A LOST EXPEDITION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1063, 28 February 1911, Page 6

A LOST EXPEDITION.

MASSACRED, OR DELAYED? • Up to tho present there has been no sign of the lost Panuan expedition which, under Mr. Staniforth Smith, Director of Industries in the Administration of Papua, was lost heard of in tho vicinity of the Fly River,-as far back as December of last'year. The last cablet! advice from Australia (February 22) save currency to a circumstantial report.of the massacre of the' entire party,' but. experienced Papuan, explorers, interviewed in Sydney, do not jive credence to tho report; they suggest that what has probably happened is that the expedition encountered unfavourable condition's generally, but would ultimately turn up safe and sound. /, . . • • This view is shared by Mr. C. A. Monckton, of Otaki,\who for r. period of 13 years —he left just about two years ago—was resident magistrate in the northern police district of British Nev Guinea. Mr. Jitonciton has now definitely, settled..in New Zealand.: During his 13 years' sojourn" in Now Guinea, ho was in charge of'every important exploring.party which went into the interior, and-is therefore in a position to speak , with. authority upon the prospects of ■ Mr. Staniforth Smith's expedition. ■'■'„, Interviewed by a representative of The Dominion yesterday, Mr. Monckton said that to anyono who possessed , a knowledge of tho country into which Mr. Smith's party r.ro . understood to have gone, the theory of massacre was .extremely improbable. Tho country was open, tho natives round nbont were peaceful and orderly, and nlto?ether, the massacre theory was quito untenable. Another theory put forward was that the party had.run short of provisions, and wero .probably in extremis. Mr. Monckton disposed of this point very simply. "They couldn't starve there," ho said, and proceeded Jo state that sago prow everywhsro about tho island, and that in n comparatively brief space of time, tho party's runners could procure tho necessary supplies to last the expedition a whole month. . '

"As to the "bore" story." vhe said, "that also I discredit. Thp tidal bore at the mouth of the Fly River is dangerous enough, certainly, but there is this to be remembered. First of all tho native carriers with Mr. Stninsforth Smith; are exDerienced'men, and it is hardly conceivable that even if the. party did pet into difficulties when.caught by the tidnl bore, all should have been drowned. No," continued the speaker, these, theories can safely be eliminated: Thero is something more probable —malaria, for instance. This mieht mean, continued Mr. Monck■ton, a delay of eom<» weeks. An epidemic of measles anions thp carriers was within the bounds of pojsibilitips, and here again, would be a serious dsla£.