NEW GUINEA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXXI, Issue 10236, 3 January 1894, Page 2

NEW GUINEA.

(Cyrus C. Adams in the New Tori: Sun.)

Ten years ago absolutely nothing was known of the vsbu_ interior of New Guinea, excepting what Signer D’Albertis learned when he fought hia way through the tribes along the Ply River. Our knowledge even of the coasts was far from complete. It was for years believed that New Guinea was the largest island in the world, until Peary discovered the insular character of Greenland; but of the resources of this island, as large as Great Britain and Prance together, scarcely anything was known; and how numerous were the people, and whether they could be made useful to the rest of the world, were questions of the future. RAPID PROGRESS. Not even in Africa have events moved and knowledge expanded more rapidly than in New Guinea. Tobacco from the plantations of Kaiser Wilhelm Land is now in the German markets. Horses and cattle have been introduced on the south coast. It has been found that white men may work and live under good conditions in various large districts or British New Guinea, and the Administrator, Sir William Macgregor, has published a “ Handbook of Information” for intending settlers in that brand now part of the world. The questions of labour and transportation are being solved. Efforts to train the natives to work for hire, to raise produce for sale, and to submit to authority, are meeting with excellent results, and steamers from Australia make regular calls at nine porta on the south coast. AN ABLE ADMINISTRATOR. The mo.il r-pld progress and the greatest changes have been made iu British New Guinea, and for this Queen Victoria's Government has to thank Sir William Macgregor, one of the best men who ever headed a colonial enterprise. Pive years ago he was appointed Administrator of British Now Guinea, and be brought to the work great energy and enthusiasm, the moat tactful methods in dealing with the native?, and aa explorer’s zest in the pursuit of geographic facts. He seldom finds it necessary to shed blood to reduce the most contumacious to order. Here is an incident showing his way of DBALIN3 WITH SAVAGES. The Suraai bad killed a chief in the Government service, and, aa Boon as possible. Sir William landed a force in their district. Ee told them his guns were ail loaded, and ho had c.me to fight. They replied that they did not wish to fight the Government, but Macgregor answered that it was noctssary 1o fight so that everybody might know who was master in future. The matter must be settled there and then. Thia firm, attitude completely cowed them, and they were greatly humiliated, because men were present to whom they had boasted that they would cut off tho heads of the British. They declared with one voice that the Government should be master.

The Administrator told them that he would put their sincerity to the test. He appointed two of them as chiefs and two as village policemen. He instructed them in their duties. The people had treated the native teacher sent to them with contempt. This must stop, and they must at once build a schoolhouse and a church. He would return in three weeks and see if they meant what they said. Three weeks later he found the church and schoolhouse nearly completed, and he has had no further trouble with the Sumai people. PROTECTING THE NATIVES. The Australian Governments are paying 60,000d0l a year to plant the beginnings of civilisation in British New Guinea. All along the south coast, as far as the British domain extends, industry and order are supplanting savagery and warfare. The seat of government is at Port Moresby, where six men, appointed by the Crown, form the Legislative Council; and here arc a few of the laws they have passed for the protection of the natives and the upbuilding of the new colony on a substantial basis: Intoxicating liquors must not be supplied to the natives. To this day they know nothing of spirituous beverages. Laud, may be purchased or leased from the natives only by the Crown, and then only if the Administrator is satisfied that the land is not required by the native owners. Such restrictions are placed upon the hiring of native labour as to ensure fair dealing; and they cannot bo taken more than twenty-five miles from their homes without the sanction of a magistrate. The colony has a large barefooted and barelegged population. _ To insure protection against rabies imported dogs are kept in quarantine for six months, and no diseased animal from any place may bo lauded. The natives have neither cattle nor horses, and do nob need fences. European importers of these animals are required to keep them from trespassing on native lands. The women are the greatest cause of quarrelling among the natives. A wronged husband uses his spear or arrow on hia wife or her paramour. The Government is substituting legal remedies for private vengeance. COURTS OF JUSTICE. At four points along the coast courts aro maintained fcr dispensing justice. Only one death penalty was inflicted Inst year. The natives are beginning to look to the courts for justice, ami a resort to intertribal warfare, the bane of New Guinea, is becoming lass frequent. A constabulary, composed of the most trustworthy natives, is maintained t ■> enforce the laws. All these facta aro most noteworthy because the influence of the Government, during the five years of its existence, has constantly tended to promote the the best interests of the natives, to guard them from violence and wrong, and to encourage them to work. They are employed by the administrator as boatmen, policemen and gaol-keepers. The Government requires that they bo fairly and justly treated, and the result is that many of them are eager to work for Europeans and render faithful services. Many of them. too. are planting ooeoanut trees and preparing copra for the traders. Some tribes are sending sppeals for teachers; and in his last annual report Sir William Macgregor expresses his confidence that, in time, the Papuans will become a considerable unit in the Australasian dominions of the Queen. Here and there A CONTUMACIOUS TEIBK will nob submit to the Government’s authority without a preliminary though feeble struggle. A few shots usually induce other views, and in most cases a display of force is all that is necessary. The only real affliction now is the Tugeri invaders from Dutch New Guinea, who raid oyer the border. The British have refrained from entering foreign territory to punish the marauders, and the Dutch have made no effort, as yet, to restrain these lawless cannibals. LAND POK SETTLEMENT. No one supposed, five years ago, that white colonists would ever be invited to settle in this great islandjying, as it does, between the equator and lOdeg south latitude. But the doors of British New Guinea have, been thrown open, and a considerable part of the country has been officially declared, to bo adapted for white settlement. The handbook the writer has jnet received from Fort Moresby says that, except for fever, the country is very healthy for Europeans, and the fever is not nearly so severe os is commonly supposed. With reasonable care, the danger to persons actively employed and otherwise Healthy, is not at all great. The Government is anxious to have all good lands now idle turned to account. There aro seldom more than 3000 or 4000 acres of good land in any one place not required by the natives; but these lands are offered*for sale or lease by the Government. Coffee, rice, tobacco, ten, and sugar cate thrive remarkably well. Cattle thrive, but the natives are too numerous aud their agriculture too widely extended to afford room for largo cattle runs. The cocoanut prospers nowhere better then in New Guinea, and will be among the most profitable products. The best way for the intending settler is to visit the country and see what land not cccnpied by the natives is best suited for the

industry he has in view, and the Govern* ment will secure him a title if it can legally be done. Only settlors who have some capital are desired. Good native labour can be hired cheaply. |sany cf the natives can understand a smattering of English, and vocabularies of moat of tafl coast and inland languages have already been printed by the Government and missionary societies. THE WORK OF SIR WILLIAM MACGREGOR. Sir William Maogregor’s annual reports not only record the history of British New Guinea for a year, but are also mines of information for the geographer. Hia activity taken him to all parts of the coast and come distance into the interior, and every report is crowded with descriptions of the tribes visited, the rivers traversed, the mountains ascended, the geology and natural history studded and the vocabularies collected. It is rare that the executive chief of a little known part of the world combines, in a high degree, the geographic instinct with administrative capacity. Sir William Macgregor possesses both these preeminent qualifications for such a field as his. It' was he who, after several explorers had failed, in 1389, ascended the principal* summits of the Owen Stanley range, crossed rivers on the cleverly contrived native bridges of rattan, picked sub*. Arctic flowers op the upper slopes of the mountains, and from the highest point of New Guinea yet known, Mount Victoria (13,121 ft), which he named, saw spread before him 1 a vast panorama of plain and mountain to the north, which no white man ever saw. before. His collections of natural history are clinching the museums of Australia. More recently be has explored the Piy River far toward its upper waters, and though D'Albertis, his predecessor, h%d great trouble with the natives there, Sir William returned to the coast without firing a shot. Sometimes timid tribes flea at his approach. It is then his custom to leave present! at their deserted homes, and ho never fails, sooner or later, to come to a good understanding with them. , A GREAT RIVER. Much remains to be learned of the geography and peoples of this great island, but, thanks to the British and Germans, our knowledge of them is making rapid strides. We are impressed with the size of the country when we read that its greatest drainage agency, the Fiy River, is estimated to carry to the sea 180,000,000,000 gallons of fresh water every twenty-four hours. In other words, the mighty river sends down enough fresh water to supply twice the present population of the globe with sixty gallons a day pet head. No part of the world is yielding more interesting geographic and ethno-; logic information, and the island is attracting more attention than ever,' because it is now evident that civilised nations will, in time, be able to turn much of it to good account.