Missionaries In

Competition

Deplorable Race for Interior of New Guinea

From our own correspondent.

Salamaua, June 3.

IT is to be hoped that the Administra tion, in the name of humanity and common sense—if the two things are compatible!—will do something to quickly put an end to a situation that is develop ing in this region and that threatens to cast an unpleasant reflection upon the white man’s religion and make our white man’s system of government ridiculous.

In recent months, the hitherto unknown interior of New Guinea —the area that lies north-west of the Morobe goldfield and southwards and south-west of Mad ang—has been disclosed as a magnificent, fertile plateau, densely populated by a fine class of natives who have never seen white men and who, as skilled farmers, have quite an excellent culture of their own. This discovery caused intense in terest among scientific people; and al ready has brought out a plea from men of vision that efforts be made promptly to prevent European penetration of this new region, so that the fine native popu lation may remain unspoiled.

Now we have the sequel. Three mis sionary expeditions, representing three different and mutually antagonistic “Chris tian” Churches, are headed for this new region, and each appears to be trying to get in first.

It has been understood, apparently, that the mission work of the whole area along this north-east coast of New Guinea, from near the Papuan border to the vicinity of Finchshafen, belonged to the Lutherans—the vigorous German Church established here during the German re gime; and it seemed to be recognised that the mission work in the hinterland was the responsibility of the Lutherans. The Lutherans, at any rate, have been slowly pushing up through the Markham and Ramu areas; and they contemplated an eventful penetration of the newly dis covered plateau which lies beyond the Ramu.

But the Lutherans, to their consterna tion, have just learned that a party of representatives of the Roman Catholic Mission of the Holy Ghost (which has its headquarters at Sek, near Madang) have already pushed into the new country from Madang, and established themselves among the inland plainsmen.

The indignant Lutherans regard this as an invasion of their rights and they refuse to take it lying down. So they have des patched a hurriedly-organised but well equipped expedition of three European missionaries and a large number of native adherents, via the Markham Valley, to the new country; and latest news is that the Lutheran expedition is steadily and doggedly making its way on to the central plateau.

There is much jeering speculation here as to what will happen when the two bodies of Christians meet. Will they at tack each other with hymn books; or will they camp at either end of this mighty plateau, and refuse to speak to each other; or will they refer their angry differences to the King of the Benna-Bennas, or the Sultan of the Wahgi, for the arbitrament of those unspoiled potentates?

But the farce is not yet ended! The climax is not yet! It is reported that there has arrived here by the last Macd hui a party of adherents from the Seventh

Day Adventist Church —learned natives in charge of a European—whose destination also is the inland plateau. It is said that the S.D.A. party propose to use aeroplanes.

It is reported, further, however, that as the result of strong representations the new arrivals have agreed to postpone their departure for the Promised Land.

There are about a million natives in those parts of Papua, New Guinea, and the Solomons, which already are in fairly close contact with “civilisation.” Surely there is enough work among those people for all these enterprising missionaries, without their having to make themselves ridiculous in this competitive race to bring the blessings of religion to a people who have managed to live and prosper for hundreds of centuries without any knowledge of the white man’s strange ways!