N. Guinea

Ficus Rubber From N. Guinea Part Taken by Mr. George Murray

Letter to th« Editor RELATIVE to the letter published in the current month’s PIM over the name of “Bagiai”, in which he takes the credit of introducing Ficus rubber to the Australian market from the De partment of Agriculture, Rabaul, and bestowes it on Mr. Vic. Maxwell, may I be permitted to say that Mr. George Murray, Director of Agriculture, found a market for Ficus rubber in Australia as long ago as 1934.

During 1934 (I cannot recall the exact date, from memory), I received a circular from the Agricultural Department ad vising me of the experiments carried out with Ficus rubber, by it. I was informed that crude rubber, obtained by tapping

-the trees, and allowing the latex to flow onto and dry upon banana leaves, could be marketed in Australia for at least sd. per lb.

Messrs. Nelson and Robertson also wrote to me, in the same year, offering to market any parcels of such crude rubber which I might forward to them.

I understand the above company han dled the rubber supplied by the Agricul tural Department. Rabaul, and that it was the Advanx Tyre Co., of Sydney, that carried out the experiments with it.

Mr. Maxwell did not commence pro ducing Ficus rubber until 1939, in the Madang district. Vic. will, I feel sure, readily acknowledge that the credit for finding a market for it belongs to Mr.

G. H. Murray, Dept, of Agriculture, Rabaul.

I am, etc.,

E V. O’Brien.

Madang, TNG. 27/2/’4l.