The Jubilee of Papua

50 Years Old

THE fiftieth anniversary of the hoisting of the British flag in Papua on Novem ber 6, 1884, by Commodore J. E. Erskine will be commemorated in the Territory on that date by official ceremonies.

The flag was raised formally in Papua on two previous occasions, but neither was officially recognised. In 1883, the Govern ment of Queensland was much alarmed by the encroachment of foreign powers in the Pacific Islands to the north and east, and as Britain appeared quite indifferent about the matter, and would take no action re garding New Guinea, it was decided to annex the southeastern portion of New Guinea, now known as Papua.

Accordingly, on April 4, 1883, Mr. H. M.

Chester, Government Resident on Thurs day Island, on behalf of the Queensland Government, formally raised the flag at Port Moresby and proclaimed the annex ation of the Territory by Queensland. This act greatly disturbed the British Govern ment, and the annexation was repudiated.

But it started a train of events which compelled Britain to move. She consulted the Australian States and, by arrangement with them, a protectorate over what is now Papua was proclaimed as stated in No vember, 1884.

But, before Commodore Erskine actually raised the flag, owing to some confusion in instructions from the British Colonial Office, Commissioner H. H. Romilly, a few weeks previously, had formally raised the British flag and declared annexation.