NEW GUINEA.

Grey River Argus, 23 November 1910, Page 8

NEW GUINEA.

■ . The Lieutenant-Governor of New Guinea -recently informed a London reporter that his experiences in, the island have been so 'remarkable that he seldom mentions them, because of the fear .that they might be received iwith incredulity. He does not vouch ;for the truth of the mimour as to the I existence of .a race of tailed pigmies, but he has often .heard that they are supposed to dwell in the interior, "just over the mountain." Truth obliges him to say, however, that upon crossing- the mountain, you learn that j the men with the tails live further on, and so on until you give up the quest. We learn that cannibalism is still prevalent, although many of the more enlightened, are beginning to regard it. as "bad form," but it appears that it io likely to continue until " witch - j craft is swept away. Witchcraft holds | such way that every Papuan believes j that only old people die; hence the end of every young or middle-aged : person must have been encompassed Iby someone versed in the black art. j This being so, all -that remains is to I find the guilty sorcerer, which is done !hy a trial by. ordeal. The witch doctor grasps in his hand a leaf and an . ant ; the names of the accused are .•then called out, and suddenly the closed fist opens, indicating the guilt .•of the' man whose name was last mentioned. A desperate chase usually follows and the culprit, when captured, is put to death. Another strange custom of the islanders as that in o.ne part of their territory it is compulsory that the wife speak one language and the husband another. They each know both, of course, but they maintain the traditional custom as though their existence depended upon it. Although these aboriginal linguists understand two languages, it is essential that they should speak a third while engaged in fishing exploits. They periodically visit a neighbouring island which they make their temporary abode while the fishing excursion lasts It is said that all sorts of- dreadful things await the Papuan who neglects to, make use of this third language, and in addition 'disasted woujd overwhelm the entire, tribe if, in an unguarded moment, anyone .mentioned tha number "seven." - ' ' ii. ■ > Frank Fox, sometime of <the-"-Bulle-tin," and "Lone Hand," has settled an London a s news^ed.tor of the "Morning Post." H* Js-one of .the ablest of Australian journalists, and one of. the sanest. Had he continued to edit the "Lone Hand," the magazine would never - have lapsed linlo r.it s present 1 sloppiness. But Fox proved too good and too strong a man- for Australia tat his time. The judgment of Loni don r.-s better and in London "his , success was sure. He is not a democrat in the cheaper Australian sense; beiing, m poms of faci, very much better than that. He holds that the | -true remedy for English political troubles lies in the democratizing of the Tory party. . - . Mr W. A. Holman, new AttorneyGeneral of New South Wales, proposes to take action to mark the illegality of raffles at church bazaars. It is about time. Raffles in such places are not so numerous as they used to be, but there are still hundreds of them yearly in every country — this despite the fact thai the churches a;re for ever declaiming against the evils 'of gambling. There is no reason at. .'A\ why, of the churches will not be consistent, they should not be forcedinto consistency. Passengers about to start for New Zealand include: Major-General Godley,' and Mirs Godley, who leave wa New York to-day. Major-General God ley is 'the new Commandant of the New Zealand forces. Captain StuartBurnett, Director' of Military Operations and Intelligence for New Zealand, expects to star shortly, accompanied by Mrs Stuart-Burnett.