EXPEDITION CRITICISED.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10960, 28 December 1911, Page 4

EXPEDITION CRITICISED.

REM AH KABLE STATEMENTS

Bt Electric Telegbaph—Copyright.]

(Per Press Association.) Received December 28, at 10,10 a.m. Melbourne, December 28. • Remarkable statements have been published concerning the Staintortn Smith expedition in search of coalfields in Papua. Papuan officials and the Department are greatly concerned ias to the result of the expedition, particularly over the treatment of the. native carriers. After reading Mr Smiths records and the evidence at the inquest on the dead carriers, the Acting Minister administered a severe rebuke to Mr Smith', and expressed surprise that lie did not proceed to the locality reported, to contain coalfield, as well as at the fact that only a small quantity of rice , was taken for the natives' food. Inis was a mistake. Had a supply been taken they would have been in better physical condition to withstand hardships". Another sdrious matter was "the beating of the carriers tor stealing when the pangs of hunger wero strong upon them. It came as a shock to learn that they' had been treated in such a manner. The, evidence of a native policeman states that owing -to inability to find sago, the carriers became thin, weak and unfit to v.-jrV. When the raft .capsized they : .wfere- fewhed-. becausetheyj *#re' too ! we&-'.tO"Si\ ; iinl Mr Smith stated that the onlv beating was.grven for stealing from native gardens, which would place the parties in danger of a hostile outbreak.