Pioneer Passes

Death of Robert Hunter, Once Papua’s “Sandalwood King”

From Our Own Correspondent

Pt. Moresby, Sept. 6.

ON August 28, the death occurred at the European Hospital, Port Moresby, of one of the oldest pioneers of the Ter ritory—Robert Hunter, at the age of 85, after many months of ill-health.

Robert Hunter, an Englishman by birth, first came to Papua early in 1883, when he and his brother George, attracted by the adventurous tales of the then unknown savage land, crossed over from Somerset, Queensland, in the D.M.S. schooner Ellen gowan, with the object of trading.

The only permanent settlers at the time in the whole island of New Guinea were the Rev. W. G. Dawes, of the D.M.S., and Andrew Goldie, a collector and store keeper; and little was known of the savage tribes beyond the limits of mission influence. The natives were in a state of constant warfare with their more in land neighbours.

Shortly after their arrival, both Robert and George Hunter won the approval of the mission in their dealings with the natives, and in their wanderings across country they gained the confidence of tribes yet untouched by outside control.

It was on account of their knowledge of the country and their familiarity with the natives and their language that Robert Hunter and his brother were recommend ed to the first Special Commissioner, Sir Peter Scratchley, on his arrival in 1885, He engaged Robert Hunter as inspector of the beche-de-mer industry, and his brother George as forester and inspector of the timber trade, which was attracting attention.

Both Chinese and Australians were en gaged in pearl shell and beche-de-mer fishing along the coast, and Robert Hun ter’s duties were to inspect the vessels and report on new operations before they set sail for China and Cooktown.

The glowing reports in the newspapers

in Australia of the prospects of a vast timber trade in New Guinea had “raised expectations of a sanguine nature,” and already companies had been formed to exploit the untold wealth of the country’s resources.

These duties claimed the attention of the two brothers until the death of Sir Peter Scratchley, when they worked un der Deputy-Commissioner H. H. Romilly, and his assistant, Anthony Musgrave, un til the arrival of Hon. John Douglas in 1886.

In the absence of Romilly and Musgrave in 1886, the Hunter brothers administered the affairs of the country with the assist ance of the Rev. W. G. Dawes and An drew Goldie, and the disturbed state of the country kept them busy far to the east and west of Port Moresby.

Dater, Robert Hunter was appointed Superintendent of Natives on account of his judicious handling of native cases.

George Hunter was ordered to establish a Government station at Rigo, where he attempted to settle the tribal disputes between Hula, Kaile, and Kerepunai, until he was murdered in 1890.

Excellent work was done by Robert Hunter in the Motu Motu district, and reports state that not only did he settle disagreements but marked out limits of tribal transgressions and brought the principal culprits to justice in Port Moresby.

With the arrival of Sir William Mac- Gregor, the first Administrator, in 1888, came changes and a well organised gov ernment. Further districts were brought under control, and vast areas opened up by Government exploration, and Sir Wil liam, with his organised staff and chief judicial officers, found little continuous employment for Robert Hunter. Though his‘ advice was sought at intervals on native matters, there was little the Gov ernment could offer him beyond planting reserves and prospecting for timber and metals.

In 1898, a boom in the sandalwood trade offered him lucrative employment for a number of years, when he earned the name of “Sandalwood King.” But with the collapse of the industry he retired from active interest in the Territory’s affairs, and settled in his home across

the harbour at Hitau, by the passage that bears his name, and where he lived until the day before his death.

For many years, until he died, Robert Hunter received a small allowance from the Papuan Government, which enabled him to end his last years in peace. All connections with his home country had long since ceased, and the only home he knew was Papua, the land of his adop tion.

Fifty-three years is a very long time in a tropical country, with a constantly moving population, and very few of the present day residents of Port Moresby had any recollections of Robert Hunter as he passed through the town on his last journey to Konedobu cemetery. Up to 1900 he was a well-known identity of the town, and frequently seen, in a wide hat, blue coat, white moleskins, high boots, big spurs, and carrying a hunting crop, and was, with some derision not unmixed with envy, known as the “San dalwood King.”