Secret Expedition to New Guinea

A party of goldmining engineers and scientists is secretly preparing in Syd ney (says the “Sydney Morning Herald” of April 27) for an 18 months’ expedition of exploration into the heart of New Guinea.

Negotiations are proceeding for the purchase of a schooner now lying in Sydney Harbour, in which the party, it is understood, proposes to penetrate far up the Fly River. Elaborate prepara tions, it is stated, will be made before the party leaves Sydney towards the end of next month.

In addition to exploring for gold, an thropological and other scientific work will be carried out. The party will bs» led by a scientist-engineer with a wide knowledge of New Guinea.

Captain F. W. Haig, chief aviation offi cer for the Vacuum Oil Co. Ltd., left Sydney recently on a world tour —and more particularly with the object of study ing the route of the new air services which are being established between Australia and London. Captain Haig’s reports to his company in Australia are full of in teresting items about the development of aviation in the countries affected, par ticularly India and the East Indies. The aero club movement is making rapid pro gress in India. The Dumdum aerodrome at Calcutta is a very busy air-port and is now being used by three international air lines—lndian, Dutch, and French: while Karachi is described as one of the best equipped air-ports he had seen.