Massoi Oil.
p. 33 · Read in the full issue
New Industry In The Territory.
AN interesting new industry—the dis tillation of a fine oil, used in mak ing essences, from the bark of the Massoi tree —has been started near Madang, in New Guinea, by two young Australians, Messrs. Murphy and Batsos.
The tree is found mostly among the foothills of the Finisterre Mountains, at the back of Madang—it is apparently allied to the cinnamon tree. Mr. Batsos knew of its existence, and he went to Madang in 1931 to look into the matter.
There he met Mr. Murphy, a young engineer, whose other enterprises had been laid low by the depression.
The two young men joined forces, and now they export about two drums of the oil by every steamer. Their dis tillation plant is on the coast, about 20 miles south of Madang, and they em ploy about 25 “boys.” Mr. Murphy ranges over the whole wide country side hereabouts, looking for suitable trees —only the very big ones are suit able-arid he strips the bark from them and brings it to the plant.