ACROSS PAPUA

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 January 1929, Page 9

ACROSS PAPUA

dir j. HUBERT MURRAY, Lieut..-, ° -Governor of Papua, has arrived in j London 'to spend a month of his leave, i most of which he has already passed' in Australia, states the “Manchester Guardian.” Besides visiting his brother, Professor Gilbert Murray, ahd friends in this country, Sir Hubert is eoni'mjiLnica ti ng to tlie Royal Geographical Society some particulars concerning the recent explorations of two young Government- servants, Mr Charles ICarius, an Australian, and Mr Ivan Champion, son of the Secretary to- .the Papuan Government. “The native population of Papua is new about 270,000, and is slightly increasing.” said Sir Hubert. “The area of Government influence is continually increasing, but it actually extends beyond the part“ of the country where it has actual control, apparently because tribes outside are warned by their fellows, /Don’t do so-and-so, for if you do you doin’t knew what may happen.’ I have myself been able to get about 600 miles up the Fly Liver, but the imflu- ; cnee of missions, which are responsible for all the education, docs not at present extend mere than about six days’ journey, that is, about 100 to 150 miles inland. The missions, liOAvever, are doing fin». work, especially when, it is remembered that they are dealing Avith people Utile removed from a, cannibalistic stone age.” The piece; of exploration accomplished 'by Messrs Champion and KdTius, who made their Avay through much hitherto untouched country' from the south to the north coast of south-east-ern New Guinea, was affine, feat, said Sir Hubert. ‘ ‘ They made two attempts. On the first they were thwarted by

+ EXPLORERS’ FINE FEAT .

what seemed an impassable limestone range and )>y tlue- exhaustion of their provisions. However, last March I was able to send a boat round to the north coast to fetch .them home to Port Moresby after they had accomplished the journey of 400 miles in safety. They had with them only six native constables and some carriers. Three of their six rifles were lost en route.. They were held up in one place by a tribe* which had never seen white men, whose warriors threatened them Avith a flight of arrows if they crossed a stream. One of the explorers, however, waded in to the AA-ater holding out presents of red Turkey' cloth. This exhibition of trust and the fact that the natives already revered as a son of the gods a .paleskinned Papuan who liA'&d among them, to whom they thought the explorers must be some relation, won them a peaceful passage.”

The final journey to the northern coast Avas performed on a raft which aa'Os many times nearly wrecked on the

rapids. The administration is partly carried out through the village constables ap-pointed-by the Government and a councillor chosen by the various native communities. The latter, said Sir Hubert, not only interpret the why and the wherefore of such mysterious things as taxes and Avliat they arc used for, but often make useful suggestions to the authorities. “The councillor at Port Moresby. ’ > he said, ‘ ‘ has recently suggested that avc should try and popularise the savings bank among the natives. This is being done, though it is difficult to translate terms like ‘current account.’ ”