EXPLORATION OF NEW GUINEA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 7484, 25 February 1885, Page 6

EXPLORATION OF NEW GUINEA.

A deputation from the Geographical Society of New South Wales waited upon General Scratchley the other day with regard to the exploration of New Guinea. They asked the High Commissioner if he was prepared to afford the Society every facility in his power to carry on the work of exploring New Guinea and settling a number of points with regard to its geography. General Scratchley replied that he was quite prepared to give every facility in his power for carrying on exploration, but he must distinctly decline any responsibility for the Society's actions. He must avoid any appearance of giving it a Government sanction. His opinion was that exploration should, as far as practicable, be of a purely private; character. For example, if the expedition met with any disaster, he would naturally endeavour to go to their help if they had started under Government .sanction. He would be bound to do so. All the scientific and other people accompanying the expedition must be under the.conirol.of ,the leader, who should be absolutely supreme,, He. strongly suggested that,fthe :• expedition: should prepare a-'very careful estimate: of, the cost of the undertaking* having first laid down a programme very distinctly. As they had offered the leadership of the expedition', to the Eev Mr Chalmers, he would suggest

that they should communicate with him at once, before he left Cooktown. As regards the time for the starting.of the expedition, he thought that they might fix it about the middle of April. The exact, object of the enterprise should be carefully laid down He mentioned this because he was inclined to think that their first exploration should be more of a general character. Nobody knew really anything about the Island; the explorations so far had been of a piecemeal character, and although some explorers had gone some distance inland, for all practical purposes they might look upon it as a clean sheet to woik upon. As far as exploration was concerned, he thought that it should be purely scientific, in the sense of ascertaining the geography and natural history of the island. The fact was that, although he had every desire to encourage legitimate trade between Australia and New Guinea, and by degrees possibly offer facilities for settlement, it was manifestly impossible for him even to think about such things until he had got possession of the country, and until he understood all about it. In fact, he was certain that the Australian Colonies would support him in his view that before anybody goes there he (General Scratchley) must be recognised as master, not only by blacks, but also by whites.