Germans in New Guinea and New Britain.

Evening Star, Issue 7484, 31 March 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

Germans in New Guinea and New Britain.

♦ Writing from Ralune under date of February 20, "Traveller" says:—"We passed through German New Guinea, New Britain, and New Ireland, aud found affairs in those parts rather quiet. In Finch Hafcn, the capital, there is a large settlement. The present Governor is on the eve of departing for Germany to take home his children, and will be absent twelve months. The New Guinea Company have spent already about L 250.000 in starting the colonisation of New Guinea and adjacent islands. They have erected a great many stations along the coast, started a local government, and surveyed all the harbors. Besides, they have been having trials in agriculture, and now, after this experience, have started large plantations in New Guinea. This scheme, we believe, will he the success of the country, owing to cheapness and abundance of Native labor. Already they have 500 Natives from the adjacent islands aud 200 Malays. They are employed in growing cotton, coffee, and tobacco. The company have forbidden home emigration, and have thrown the country open now, wishing the emigration to come from Australia. The adjacent islands, New Britain and New Ireland, are only two days' steaming from Finch Hafen. There live the old pioneer traders, two German firms and one American one, who have been there these last twelve years. T. Farrell and Co.'s Ralune plantation was started five years ago, and seems to be a great success. We saw three Wcslcyan mission stations, too, and a great many of their teachers. They seem to have done a great deal of good amongst the Natives."