Drought

New Guinea in Grip of Drought

From Our Own Correspondent

Rabaul, Nov. 5.

f|N his return from an official visit to Vf the NG mainland, the Administrator (Sir Walter McNicoll) stated that drought conditions prevailed everywhere.

All along New Britain, the coast was brown from drought or black from the effects of fires. On the mainland, one could see hundreds of miles of brown and black country. Smoke hung every where like a thick fog.

This long continued drought will have a serious effect upon native foods. Hun dreds of acres have been destroyed. On the Sepik River, even the sago swamps have been burnt out, necessitating the natives travelling 40 miles in some places to cultivate small food areas.

Reports from the Morobe District, too, tell of abnormal conditions and bush fires in the Bulolo Valley, Madang, and Wewak. At Wau, the lack of water has caused a reduction in the output from alluvial mining operations.