Papua’S Treasure

Four Expeditions In West and Centre

From Our Own Correspondent.

Port Moresby, August 7.

town is buzzing with so many re- A ports and rumours of “expeditions” that it becomes a little difficult to sort them all out. This appears to be the posi tion ; Archbold Expedition. Scientific. Ad vance party has been far up the Fly River. See details in another article.

Oil Search Expedition.—Papuan Oil De velopment Co. Ltd. was registered here on July 9 with a nominal capital of £50,000 (5,000 £lO shares), to take over the special permit issued under the Petroleum (Mining) Ordinance to Mr. C, J. Ahern in a large area in Western Papua. Mr.

A. Robertson arrived on July 24 from England, via Singapore, and others by the Montoro on August 6; and the expedi tion will leave shortly for Western Papua, Hides Expedition.—Mr. Jack Hides ar rived on July 6 with much equipment to organise an expedition into Central Papua to search for gold. He is held up, for the present, owing to the Government’s refusal to give permission to anyone to enter “uncontrolled” areas.

Ward Williams Expedition.—Mr. Ward Williams was associated with the search for gold, in the Fly River region, by the Oroville Company. The search was aban doned, and Mr. Williams went to America.

He unexpectedly returned, and proceeded to organise another gold search in the Fly River area. His advance party (W.

Korn, J. M, Bourke, W. Kienzle, H.

Brown) have already left for the former Oroville base up the Fly River, above D’Albertis Junction. Mr. Williams is ex pected shortly from Australia with an aeroplane.