Cinchona Plantation In New Guinea

By “New Guinea Planter”

PRICES of all tropical products are high, and appear likely to continue high for several years to come, thus providing a unique opportunity for New Guinea to rehabilitate itself without cost to Australia.

This fertile territory has great agri cultural possibilities, and, if Government control and restrictions .are lifted, to take advantage of the present high prices, no subsidies, bonus or preferences are needed to assist development—only rational Labour Ordinances and liberty to return quickly to normal conditions.

Shipping, the present bugbear, will quickly right itself as the Allied armies are demobilised.

The groundwork of agricultural experi mentation was well laid in the past by the small but efficient Agricultural Department; and those men who did so much, and have since been victims of the war—George Murray, Clive Green, and Lieut. Bechin, among others —should not be forgotten. Back on the job is* Proggatt, Larry Dwyer and Richards, out to redeem the past and build for the future.

We may perhaps see Keravat Experi mental Station doing its good work again. Aiyura, the highland Experi mental Station, despite an enemy almost on its boundary, and much bombing and strafing, never ceased its good work, and the Territory will benefit accordingly.

It is interesting to note that Mr.

Bechin first planted cinchona at Aiyura nine or ten years ago. General MacArthur, escaping from Bataan, brought out cinchona seed and some of

this is said to have reached Aiyura With invasion, ANGAU, for the Army, took over Aiyura and, as a war measure, in creased the planting of cinchona and, seedlings included, the cinchona plants possibly number 140,000 to 150,000 now.

The planting of this cinchona was a sound, long-sighted war measure, and, had the war dragged on, would have been of immeasurable value to the Allies The Russians, it is said, had found a means of extracting quinine from three years-old cinchona plants.

Despite the work involved with cin chona, as a war emergency measure, the task of experimenting, breeding, and recording of ~eneral economic and ex perimental crops (including coffee, tea and cocoa crops) never ceased at Aiyura, and the results are there for the bene fit of those now returning to the Terri tory.

Also it is of interest to note that Aiyura is probably the best and largest example of soil erosion prevention, by the contour terrace and drain system, to be seen in this part of the world.

New Guinea is a great territory with a great agricultural future for both native and European, and it is imperative that we get on to the job quickly. • Lieut. K. H. McColl, RANVR formerly a plantation manager in the Solomons and New Guinea, received his discharge in Sydney recently, after nearly four years’ service in the Allied Intelligence Bureau. He plans to return to the Islands when normal conditions return.