Ignorance Of New

Guinea

Newspapers and the War

“mHOSE so-called war correspondents JL who go to New Guinea should be forced to undergo a geography course before departure,” said an old resident of the North Coast of New Guinea, to the “PIM,” the other day.

“They publish fantastic errors in relation to place-names—and, in fact, whenever they try to write about the country itself, as distinct from war operations, they make themselves ridicu lous. ‘‘For example, when Hansa Bay came into the news, in consequence of Jap transports there being caught by our bombers. the correspondents placed Hansa Bay on the north-west coast of Papua—wherever that may be. Actually, Hansa Bay is the place better known as Nubia, on the north coast of New Guinea, a few miles eastwards of the mouth of the Ramu River. It is fairly well sheltered by Manam Island, which lies just off the coast.

“Then these correspondents are always talking about some motor-road which the Japanese are supposed to have con structed along the coast from Wewak to Bogia. This is ridiculous. Such a motor-road is impossible.

“Up to the time that this coast was occupied by the Japanese, late in 1942, there was no sort of highway along this most difficult coast; and, even if the ground were suitable, the Japanese could not have built one in the time. But it is not suitable.

“Coming eastwards from Wewak. such a road would have to cross some low, rugged hills; then it would come to the Murak Lagoons, which are surrounded by swamps, and I cannot imagine how that region could be crossed by any kind of a road. Then they would come to the mouth of the Sepik River. The Sepik is not only the biggest river in New Guinea —it is the biggest river in this part of the world. The volume of water it discharges is so great that it discolours the sea for 20 miles around.

The river, near the sea and for a con siderable distance inland, is at least one mile wide. Our bombers would have a good time with any Japanese attempts to put a bridge across that.

“Then, proceeding eastwards from the Sepik, the Japs would arrive at the Watam Lagoons, also surrounded by swampy country, and a road could not be built across this region except at great cost and labour. The next obstacle going eastwards would be the mouth of the Ramu River. The Ramu is a very big river, and navigable for at least 100 miles from its mouth.

“Bogia is to the eastward of the Ramu.

So, between Wewak and Bogia, there are four obstacles, each of which in itself would present a grave difficulty to any project of building a motor-road along there.

The Right Rev. P. N. W. Strong, Bishop of New Guinea, was given a public wel come in Melbourne Town Hall on March 22. Bishop Strong spoke of the work done by missionaries in New Guinea in caring for sick and wounded servicemen, and of native stretcher-bearers who had shown the wounded gentleness and sym pathy. A collection taken at the con clusion of the function amounted to over

£L,Ooo,