Administrator Visits

Eastern Papua

From Our Own Correspondent

Port Moresby, Oct. 16.

THE Administrator (Hon. H. L. Mur ray) accompanied by Mrs. Murray and Mr. D. Murray, returned re cently from an extensive inspection tour of all Government stations to the east of Port Moresby. Visits were made also to the mines at Misima and Woodlark Island, the desiccated coconut factory at Ahioma, and the head stations of the Anglican and Methodist Missions at Dogura and Dobu.

Accompanying His Honour was Rev. J.

D. Bodger, who as non-official Member of the Legislative Council took advan tage of the tour to make contact with districts and settlers he had previously not visited. Others in the party were

Mr. Justice Gore, Hon. E. B. Bignold, and Mrs. Bignold.

Leaving the drought-stricken district of Port Moresby, the party not unrea sonably hoped to find “green pastures” further east, but they were disappointed.

They found the same drought conditions throughout their tour —even Woodlark Island, famed for its excessive rainfall, was suffering severely from a shortage of water.

Mrs. Murray, who had not been to the Eastern Papua islands for many years— in fact, not since her last tour in the old "Merrie England”, 30 years ago— renewed many pleasant associations while at Misima, Woodlark Island, and the Trobriands.

Mr. J. R. Herd, Crown Solicitor at Apia, Western Samoa, was in New Zea land in October spending leave with Mrs. Herd and their young son.