NEW GUINEA

Otago Witness, Issue 3333, 30 January 1918, Page 24

NEW GUINEA

STEADY PROGRESS REPORTED. (Feom Oub Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, January 18. Evidence of the steady progress- being made by British New Guinea (Papua) under Australian control is~aftorded in the annual report of Judge Murray, the Lieutenantgovernor. For instance, the territorial revenue is now over £60,000; ten years ago, when Australia took control, it was £IO,OOO. Then the European population was 6SO, now it is 1036. Ten years -ago tho area under cultivation was 1476 acres; to-day it is 47,500 acres. The result of all this cultivation is beginning to be seen in increased productiveness, and a great commercial future seems assured for these islands. Great areas in new plantations, mostly oocoanuts and rubber, are coming rapidly into usefulness, and returning some of the very largo amounts of capital invested there. Only tho coastal seotions of Papua are known, and safo for wnito men; the interior, with its mountains and great rivers, its impenetrable jungles and its ruthless tropical diseases, is still tho old dangerous New Guinea. Peaceful penetration goes on steadily, of course. Valleys that a decade ago would have been a deathtrap aro to-day freely entered by 'Whites; tribes that would have unhesitatingly eaten a European ten years ago' aro to-day _ harmless. Rut right on the fringe of civilisation there are treacherous cannibal tribes, who are a source of constant anxiety to the administration. During tho year two explorations were made. One expedition went up the Strickland River, a tributary of the great Fly River. The Gogodara tribe, a peaceful, industrious people, was visited. Another expedition went up into the Kukukuku country, almost due north of Port Moresby, arid struck into the hitherto unknown country to the north of Mount Yule. Much of the country hereabouts was uninhabited. The explorers kept a look-out for cannibals, but none were encountered. They were satisfied, however, that the Ku'kukuku people were cannibals not long ago. The Administrator sa.ys that tho Government plantations have shown great progress. The resident magistrate of the Gulf division estimated that in his territory there were from 12,000 to i 5,000 acres of cocoanuts alone, carrying 1,500,000 palms. Ho, expressed tho opinion that a (properly organised trading company on the lines of trading on the west coast of Africa, instead of the present lack of method, could export copra annually to the value of £30,000 or £40,000.