Papuan News.

Visit of H.M.A.S. Australia.

From Our Own Correspondent.

Pt. Moresby, Oct. 1.

THE Australian warship, “Australia,” and the destroyer, “Tattoo,” visited Port Moresby on September 16 and left again on the 19th for Samarai and for the British Solomons. The usual formalities were exchanged between the Commander and the Lieut.-Governor of Papua, a salute of 15 guns being fired when His Ex cellency left the “Australia.”

An official dinner was held at Government House and also on board the “Australia.” Capt.

Bradley entertaining Sir Hubert Murray, Mr.

Justice Gore and Mrs. Gore, the Hon. H. L.

Murray and Mrs. Murray, Mr. and Mrs. Dupain and others.

The tennis, golf and cricket clubs were open to the visitors. The rank and file were looked after by Mrs. Munro and other ladies of Port Moresby, who ran an excellent canteen in the European school grounds.

On leaving port, Capt. Bradley, of the “Aus tralia.” officially thanked Mrs. Munro for her thoughtfulness to the men.

Slr Hubert Murray Returns.

Sir Hubert Murray, the Lieut.-Governor, re turned on September 8 from Sydney, where he presided over the meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Science.

Since his return His Excellency has made an inspection of Daru and all western stations and will be leaving on October 4 for the Eastern Division and Samarai in the “Laurabada,” ac companied by the Hon. H. L. Murray, official secretary.

Winners Of Golf Trophies.

Mrs. G. M. Turnbull is the winner of the Lady Murray Cup played on September 24 on the Port Moresby links. Mrs. Turnbull has played a consistently good game throughout the season and is the third player in the club to return a card equal to or better than par dur ing the season. The runner-up for the cup was Mrs. Gore, followed by Mrs. Kerr and Mrs. Lett. The Strong Cup, a par competition, was won by Mrs. Anderson, and the Courier and MacDonald trophies by Mrs. Kerr and Mrs.

Turnbull.

Copra Production.

Every effort is being made by the various plantations in Papua—coconut and rubber —to reduce their overhead expenses in order to show a margin of profit.

One plantation manager finds he has had con siderable success with his copra dryer by run ning a modem engine on residual oil, instead of power kerosene. In comparison with other efforts he finds that by using power kerosene for an older pattern of engine of another make, it cost just twice as much in fuel and lubri cating oil only to dry 30 tons of copra as it costs to dry 100 tons by using residual oil for the modern engine for the same type of dryer.

The expenses and difficulties of transport are also being seriously considered. Many planta tions in Papua lie inland and mules, tractors, lorries and, in some cases, carriers are used to bring their produce to a landing or shipping centre.

River Plantation, a plantation of 3,300 acres of coconuts, lying in the east of Papua, has found a Fordson tractor the most satisfactory and economical means of transport for its copra from drying sheds to wharf, a matter of five miles. Sixteen trucks, contain ing 320 bags of copra, are drawn by tractor at the cost of 3% gallons of kerosene for the trip of 10 miles.