Purdy Islands

, adjoining the Admiralty Group, north of New Guinea, leased by Mr. Chas. Munster, of Lorengau, which have come into the news recently through the Japanese sampan visits and the fir ing of a house and a copra drier, were also the object of a dispute with Germany in 1872.

The Islands are believed to have been called after John Purdy (1773-1843), the son of a bookseller of Norwich, who, be fore 1812, succeeded De La Rochette as hydrographer to Messrs. Laurie and Whittle, 53 Fleet Street, London.

A catalogue of Purdy’s maps and charts is in the map room of the Royal Geo graphical Society, including a map of the world in Mercator’s Projection (1825).

Purdy’s nephew, Isaac, published a chart of the coasts of China in 1865.

Dr. J. S. Purdy, Metropolitan Medical Officer of Health, Sydney, is a descendant of the same family, originally established in Morpeth, Northumberland, after ex pulsion with the Huguenots from France.

Mr. Thomas D. Harris, general man ager of Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd., New Guinea, sailed from Salamaua in April for the East en route to San Francisco on furlough. Mr, L. J. Joubert is acting manager during his absence.

Mr. Harry Lockrey, who for some years has been with the office staff of New Guinea Goldfields Ltd. at Wau, recently sailed from New Guinea with his family for Brisbane where he will now reside permanently.