Dutch New Guinea

Huge and Unknown Territory Movement of Settlers to North Coast

SO far the huge territory known as Dutch New Guinea has received little attention.

The Dutch have settled and culti vated their other possessions in the East Indies and, what with copra, rub ber, petroleum, rice, etc., each island has proved to be extraordinarily rich.

Now, with the fall in the market price for copra and rubber, the Dutch are looking further afield for new country to develop.

According to a message from Welte vreden, Java, published in The Sydney Sun, a movement of settlers towards New Guinea has started. One agricul tural settlement has been formed near Sentanilahe, on the north coast, not far from the Mandated Territory; and another near Manokwari, on the north west coast.

Little native labour is being used in these enterprises. The promoters hope that the settlements wifi decrease the number of planters now unemployed in consequence of the fall of rubber prices and also diminish the number of unemployed Dutch ex-Government servants crowded out of the service by trained natives.

Although not much is known of the country in northern Dutch New Guinea it is understood to be similar to that along the coast on the mainland of the Mandated Territory, with the same potentialities. It is believed to have valuable petroleum resources; and it is likely that there are other valuable mineral deposits.