Papuan News

Copra and Rubber Position—Provision Orders Ctill Going South Work on Tauri Goldfields

From Our Own Correspondent.

Port Moresby, March 11.

OWING to the high rate of exchange in London improving the local market value of copra, the planters are feeling more secure.

The local stores have made bonuses on the previous shipments of copra and are now making allowances for the ex change in London, on all new ship ments.

The rubber position also is consider ably relieved. The market on March 6 was 32d. per pound. To that must be added the 4d. bounty and also the ex change, bringing the price approxi mately to 10d. (a little over).

Some while back a company here stated in its report that its cost of pro duction had been reduced to 7.7 d. f.o.b. and the average net sale was 6.8 d. per pound. So, with the general econ omy that is prevailing in all directions, the rubber position in this country at the present state of the country’s fin ances should not find cause for many serious complaints.

It has been commented upon by many who have been lately down to Australia, that Papua, though heavily hit, does not realise the privations and miseries in other parts of the Common wealth, and that though life here is flat, unprofitable and dull, we are still financial. Certainly, salaries have been reduced and severe economies have been imposed, but still we have little unemployment and plantations are carrying on.

The Government salaries have also as yet not been reduced, nor have there been any dismissals, though it is diffi cult to see how they are to carry on.

Proposed Abolition Of

Long Leave.

The following circular was recently sent to each officer on the question of the abolition of long leave (six months’ leave granted at the end of each period of six years’ service, in ad dition to ordinary vacation leave).

“His Excellency, the Lieutenant-Governor, will be glad of your views on a proposal to abolish long leave. Any long leave due to an officer would be reserved to him, and also any proportion of long leave which an officer may have earned for his services to the date of abolition.

“Theoretically, about 16 of our staff of 131 officers needed only because of long leave, and as the average annual rate of pay of officers exceeds £500, the annual cost of long leave is approximately £8,000.

“Vacation leave appears to cost an equal amount. In practice the cost is very likely about half that quoted.

“As the vacancies occur in the service, they would not be filled, and, by the time all officers had taken the long leave due to them, a considerable reduction in staff should have resulted. Already there are three or four vacancies which, owing to long leave, have caused a certain amount of difficulty. If there had been no long leave the loss of these officers would not have been felt.”

It was pointed out that the majority of the European residents of Papua, not in the ser vice of the Government, seem to get on well without long leave, and that their vacation leave was less. In 1920 it was not the prac tice to grant more than one period of long leave.

There have been many vigorous ob jections to this suggestion, and the Public Servants’ Association, it is said, turned the proposal down and counter suggested that the Government might possibly find means to save money by dismissing those officers elligible for a pension, while the remaining more junior officers carried on, with all their existing privileges. The Government intends to address each officer indi vidually on the subject, and so far there has been no definite arrangement.

Trade Conditions In Port

Moresby.

The local stores complain that they are suffering inordinately—that there is no trade —and that people are ordering their stores from Australian firms. It is a pity that this is so. But the prices here are so high that the ordinary householder cannot afford to deal with them, and wherever possible orders direct from the Australian main land. The trouble probably is that the local stores are unwilling to face the inevitable and sacrifice their dearly bought stocks.

Work On Taurt Goldfield.

Little news has reached Port Moresby from the Tauri goldfield. Transporta tion to the field must necessarily take a good deal of time, and reports have come through from the coastal landing at Kukipi that several parties have had troubles with their carriers, owing to the fear the ordinary coastal native has of the hill tribe.

Several parties are trying to find a shorter track to Twisty Creek, in the Tauri district, where some prospectors are working, but little news has come through.

Mr. L. C. Shoppee flew in his Moth ’plane with a passenger, Mr. J. Jack son, from the New Guinea goldfields, over the gold area and landed at Ku kupi, but very little information was obtainable there.

The Hon. J. G. Nelsson and Mr. R.

M. Bunting went through from Sam arai on their launch “Lantic” for the Tauri, taking with them stores, provi sions and carriers. It is likely they are setting up a store at Kukupi for general provisions for the parties com ing to and from the interior.

New parties are being formed locally, and it is said that Mr. F. N. Davies,

Government Storekeeper, who has put in 20 years’ service, is retiring from the Public Service, and after a short holiday will return to fit out a pros pecting party. So it would appear that there is no lack of enthusiasm amongst the settlers here.

Mr. Ward Williams, the American mining engineer, has arrived. He is accompanied by Mr. B. Allen, who has already prospected in this country.

People will eagerly await their reports.

Mr. Williams’ trip on this occasion, it is said, is inland from the Mekeo district, on the mainland from Yule Island, up into the ranges near Bella- Vista, on the Mondo Road, where gold has been reported.

Mr. Williams will then go on to the New Guinea fields by air.

Planes Active.

Lately there has been a good deal of activity in the air. Mr. L. C. Shop pee has been flying to and from Sala moa, New Guinea, from the landing ground at Kila-Kila, carrying passen gers, and he has also circled round the Tauri field from Lae and the Eurron dery country.

The Fokker ’plane belonging to the Pacific Air Transport Company has been assembled under the direction of Mr. Ray Parer. It has already taken off from Kila Kila, and has been mak ing trial flights over the town and hills.

Mr. Parer prefers Galley Reach, west of Port Moresby, for a landing ground.

There is a large salt pan there, and he has used it for the initial trial landings and finds it satisfactory.

Water Shortage.

There has been little rain this sea son, the north-west season lasting only for a little over a month. We are again warned to be careful of water.

The native gardens are suffering, the corn, pumpkins and bananas have not had a chance with heat and lack of moisture. Some of the wells and springs are practically dry. This con dition, applies only to the dry belt around Port Moresby and villages in this district.

Death Of Mr. Harboard.

On March 1 a very well known and respected pioneer died, Mr. A. H. Har board. He had been suffering from pleurisy, had recovered, and had re turned to his home. He however, had an attack of fever, which proved too much for his weakened state and he died.

Mr. Harboard was 80 years of age.

He was born in Seaton Carew, West Hartlepool, England, in 1850. He spent a long life of pioneering and adventure here and in Queensland and, when still a young man, was recognised as one of the leading mining men of North Queensland. He and Mr. Mulligan discovered the now famous Palmer goldfield. Mr. Harboard first came to Papua in the eighties, and prospected the Brown River, Cloudy Bay and the Lakekamu on the original Lake Kamu rush.