NEW GUINEA.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 292, 10 December 1929, Page 10

NEW GUINEA.

A VAST TERRITORY. STILL LARGELY UNKNOWN. ADDRESS TO ROTARIANS. At yesterday's weekly lunch meeting of the Auckland Rotary Club. Mr. R. W. McGregor, lecturer of zoology at the Auckland University, addressed members on "The Territory of New Guinea." The speaker, who had recently spent several months on the territory, said that New Guinea comprised not only one of the largest islands in the world, but also groups each containing large numbers of islands. Thus it wag that a visitor was first impressed by the vast area of the territory. The portion formerly held by the Germans, which had since the war been controlled by Australia under mandate, comprised" 72,000 square miles. New Guinea was a land of great diversity, both in its physical and its climatic features. Animal life was exceedingly rich and varied. There was nothing so spectacular as was found in the jungles of Africa, such as lions, tigers and elephants, but it could provide its thrills in the shape of huge pythons. The inhabitants presented the same bewildering diversity of types. Mixtures of Malayan, Japanese, Chinese and some whites, presented the usual racial problems. The variety of language was greater than anywhere else in the world. It was not uncommon for natives ■to be unable to speak the language of those a couple of miles away. In consequence necessity had created a sort of pigeon English, which passed muster, much to the chagrin of German residents who were forced to use it. Mr. McGregor said he had been amazed to find how great a proportion of New Guinea was quite unknown to modern civilisation. So far only the fringes of the country had been touched. Many interesting maps were published by the Commonwealth authorities, but if one sought to penetrate the interior one found that there were no roads. In the absence of these, river beds formed the only means of traversing the district and the speaker gave an interesting account of his experiences with teams of natives in a journey- inland. Rains and

thunderstorms were daily occurrences, even in what was deemed the dry season, and the forest became a< seething oven. Coconuts were the principal source of revenue. Such commerce as was conducted, was chiefly by British companies, successors to the Germans, who exercised a dominating influence which would, probably have to be curtailed in the general interests. The chief need of the country was capable and fearless administrators and technical advisers, who could show the best methods of utilising the wonderful resources of the country.