The 1915 Earthquake In
p. 44 · Read in the full issue
Salamaua
WRITING to Melbourne “Argus” on June 27, Mr. C. H. Nelson, of St.
Kilda, said it was inexplicable to him that Mr. Hughes should recommend Salamaua as the new capital site for the Mandated Territory. Had Mr. Hughes seen the effects of the extensive earth quake disturbances in August, 1915, around the Huon Gulf, and especially at Salamaua, he would not have been so anxious to accept interested local opin ions. Salamaua then was a primitive na
tive village, but the tidal effects wiped out nearly the whole locality, and what happened 23 years ago could happen again to-day, with even worse results than the Rabaul disaster. “There is no harbour, limited building space, and a dangerous surf coast, with almost no shelter”, says Mr. Nelson.
Morobe (he says) has a deep, natural, safe harbour, large enough to shelter a fleet, with good anchorages and deep water close to the shore, has a good cli mate, and is the healthiest portion of that coast. It has 10 miles of building land to the Waria River, which is a splendid fresh-water river.
Rev. C. W. Whonsbon-Aston, of the Anglican Mission, Eastern Papua, was laid low by a very severe attack of fever when he returned to his station at Mukawa a few months ago, and he since has spent a good deal of time in hos pital. He has been ordered south for a year and expects to arrive in Sydney in July.
The French Pacific sloop “Rigault de Genouilly” • sailed from Dunedin, New Zealand, for Tahiti on June 6 after a three weeks’ visit to the Dominion. Her commander is Captain Plante.