Goldfields Port.

SALAMAUA : Rapid Growth of the Goldfields Port.

THE suggestion that, owing to erosion by sea-action, it may be necessary to abandon the port of Salamaua, and seek another terminal point for the New Guinea goldfields road, is very strongly deprecated by Mrs. G. A.

Innes, who is at present in Sydney. Mrs. Innes is the wife of a well-known business man, Mr. G. A. Innes, who conducts the hotel at Salamaua, the Salamaua Trading Company’s store, and a number of allied industries. Mrs.

Innes has been 12 years in New Guinea—four of them at Salamaua.

WITHIN the space of five years, says Mrs. Innes, very much money has been spent in the establishment of Salamaua, on its narrow, sandy isth mus, and there is now quite a con siderable township.

There are the big stores of W. R.

Carpenter & Co., Ltd. (three buildings), Burns, Philp & Co., Ltd. (three Luildings), Salamaua Trading Co., Gregor McDonald, hotel containing 14 bedrooms. Bank of N.S.W., hospital, Government offices, buildings, and offices of Guinea Airways Ltd., and New

Guinea Goldfield, Ltd., and numerous private buildings. Two miles along the coast, connected by a very good road, is the aerodrome, through which regular communication is maintained with the goldfields. On the inner side of the isthmus, wharves have been built, and there is a good lighter ser vice for the steamers, which anchor in security in the bay behind the isthmus.

Once, Salamaua was unhealthy—there was an unpleasant mangrove swamp at the mainland end of the isthmus. But Guinea Goldfields built a concrete re

taining wall about it, and it is being converted into a park, where Mrs.

Innes has already planted many citrus trees.

Two miles away, near the aerodrome, the hotel management have established 22 acres of vegetable gardens, to pro vide fresh food for the township.

“There has certainly been consider able erosion in recent times,” says Mrs.

Innes, “but we are sure the situation can be dealt with satisfactorily. Mr.

Burley Gorman, one of the Trading Company’s shareholders, who ran a store there many years ago, says that this erosion has been just as bad before. It is seasonal —according to the prevailing winds of a particular season. The shore is partly washed away in one season, and restored in the following season. He says that, on the last erosion, the tide came 8 or 10 feet further in than it does now.

“It should be much easier and cheaper to put down retaining walls, and build up Salamaua, than try to create a new port much further away from the goldfield.

"The question of a road is very im

SALAMAUA, the port of the New Guinea goldfields, as seen from the air. The little town lies along the narrow isthmus. The surf breaks on the right-hand side; the wharves, off which oversea steamers anchor in safety, are on the left-hand side. The aerodrome is in the fore ground, between the cloud masses—where the mouth of the Francesco River can also be seen. The dark, sullen mass of the New Guinea mainland, with clouds hiding the mountain-tops, can he seen acrcss the bay, in the distance. Photo by Downing.

portant, of course. I hear a great deal of discussion about the various road routes, in Salamaua, and I have never heard anything to show that Mr.

Sheldon’s proposed road, direct from Salamaua to Wau, climbing the ranges between the Francisco and Butou rivers, cannot be built. Mr. Sheldon, as I understand it, claims that this is the shortest and cheapest route, and that the road following it can be cheaply maintained.”

Mrs. Innes talked interestingly of the problems of conducting the hotel at Salamaua. The catering problem was solved when they established a cold store there, carrying a good reserve of meat, eggs, butter, etc. Eight feet from the salt water, on the beach, they sank a well, and it gives an ample supply of pure fresh water, to supplement vhe rain water stored in tanks. Extensive gardens, two miles out, provide vege tables and salads. A Chinese cook and plenty of native “boys” solve the hotel labour problem.

The aviation companies now run week-end excursions to Salamaua from the goldfields centres, and a week-end on the coast is now eagerly sought.

Men from the Morobe plateau appre ciate the fact that they can step from the hotel verandah on to an excellent surfing beach.

The ordinary comforts of life “down south” are fast being introduced to this rapidly developing country.