NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10347, 23 January 1897, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Ax account of Sir William McGregor's recent visit to the gold region in New Guinea has nob yet appeared, but the Brisbane papers published a despatch from him describing the journey ha made thither in August last. New Guinea, east of Port Moresby, is a long narrow projection shaped something like an elephant's trunk. Along the middle line runs u range of mountains, beginning at tho far eastern extremity, and culminating inland from Port Moresby, at a dietanco of from 40 to 70 milea, in a group of mountains from 10,000 ft. to 12,000 ft. high. At the base of Mount Scratchley prospecting parties are working. Mount Scratchley seems from the description to be composed of the slaty Silurian rock we are so familiar with in Victoria. To the eastward the slopes are covered with vegetation, while the western face, where tlip edges of the strata appear, ia jagged and broken. There is quartz on Mount Scratchley up to the top. It is very difficult to get to the base of the mountain from the lowlands. Forest vegetation is dense, the streams are numerous, and the mines eteep. The easy way is along the top of tho high ridge, running from Mount Owen Stanley to Mount Scratchley. Owen Stanley is the peak nearest Port Moresby, Sir Willinm McGregor found two parties of

prospectors ab work. They were employing native workmen and getting gold, but the hardships were considerable. Supplies were scarce, working in the cold

mountain streams was trying, and the natives were becoming alive to the value of gold and stealing it. The gold is scaly. A large area of likely country awaits the attention ot prospectors, and once

settlement begins the geographical difficulties will disappear or be reduced to a

minimum. No progress can take place before next March, when the rainy season ends. "On the top of Mount Scratchley there is probably an area of not less than two score square miles above 10,500fb high, tho greater part of which is

covered by grass, bare rocks, and clumps of trees and shrubs. These are at least three small lakes on the top, the largest having an area of probably 15 to 20 acres." Sir

William McGregor would make the top of Mount Scratchley the centre of operations, and starting place of prospecting parties, the dep66 for supplies, etc. It ia 12,000 ft. high, and the chain connecting Mount Scratchley with the neighbouring peaks is never less than 10,000 ft. above the se-i level.

Meteorologists are realising that in forecasting they have begun at the wrong end (says Mr. Douglas Archibald, writing in Knowledge, in regard to the new system now on trial in India). The prophets there are endeavouring to foretell seasonal

weather, instead of daily weather. Nowhere in the world has it been found practicable to foretell with exactness

beyond to-morrow or the day after, but the Indian authorities think they see their way. to prophesying a light or heavy monsoon .(famine or flood). The success of the Indian six-monthly forecast lias been "sufficient to induce the Indian Government not merely to grant the funds necessary to establish fresh observations in the Persian aroa, but also to arrange for cablegrams from Mauritius. By these moans the conditions which prevail in the South Indiaii Ocean may be reported to Simla in time to be utilised for the forecast."-.

A seasonal forecast is the sort of thin" we vrnufc in the colonies. To the grazing and wheat-growing areas a dry or wet season means a great difference—a boom or a depression. Writing on this subjecb an Australian contemporary states that the Go/ernment3 of Australia, individually and collectively, largely neglect the matter." They would deride a proposal to obtain daily cable messages from Mauritius or Capetown. The great stream of air which pffsses over Australia comes from the westward, but we are told nothing about ifc till ib reaches some important telegraph station in West, Australia, And so parsimonious are the several Go-

vernments —so little regard have they for meteorology, that no' reports are

I telegraphed cm Sundays ' days, so that at least ones a week *n portant hiatus" occuca in the cftgsrafflß Very patiently and intelligently do meteorologists carry on - theic 'wSNII feather tipping is difficult, oW i„ e vagaries of the atmosphere, and the' less multitude, which only idokK^'S forecast now nnd then, id has «-ill mastered the principlo on which'foH^fl is based, amuses itself with sa-cailed cisms when the bulletins seem ,r tPW wrong." . .V.l;BtM . In the Imperial Parliament the debate the Address-in-Koply continues. Jfc.Wli lan submitted an amendment in favour of' further reduction of rents in Ireland, was rejected by a majority ;qf (ji v ., M The bubonic plague is still raging in Indpf the death rate in Bombay being iTtfSpf week. .Professor Uaffkine, the am M scientist, who has been making ments for some time, is reported to lu> : discovered a vaccina which will act'tilpf protection against the plague, i'{&*s!§ earthquakes have occurred in Turkey ' and several villages have been destroyed. •