Salamoa To Wau

———♦——— Need For a Road

Safe And Economical

Transport

THERE is no doubt that a road is necessary from Salamoa to Wau, if the New Guinea goldfields are to be developed on economical lines.

Air transport has its limitations, especially in a country where flying conditions are so difficult and, at times, treacherous. Only recently, that efficient organisation, Guinea Airways Ltd., had three minor mishaps to single-engined machines, and the company found itself with insufficient ’planes to cope with the cargo landed at Salamoa.

Of course, it is an accepted fact that triple-engined ’planes are safer than single-engined machines, but absolute safety cannot be expected. For instance, the three-motored Handley Page, owned by New Guinea Goldfields Ltd., crashed during unfavourable weather after eight months of splendid service.

Placer Development Ltd., before deciding on the transport by air of dredging machinery for Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd., engaged an engineer to report on the possibilities of constructing a road from the coast to the field, and his estimate of the cost of the work was £250,000. It was then decided by the directors that triple-engined ’planes, each capable of carrying 7,000 pounds per loading, would do the job.

Two Junkers were purchased at a landed cost of £65,000, and these are now both in New Guinea ready to commence transport work.

But for economy and safety, not only considering the companies, but also the many employees and individual prospectors on the field, a road is necessary. It need not be a paved or concreted highway, which would cost an enormous sum to construct. A cleared track would be sufficient during the present stage of development.

Along such a route could be hauled stores and equipment by the use of some motive power, such as caterpillar tractors. Although the country is known to be of a very mountainous nature, it should be possible to discover a likely track.

At present the price of transport from Salamoa to Wau is around 6d. to 8d. per pound, making a pound tin of meat cost 1/8 on the field, as against 1/- on the coast, and so on.

Overland transport would be far cheaper and, even allowing for the cost of constructing a road, it should be possible at half the cost of ’plane transport. And, what is more important, safety would be assured.

It seems an opportunity for some enterprising person, with a sound knowledge of the country and the necessary financial backing, to go ahead and blaze the trail. ===