THROUGH PAPUA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 26 June 1924, Page 9

THROUGH PAPUA.

—■». LADY’S ADVENTUROUS WALK. PICTURESQUE SIDELIGHTS. A much-travelled lady, Miss Philippa Bridges, a sister of Sir Tom Bridges, Governor of South. Australia, has just completed a long walking tour in Papua and ex-German New Guinea, and is now in Australia. She was greatly impressed by what has been done for the natives by the Papuan Administration, and by their intelligence and orderly mode of life. Miss Bridges,: who is particularly fond of unbeaten tracks and simple folk in their native surroundings', said that the party, which was specially arranged for her benefit by Judge Murray (the Lieutenant-Governor), whose guest she was, left Port Moresby and went down to Buma. The country was difficult. One toiled up and up the razor-back hills, crossed narrow ridges, and climbed down to streams over which they had to be carried, when they could not he crossed upon slippery logs.

“I was the only white woman; in faet, everyone in the large party was a native, except the Lieutenant-Gover-nor’s son-in-law, who had charge of the expedition,” said Miss Bridges. “All the provisions had to he carried with us, also our sleeping tents and all accessories. We only touched the border of civilisation once when we passed through the village of Koda, where we were entertained by the only white woman, the resident magistrate. I cannot speak too highly of the native police—the aremd native constabulary, to give them their full title. A party of them travelled with us as escort. No matter how small the native village, there is always a policeman in charge, and they are regular martinets. Every, village I saw was a model one.” Miss Bridges has a wonderful collection of photographs taken throughout the trip. “Some of these were taken by the natives,” she said, “I would get the camera in position, and they would just touch the button. Some things are difficult to describe. Look at this bridge, for instance. It is a narrow strip of matting made out of a fine grass, and is slung between poles. It is not so fragile as it appears, but the majority of bridges over Avid© streams are simply a single log, or sometimes two, very mossy and slippery. The construction of the country is a series of razor rocks. You spend your time going up one side and down the other. I suppose I must have a good sense of balance, because I never fell. I always made a point of going straight ahead. I think holding a stick or moving your arms is quite useless. It was wonderful to watch the native women we had with us. They not only carried their own share (141 b), but half one of the men’s share as well. Then they would put the baby on the top and carry a native pig in their arms, and still cross a running river on a single log. The Papuan men and women are very keen on flowers. Of course, their hair is awfully frizzy and stands straight out. Papua means frizzy hair. They stick the hibiscus in it, and also in the bangle they wear on their arm, just fis a flapper puts a handkerchief in her slave bracelet. The birds are beautiful; parrots, hornbills, and birds of paradise.” Asked if the leeches had proved troublesome. Miss Bridges said the natives suffered a good deal, but she found a cotton skirt kept them off most effectuallv.

After leaving Papua, Miss Bridges went on to Rabaul, and later went through the ex-German territory. She said that the condition of the natives had improved under the present rule. For food they had taro, bananas, pawpaw, and, of course, coconuts ; and a considerable amount of work went to raising their crops. As to the management of the tribes, although it' could hot be said that cannibalism was effaced from the whole of New Guinea—for there were inaccessible, heavily timbered mountains, which ran up to 16,000 ft that had never been explored by white men yet—there was little, if any, in Panua, Tribe by tribe the people were coming under control.