister (Mr. Forbes), who is also Minister in Charge of the Cook Islands, declared that Mr, Bouchier would be a difficult man to replace.—E.R.

French Scouts at Noumea