Governor-General

of Australia Official Visit to Papua and New Guinea

Monday, July 26, the Governor ” General of Australia (Lord Gowrie), accompanied by Lady Gowrie and a small staff, arrived in H.M.A.S. Australia at Port Moresby.

Between that date, and August 13, the vice-regal party visited most of tin principal centres in Papua and New Guinea.

His Excellency, everywhere, was most cordially received; his attrac tive personality, simple dignity and invariable courtesy made a most excelle ■ impression in the two Ter ritories; and no untoward incident or accident marred the harmony of the many formalities and ceremonies.

July 26, the Governor-General was ” met at the warship by the Lieut.- Governor, Sir Hubert Murray, The official party landed about 11 a.m.; attended a public reception; and visited the schools.

In the afternoon, they witnessed a series of old-time native dances, and dined at Government House. Next day (Tuesday) they visited the native villages and the L.M.S. Mission, and, later, saw native sailing-canoe races. That evening, His Excellency attended a Masonic function.

On Wednesday, Lord and Lady Cowrie, in a large plane provided by Guinea Air ways, piloted by Mr. Jack Turner, flew over various parts of Papua near Port Moresby; and that evening they were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. T. L. Sefton at Koitakinumu rubber plantation. They sailed at noon next day for Samarai.

The vice-regal party arrived in the warship at Samarai about noon on Friday. There was a public reception early in the afteroon; a series of social functions, later; and a dinner party on the warship that night. On Saturday, July 31, the party visited the Kwato Is land Mission, where there was native dancing and singing; and they sailed soon after noon for Rabaul.

The party arrived in the warship in Rabaul on Monday morning, August 2, and the Governor-General met by the Administrator, Brig.-General W. R. Mc- Nicoll. Everyone was curious to see Rabaul as it is after the eruptions. Much cleaning-up had been done, and the( trees are showing green again; but the Ad ministrator’s ill-luck held. There was a torrential down-pour on the Sunday, and Rabaul suffered a minor flooding. Thus, the visitors, on landing, saw a good deal of mud, and ditches cut by the torrents across the roadways. Nothing, however, interfered with the excellence of the ar rangements and the warmth of the public greeting.

There were various official and social functions bn Monday, and a dinner and reception at Government House in the

evening. The functions inc.uded a public reception by Europeans at the European school; a special welcome by the Chinese community; and vists to the New Guinea Club and Masonic temple.

Next ‘day, August 3, the official party motored through the North Coast district, through the hills to Kokopo, made a cal at Vunapope Mission, visited Bita Paka war memorial, and returned to Rabaul.

During the day, His Excellency saw from on the North Coast, and from Taliligap Hill, the desolation caused by the erup tion of Vulcan on May 28—a great vista of country torn by the torrents, and num erous plantations ruined by pumice and ashes, stretching from Vulcan right ac ross to the North Coast. He stopped at one Administration depot where rations are being given to 4,000 natives whcs3 gardens were destroyed.

On Wednesday the party made a num ber of more or less informal visits in the district, and that evening, accom panied by General and Mrs. McNicoll, they sailed in the Australia naval sloop Swan for Kavieng.

Kavieng, on Thursday, August 5, gave

the party a most picturesque welcome.

Fifty craft escorted the sloop into the har bour; and nearly 200 native chiefs, lu luais and tultuls, from all over New Ire land, were drawn up at the wharf. There were the usual official and social fun ctions. That night, en route to a dance at the Kavieng Club, Lord and Lady Gowrie drove through a mile-long line of torches held by natives. Next day (Friday) the party drove through the nearer plantation districts. They sailed, in the evening, for the Witu group, en route to Madang.

When the Stvan entered Peterhafen, in the main Witu island, on Saturday. Aug ust 7, the five white residents of Witu gathered at the wharf, and were amazed

hen the Governor-General landed. They had no warning of his visit. Their wel come was none the less cordial. The official party spent a delightful informal day on “a tropical island, unspoiled and in its natural condition.”

On Sunday, August 8, the party arrived at Alexishafen, and after visiting the famous Mission Station, they went on to Madang. They were cordially greeted; entertained at a “sing-sing” by 700 native dancers; and motored through the coun try behind Madang. They left that night for Salamaua.

The Swan arrived in Salamaua on Tuesday morning, August 10, in pouring rain. Official functions necessarily were curtailed.

Later, the party, as the guests of Guinea Airways Ltd. and Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd. (represented by Mr. L. V.

Waterhouse, a Sydney director of both companies), travelled by aeroplane to Lae, and on to Bulolo, which became their headquarters. Their host was Mr.

Louis Joubert, manager of Bulolo G.D.

Ltd. They spent Wednesday and Thurs day. August 11 and 12, in visiting various

parts of the Morobe goldfield. They flew over into the Ramu valley system, where they met about 4,000 of the very numer ous natives (who are still in a primitive state); and they flew also to Wau, where they were warmly greeted by the towns people, and were entertained by Mr. and Mrs. F. B. Jacobs, of New Guinea Gold fields Ltd.

A sensational report in Sydney news papers said that the Governor - General was “marooned” —that he was weather bound in Bulolo by continual rain, and that the warship Australia was “quaran tined at Salamaua with measles aboard.”

The party joined the warship at Sala maua on August 13, however, and sailed direct for Brisbane.