Tropicalities

SOME of the Sydney newspapers will not discontinue their ridiculous stories about the South Sea Islands until some god, which dislikes sensa tion-mongers, puts them permanently out of existence. One Sunday paper, on March 5, published a “short story” about the wreck of a small vessel, when on a direct voyage from Sydney to the Solomons. The crew took to the long boat, rowed for about six hours, and landed in the Hermit group, among friendly natives. The Hermits are north of New Guinea. To get there, a ship bound for the Solomons would have to travel another 1,000 miles to the north ward, and about 1,100 miles westward of its course. The yarn was entitled, “East of Samarai.” The Hermits are about 800 miles north-west of Samarai! * * * MUCH of the worn is done by mon keys, said Mrs. J. A. Innes, when I asked her about the servant problem in Salamaua, where she assists her husband in the management of hotel, store, etc. “Monkeys!” I nearly exclaimed—and then remembered that in New Guinea all very young native males are so described—evidently to distinguish them from the “boys.” A “boy” is a native man in service— whether he is 20 or 60, he is still a “boy.”

Mrs. Innes takes the keenest interest in her “monkeys,” of which she has several in training. “They are Siassis, from near Eitape,” she said, “and they are the most impudent, mischievous little wretches one could find anywhere.

Yet they are very loyal and intelligent and, properly handled, they are excel lent houseboys. They are very cleanly in their habits and, if they were let, they would spend all their days in the surf. I have ‘boys’ from Madang, and some Kavieng ‘Marys.’ Really, if one is accustomed to handling natives, and sees to their welfare, the servant prob lem in New Guinea is not serious.” * * * THE story in Sydney “Sun” of Feb ruary 7, about Sir Hubert Murray (Lieut.-Governor of Papua) and his work—wherein his Excellency is pic tured with topi, riding-trousers and giddy little whip—has excited much de rision. “It is amusing and ridiculous,” writes “Tropic.” “If Sir Hubert had been sketched dressed in a flannel shirt, with a handkerchief round his neck, tweed trousers tucked inside his socks, a wide-brimmed felt hat and heavy boots, Papuans would have recognised him. In view of the work done by his predecessors, especially the late Sir William MacGregor, I cannot believe that Sir Hubert Murray said that ‘there was no existing scheme of government’ when he took charge. As a matter of fact, the way was well blazed for him by MacGregor, Le Hunte, Robinson and Barton. Sir Hubert’s chief work has been connected with the native popu lation.” * * * * NOT content with captaining affairs of State, the Solomon Islands Resident Commissioner (writes our Tulagi correspondent) is coming forth as

Captain of his Government yacht “Tulagi.” He recently set out on a trip to the western end of the group, but “the weather proved untrue,” as the song has it, and, as health also turned against him, he returned to port and later made the trip in the “Mataram.”

IN connection with the retrenchment policy of the Samoan Administra tion, an amusing incident is told of an official, who, some time ago, publicly boasted of his ability to save a large amount of money for the administra tion by taking over the duties of a brother official, in addition to his own, Probably the beach wireless carried his suggestions to the right quarter. But the result was not quite as expected, for the enterprising one is to be retired shortly and the man he wanted to re place takes over his job. * * * FROM one end of the Pacific to the other, there is more bitter feeling displayed about liquor control than about any other subject. Within the last few months we have heard shouts oi anger from Norfolk Island, Raro tonga, Samoa, and the Solomons con cerning liquor regulations; and now trouble is bubbling up in New Guinea.

In nearly every case, unpleasant inci dents occur, not through any serious abuse of alcohol, but because of official dom’s interference with the right of all free men to drink liquor how and when they like. There is nothing quite so easy to take as an iced beer on a tor rid afternoon; or a clean w. and s. at the end of a harsh day—and there is nothing more irritating than the self assumed right of otherwise very worthy folk to forbid or regulate the consump tion of liquor. “A little wine for the stomach’s sake” has been the Anglo- Saxon rule, through 2,000 years of so cial evolution —and if you quote Am erica to me, I shall say very rude things about Americans!

Certainly, we must protect the na tives against our liquors—al though our anxiety in this regard is a little belated, in view of what we have bequeathed to them in the shape of fatal and filthy diseases. All of which is merely leading us up to the mild suggestion that, if the New Guinea Ad ministration does not want to stir up a nest of hornets, it should apply its liquor ordinances with tact. British people will stand almost anything—the amazing career of Mr. Lang in New South Wales, for example—but when one tries to deprive them of their beer, one arouses a horde of furies. * * * * NOTHING beyond a few obscure lines on a back page of a Sydney news paper has been published to let the world know that one of the most im portant events in the history of New Guinea is about to occur —namely, the starting of the first big dredge on the Morobe goldfield. It is on the Bulolo River, some miles north-west of Wau.

A second dredge is nearly ready to start, and a third is under construc tion in Sydney. Very soon six figures will be needed to compute the gold an nually coming out of the Territory.