“Mick” Leahy Returns to

New Guinea Met Errol Flynn, New Film Star, in World Tour

ANXIOUS to get back to New Guinea after a tour of England, Ireland and America, Mr. M. J. (“Mick”) Leahy, well known New Guinea prospector and ex plorer, arrived in Sydney by the Monterey on March 23. He left for Queensland within a few days to visit his father who has been seriously ill, and to join his brother Jim, who accompanied him on his world tour.

In England, Mr. Leahy lectured before the Royal Geographical Society and other prominent institutions, and a summary, with maps, of his explorations between 1931 and 1935 in hitherto unknown terri tory appeared in the last issue of the journal of the R.G. Society.

When in America, he left the material for a book with a New York publisher, covering his experiences in New Guinea since 1926 when the Leahy Brothers arrived from Queensland to take part in the Edie Creek “rush.” The volume, illustrated by Mr. Leahy’s photographs, will be issued by Abbott, Mclntosh and Otis before the end of the year. Incidentally, “Mick” Leahy is a photographer of no mean ability, and his unique photographs have been repro duced all over the world.

Mr. Leahy arrived in New York in time to attend the premiere of the film “Captain Blood,” starring Errol Flynn, a young Irishman who spent most of his life in Australia, New Guinea and the South Seas.

Flynn and Leahy had been friends on the Morobe goldfields and they renewed acquaintance when the hubbub of milling fans, pressmen and photographers had died down after Flynn’s outstanding success.

“Errol Flynn arrived in New Guinea about 1930 as a police officer,” said Mr.

Leahy. “He soon became interested in aviation, then turned recruiter, and finally managed a gold claim owned by Mrs. W.

E. Giblin, of Papua. Later he bought a schooner and became a trader, freighting goods and copra. After his boat went on a reef he turned his hand to prospecting.

In two years he had won a fair amount of gold, then unexpectedly he sold his claim for £2OOO and some shares, and went on a hectic holiday in Australia.

“When his money had dwindled,” con tinued Mr. Leahy, “he and a friend made an adventurous trip to New Guinea in a small sailing boat. Flynn was commis sioned to obtain native labour for prospect ing syndicates, and after he had made some money he! bought another schooner, which was later chartered by Charles Chauvel for a travel film. Chauvel gave Flynn his first chance in films as Fletcher Christian in the Australian production, ‘ln the Wake of the Bounty.’

“Errol and I laughed and chatted over old times,” said Mr. Leahy, “and he wished to be remembered to all his friends in the Territory. He has now jumped into the first rank among men screen stars, and he and his wife are feted everywhere they go, but I cannot imagine Flynn settling down for any length of time —he is too much of a happy-go-lucky wanderer.”

Mr. “Mick” Leahy and his brother Pat joined the Macdhui at Cairns in mid-April, Jim Leahy having sailed by the previous Montoro. The Leahy Brothers have not yet made any definite plans for the future, but their first step will be to return to their alluvial mining “show” near Mount Hagen, which has been in charge of Dan Leahy during their absence.