"GERMAN" NEW GUINEA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 1220, 5 June 1919, Page 4

"GERMAN" NEW GUINEA.

FUTURE OF THE ISLANDS. (Written specially for the Chronicle by the Rev. F. T. Broom.) It is a question of no little interest what bearing the peace terms are likely to have on the future development of these possessions. Among the islands which came into the occupation of the British about six weeks after the outbreak of war are those islands known respectively as New Pommern, New Mechlenburg, New Laurenburg, New Hanover, and a portion of New Guinea known as Kaiser Wilhelm Land. Of these New Pommern, or as it is better known New Britain, may be considered the principal, for on this was established the late German Government. The island is some 300 miles in length and having an area of 12,000 square miles. The country is very mountainous in the interior, with here and a fertile plain. There are also j3foductive plains along the coast. For many years the Government was established at Herbertshohe. The harbour is very much exposed to the north-west trade wind, and for many months in the year is an unsafe anchorage for vessels. In 1900 the Government was transferred to Rabaul, which is the capital of German New Guinea. The Rabaul harbour is one of the finest in the Pacific, it is some five miles in length, with an average width of two miles. At the northern end of the harbour good anchorage may be obtained. The entrance to the harbour is very narrow, and just prior to the declaration of war Germany was considering plans for fortifying and the making of this harbour a huge naval base, for which it is eminently suitable.

To the east of Rabaul is Mount Mother, a dormant volcano, rising some 7,500 feet above sea level, while on each side are the North and South Daughters, each believed to be volcanoes. Situated on the east of the harbour are two extinct volcanoes. One, it is believed, was in eruption in 1840 and the other in 1887. At the base of the former are some very fine sulphur springs, which are much used by those suffering from rheumatic complaints. The harbour itself is considered to be the crater of a tremendous volcano, and the surrounding hills and volcanoes lead one to believe in this theory. The population of Rabaul consists of 200 Europeans, mostly Germans, and a similar number of Asiatics. Most of these hail from China.

The principal firms carrying on business at the commencement of hostilities were the New Guinea Company, Hernsheim aud Co., Forsyth and Co., and D.H. and P.G. Co. The latter is carrying on business under the title of the Mahio Commercial and Plantations Co.

The above firms have acquired large tracts of land in many parts of the group, and are doing a large trade in the export of copra, which is the principal product of these islands. Cocoa and coffee are also exported, and for many years past there has been a large business done in the export of pearl shells. The native population numbers about 200,000. They are dark-skinned Polynesians. In their primitive state thejr are indolent and dirty, but become clean and thrifty under the influence of civilisation. In the treatment of the native races, the Germans have shown that they rely on force as a method of government. Their laws are much more repressive and allow far less individual liberty than English laws. Such laws as those enforced by the Germans have not instilled into the native mind any love for the German Government. It is true the natives invariably kept the law, not because they desired to do right, but because they feared the punishment, which was altogether out of proportion to the offence. The German Government, with a view to obtaining better control of the natives, established what may be termed out-stations. They were Herbertshoe, in New Britain, Kavieng and Namatanai, in New Ireland, and Manus, in the Admiralty group.

One of the monuments of the German Government (which is not one they can glory in, for they were constructed by forced labour), is the splendid roads to be found in NewBritain and New Ireland. These roads have been constructed by the natives under the direction of district officers, each community or village being responsible for the formation and upkeep of the road to the next village and so on. For this work the natives receive no remuneration. 'I hese arterial roads have considerably assisted developing the land along the coast, as well as making the Government stations accessible by land, thereby saving much time in sea travel.