Mr. C. J. Levien

Death In Melbourne

Discoverer Of Rich

Bulolo Goldfield

MR. C. J. LEVIEN, one of the most famous of New Guinea goldfields pioneers, died in Melbourne on Janu ary 20, from meningitis. The news of his death will be received with the greatest regret by mining, commercial and administrative interests alike in New Guinea, for he was a most popular man throughout the Territory.

He first went to New Guinea in the Government service and, at different times, was stationed in practically all

of the districts.

When the discov ery of gold oc curred at Edie Creek, in 1925, he was District Offi cer at Morobe. He quickly saw the possibilities of this new field and re signed his Gov ernment post in order to join the seekers on the

field. He and his companions made one of the most valuable gold discov eries in the whole of New Guinea — that of the rich flats of the Bulolo River. Mr. Levien was the first to visu alise the wealth obtainable here by dredging. Incidentally, these flats are now on the verge of exploitation on a big scale by the mighty dredges of Bulolo Gold Dredging Co. Ltd., which company, in recent years, took the pro perty over from Guinea Gold N.L.

Mr. Levien was instrumental in ob taining the flotation of the Guinea Gold Co., and its shareholders may look to him as the man responsible for secur ing the excellent propositions in which they now hold interests.

Mr. Levien was a man of the widest vision and a pioneer of the Territory in more ways than one. In addition to his gold mining and administrative activities, he has left a monument to his foresight and enterprise in the efficient air service of Guinea Airways Ltd. It was Mr. Levien who realised that the inaccessible New Guinea gold fields would be practically useless with out a quick, dependable means of transport, and so he evolved a scheme for serving the field by ’plane. Guinea Gold, which he had previously floated, originally backed this venture, and it has never looked back. From the initial flight in 1927, Guinea Airways has a record of splendid achievement, al though its early task in wild, precipit ous, unmapped country, was tremend ous.

It will be seen that Mr. Levien was one of the few pioneers who had the full courage of his convictions in re gard to the possibilities of the gold field, and he exploited these possibil ities to the very greatest extent. He was a man of tremendous energy and of fine character. He was noted for

his manner in handling the New Guinea natives, being firm but at all times reasonable. His vitality is well demonstrated in the fact that only three years ago, although he was then some 60 years of age, he conducted a gold prospecting expedition into the then unexplored Ramu Valley of New Guinea, and carried out much valuable work.

Mr. R. J. Keegan, of the British administrative staff, New Hebrides, is at present spending his long leave in Australia and makes frequent visits to Sydney. He returns to the Condomi nium in April.

Mr. A. de G. Carey, who is to take up the position of British Judge on the Bench of the Joint Court in the Condominium of the New Hebrides, December 10 and went on to the New Hebrides by the next Morinda. Mr.

Carey has not previously been in the British Colonial Service. Mr. Hubbard has been acting as British Judge in the Condominium Establishment for some time.

Mrs. Doris R. Booth, of New Guinea, the well known author of “Mountains Gold and Cannibals,” is at present seriously ill in Brisbane, suffering from a severe attack of rheumatoid arthritis.

Mr. Charles Booth, well known on the Morobe goldfield New Guinea, is at present on a visit to Sydney. He has brought with him a range of very fine samples of the timber which grows in abundance in the Morobe district.

Mr. Levien