Suggestion That Madang Should

Be Permanent Goldfields Port.

THE New Guinea Administration,

and other interests closely con

nected therewith, are giving

very careful consideration to the

whole question of providing a suit

able port for the Morobe goldfields

—which port will also be a term

inal point for the goldfields road.

Salamaua was never quite suitable; but port facilities were provided there, and a township grew up, simply be cause there is not anywhere on that lengthy coastline anything resembling a port suitable for overseas shipping.

In the past year or two, it has be come increasingly evident that the long, narrow sandspit, on which Salamaua is built, is being steadily eroded away by sea action, and nothing that has been done in the way of constructing con crete retaining walls has proved effec tive. As has previously been pointed out, the question of building a traffic able road from the goldfields to the coast is intimately linked with the question of providing a suitable port.

The “Dollar Companies,” operating on the Morobe goldfields, have reached this month, after years of preparation, the point of big production; and it is likely that the development of this field will now be rapid, and that there will be an increasing demand for the con struction of a road.

Nothing- can be done concerning the road until the location of the goldfields port has been settled. An officer ap pointed by the Federal Government is now examining the coast of the Huon Gulf, seeking a suitable port. But those who know the north-east coast of New Guinea declare that it would be most unwise to attempt the establish ment of a port anywhere between Astrolabe Bay and the border of Papua.

There is in this long stretch of coast line approximately 200 miles no natural harbour suitable for big ships and no coastal configuration lending it self readily to the construction of an artificial harbour.

There appears to be a growing body of opinion in favour of making Madang the main port of the goldfields; and it is likely that this alternative to the attempted construction of a port on the Huon Gulf will receive very serious consideration.

The question of cost, of course, will be an important factor. The distance from the goldfields centre to Salamaua is only 50 miles in a direct line; but those 50 miles are over country in credibly broken and steep, representing an engineering problem of almost in soluble difficulty. The distance from the northern end of the goldfields to Madang in a straight line is about 150 miles, but it represents a much gentler grade, and, for more than half of the distance, the road would run through

rich country, consisting- of high, well watered plateaus, capable of great agricultural and pastoral development.

It is well-known that fine, rich, clean, healthy country lies around the head waters of the Ramu river; and a road from Madang to the goldfields, over part of its length, would make use of the Ramu valley itself.

There is a splendid harbour at Madang, and plenty of level ground suitable as an aerodrome. It is argued in this latter connection that it would be better for aeroplanes to run between the goldfields and Madang, where there is a gradual rise, rather than from Lae to the goldfields, where the rise is very steep, and on which route there is an ever-present danger of the big aero planes, in the frequent fogs, crashing into the mountain-side.