Wau-Salamaua

Road Tenders Probable in July

MEMBERS of the Commonwealth Par liament have been bombarding Aus tralian Ministers with questions about the Wau-Salamaua road, in New Guinea. The following is a summary of Ministerial announcements;— The New Guinea Loan Guarantee Act 1938 was passed in July, 1938, by which the Commonwealth Government guaran tees the repayment of, and the payment of interest upon, a loan not exceeding £150,000 to be raised bv the Administra tor of the Territory of New Guinea for the purposes of the construction of a road between Salamaua and Wau.

It has been decided to construct a road from Salamaua to Wau by the shortest practicable route. The route selected is the Bitoi River route of ap proximately 50 miles, known as route “A”. The estimated cost of construction of a road over this route is £lBO,OOO.

The following alternative routes have been considered; — Route “B”—Bitoi Ridge. Distance, ap proximately 55 miles. Estimated cost, £194,000.

Route “C”—Buangs-Snake River.

Distance, approximately 96 miles. Esti mated cost, £197,000.

Route “D”—Markham Point, Gaben sis, Wampit. Distance, approximately, 116 miles. Estimated cost, £195,000.

The sections of the route nearest to Salamaua and Wau respectively are being surveyed, and it should be possible to call for tenders for those sections in July.

Unofficial opinion is that the building of the road will occupy two years and that the cost will greatly exceed £lBO.- 000.

Mr. A. E. Paulpv. who has been asso ciated for some time with Sandy Creek Sluicing Co. in New Guinea, arrived in Sydney by the May “Neptuna”.

Mr. Harold Brown, a member of the Svdney committee of the Melanesian Mission, departed by the last “Malaita” to visit the M.M. stations in the Solo mon Islands.