Guinea Miners

Little Help For N.

How Australia Rewards the Prospectors

A STRONG plea on behalf of the pros pectors and miners in New Guinea, who take all the risks and discom forts of opening up new territory, was made in the Australian Parliament by Mr. A. E. Green, who recently visited the Territory.

Mr. Green attacked the gold royalty of 5 per cent, in its application to these men. Miners who were earning barely enough to purchase adequate food, were charged relatively the same rate as large companies, such as the Bulolo Dredging Company, which is showing a profit of £600,000 per annum. He urged that, in view of the small amount that must ac crue to the revenue by imposing the tax on the prospector earning less than an appropriate wage, the tax be abolished on all gold returning less than an ade quate living.

As the Minister’s only answer was that he would “consider” it, Mr. Green re turned to the attack later; and then Mr. Hughes recounted (on September 23) the history of the gold royalty in New Guinea, and said; “I shall consider very carefully and sympathetically the sug gestion that prospectors, especially those who are on poor ground, and those who are recovering such a small quantity of gold as to make the royalty a formidable item in their economy, should be exemp ted from its operation”.

Mr. Green also brought up the case of Messrs. Forrester and Tebb, two pros pectors who last April pushed in from Madang to a point on Mogo Creek, four miles south of the Ramu River, near the uncontrolled area. They found a prom ising area, and set to work to develop it —but wild natives from the Bismarcks (uncontrolled area) came in and stole

their gear. They appealed to the DO. at Madang for help; but all they got was advice “to vacate your present min ing location without delay”. A patrol was not available to go out and protect their property: and they were told that, if they delayed, action would be taken to include their area within the uncon trolled area, which would mean that they could not go out there and re commence prospecting. In view of this.

Forrester and Tebb abandoned their area, and the £2OO they had sunk in the enterprise. It was understandable that men should feel resentment against such treatment.

The Minister said he would inquire into the matter. He added—with his usual septuagenarian determination to make a joke out of anything, no matter how seri ous —“We must have some regard for the hobbies of these lighthearted people (the

uncontrolled natives) and their need for recreation”.

EDITORIAL NOTE; The foregoing is typical of the spirit in which Australia governs New Guinea. Men who. with superb tenacity and courage, are pros pecting this primitive region, receive no encouragement and very little help from certain sections of politicians and offi cials: but the whole administration gets the jitters if a European dares even to plant a sound kick in the stern of a thieving native. Forrester and Tebb did what they thought was right—and lost everything. The next time that prospec tors find themselves in similar circum stances, there may be an “unfortunate accident”. Whose will be the fault?

Mr. Peter Johnson has completed his two years’ term with the Bank of New South Wales, Wau, New Guinea.

Father Francois Caillon, who has been engaged in missionary work in the New Hebrides for the past 35 years, arrived in Sydney by the October “Pierre Loti” on a health and holiday trip.

Mr. and Mrs. K. C. Strachan arrived in Sydney by the “Mangola” recently from Butaritari, Gilbert Islands, where he is resident engineer for Burns, Philp & Co., Ltd.

Miss Molly Molloy, sister of Mr. W. Brian Molloy, who has been practising law in Port Moresby for three years, returned to Sydney by the “Maetsuycker” from Papua on September 23. "Though a visitor her self to Papua for only 10 weeks, Miss Molloy was much amused at the gullibility of tourists from cruise liners —they bought poinciana seed pods from the wily natives for anything up to 2/- each, under the impression that they were “rare Papuan

boomerangs!”