Little George

HE knew New Guinea up and down, In mountain, swamp and gorge, This hardy miner, tough and brown, We know as “Little George,”

He tried his luck on every field, Back in a former day: At times they’d give a decent yield, At others barely pay.

Among the early pioneers In Guinea’s fevered land He battled round for many years One of a restless band.

Quite often all alone he’d go O’er river, creek and range Where flooded mountain torrents flow, Through jungle weird and strange.

When still a youth he roved around In cheery, casual way; Some useful patches thus he found Inland from Cloudy Bay.

Many stories he would tell In dry and hum’rous style.

Many times he suffered hell, And bore it with a smile.

We know this gallant little man, A comrade tried and true; We always found him in the van When testing country new.

Grim danger never troubled him, All hardship was a joke; When flush he’d satisfy each whim, Nor squeal when he went broke.

When luck was in he’d freely spend— He was no slave to pelf— He’d oftentimes his money lend, And then go short himself.

Best wishes to our good old mate!

And, now, for old time’s sake, We hope that he will soon or late A tidy fortune make.

Frank Pryke.

Rev. H. A. Scriven, Foreign Missions general secretary of the New Zealand Methodist Church, arrived in Sydney re cently by the Monowai on his way to the Solomon Islands. He left for Tulagi by the Malaita on July 13.