Aeroplanes Or Road Transport?

Thorny Problem for N. Guinea Administration

Administration of New Guinea has under consideration a plan for im proving the means of communication be tween the sea coast and the Morobe gold field. It embraces the provision at Sala maua of deep water wharfage; and the construction of a graded road between Salamaua and Wau.

At present, both of these transport facilities are lacking. Steamers lie some distance out, opposite Salamaua (but within the sheltered bay) and goods are lightered ashore. There is no road at all from the coast to the goldfield centres— only a few native tracks over the in credibly wild and broken country. So far all transport has been carried out by aeroplanes. The astonishing development of the Morobe gold industry during the past five years is the direct outcome of

the equally remarkable efficiency and re liability of the aeroplane services.

The goldfields road has had much con sideration in the past, and it has not been built because of three things—the great engineering difficulties; the problem of financing the very high cost, variously estimated from £150,000 to £250,000; and the fact that in this broken country of very steep grades and phenomenal rainfall the annual charge for mainten ance will be very high.

The gold industry on the Morobe field, however, has now become very valuable and important, and men and money con tinue to pour in. Expeditions, large and small, continuously are pushing further into the interior seeking and finding new gold, and the field is steadily being en larged. For that reason the Administration believes that a trafficable road from the coast to the centre of the goldfields is necessary, not only to assist further de velopment of the gold industry, but also to encourage the establishment of a per manent agricultural industry on these tablelands and the possible development of an important timber industry.

The method of finance under considera tion is an additional royalty on gold. At present, gold pays a royalty of 5 per cent.

It is reported that the Administration contemplates an increase to 7½ per cent, until such time as the capital cost of the road is provided for.

The plan is not by any means finding popular support in the goldfields section of New Guinea. Any increase in the royalty is naturally being resisted by the gold interests: the aviation interests claim that they are entitled to fair con sideration, seeing that they have by en terprise and efficiency made possible the establishment in New Guinea of a very valuable industry; while the general public still has to be convinced that the construction of a road, in view of all the exceptional engineering difficulties, will not place a greater tax upon them than they already are bearing in order to main tain the present efficient aeroplane trans port services.

We understand that surveys already are under way and data being assembled in order that a definite and compre hensive plan may be submitted to the next meeting of the Legislative Council of New Guinea. Probably the plan will come before the Council in two sections — one, to build the road; two, to increase the gold royalty. If the plan is approved

it will be submitted by the Administrator to the Commonwealth Government.

We have heard recently much discus sion of the plan, and it may be helpful if at this stage we briefly summarise the arguments for and against.

It is contended that a public highway from the coast is desirable. The reply is that the regular aeroplanes provide a dependable means of transport available to everyone.

It is contended that a public highway would permit the private ownership of motor vehicles, which could use the road when and how the owners wished. In similar manner, the air may be used by private aeroplanes—anyone can now pur chase a small aeroplane and learn to fly it as easily as they learn to drive a car.

The main argument in favour of the road is that freight rates would be re duced from £30-£35 per ton to a possible £5-£7 per ton. The aviation ex perts—and others who are not connected with aviation —cast ridicule upon these figures. They contend that if a first class graded road were built from Sala maua to Wau the conditions of transport would be such that it would be impossible to have a freight rate of less than 2d. per lb., or £18 per long ton. Probably, it would be more. If any form of toll were placed on road-users, the freight rate must exceed the present rate. The nom inal freight rate on which the aeroplanes are now operating is 4d. per lb., or about £35 per ton.

The aeroplane companies have been steadily reducing freights, and it is ex pected that if there is no interference with present conditions a general rate of 3d. per lb. between the coast and Wau will be possible at no distant date.

It is argued on behalf of the road ad vocates that the highway would assist the development of additional gold-bear ing areas. The mining interests reply that all known gold-bearing areas within range of the proposed road already are developed; and that to reach other simi lar areas additional expensive reading, extending up to 150 miles, would be ne cessary. All these areas already are ser

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viced by the aeroplanes, and this could be done at a cheaper rate in the future under the conditions named. The more distant areas are now serviced by the aeroplanes at less than cost; but if the profitable coast-Wau traffic (of which the aeroplanes now have the monopoly) were diverted to a road the aeroplanes would have to correspondingly increase their freights to the more distant places.

Replying to the argument that a road is necessary to permit the establishment of agricultural and timber industries, the aviation companies point out that there is now nothing to prevent the establish ment of such industries; and if such in dustries could provide the big aeroplanes with back loading from the interior to the coast, that factor would materially assist in the reduction of freights.

In favour of the road, it is said that it would open up the country along the route, and that communication would be carried on irrespective of weather con ditions. The argument against this is that there is no country worth developing along the route between Salamaua and Wau (it is mostly standing on end!) and that the same phenomenal rainfall over these mountains —which sometimes, but rarely, interferes with the aeroplane timetables —would almost certainly cause washaways and temporary dislocation of road traffic. So far as speed and safety are concerned, the facts and arguments are all in favour of the aeroplanes. Dur ing operations extending over nearly seven years, aviation accidents have caused the deaths of only one passenger and two pilots. The aeroplane transport is rapid, even the heaviest freight being transported from the steamers to the mines in a few hours. In the case of road transport, the case would be very dif ferent. It is calculated that one truck would take 12 days to transport what one aeroplane can carry in one day; and the aeroplane gives absolutely smooth car riage, as against the rough shaking of the truck.

One suggestion is that the aviation inter ests might make alternative suggestions to the Administration, urging that if the latter will subsidise the aeroplanes to an

amount considerably less than the esti mated annual cost of maintaining the road, and will provide improved aero dromes or landing-grounds, the aero plane companies will guarantee to give even better service than in the past, at rates that will compare favourably with the best that can be expected from road transport.

If the good spirit of the present argu ment persists, it looks as if the Adminis tration, in collaboration with the various interests concerned, will find a solution of the Goldfields transport problem that will be for the good of the Territory.