Kurukuru

Paper Makers And

Indications of Keen Interest In Papua Material

THE announcement in the July “PIM” that the Papua-New Guinea Admin istration had granted to Sir Gerald Mussen the exclusive right, for 12 months, to apply for a license to cut kurukuru grass on 200 square miles of country in North-east Papua, caused a stir among Australian paper-making companies.

We stated erroneously that Sir Gerald was chairman of Australian Pulp and Paper Company; and we express regret for the error. Sir Gerald is connected with another Australian paper-manu facturing concern with a very similar name, but not with the company referred to.

The original Australian Pulp and Paper Co. Ltd. was formed by the same in terests which controlled the Common wealth Hemp Corporation, and those in terests gained an unsavoury reputation, and persons connected with them finished their careers in the criminal courts. In the ’thirties, before the crash, they acquired a large area in North-east Papua, called the Sangara leases, and sold shares on the undertaking that they were going to base a paper-making enterprise on kurukuru grass.

The gentlemen referred to went into gaol; the company went into liquidation; and nothing more was heard of Sangara kurukuru grass.

Many worthy people had been caught by the racketeers; and, on their behalf, Mr. W. C. Mulroy took charge, and tried to save something from the wreck. The points in his favour were that kurukuru grass has been proved, beyond doubt, to be valuable as the raw material for high class paper; and that the company held the Sangara leases.

After long and patient labour, Mr.

Mulroy has completed the liquidation of Australian Pulp and Paper Co., and has taken steps to re-register it as Pacific Pulp and Paper Corporation (Australia) Ltd.; and plans for the issue of new cap ital, and the development of an industry based on the Sangara kurukuru, are now well under way.

These latter interests therefore learned with surprise that the Administration has given certain rights, affecting 200 square miles alongside the Sangara leases, to Sir Gerald Mussen. Sir Gerald is a famous and successful man, his achievements embracing certain metalliferous activities, and the development of important paper manufacturing enterprises in Australia based on the use of nulp made from eucalypts.

It is apparent that some of his paper manufacturing interests are investigating kurukuru grass—which is the same as kunai in New Guinea. There are enorm ous quantities of this material in both Territories; and, if the paper manu facturers are becoming seriously con cerned, it augurs well for the establish ment of a really worth-while new in dustry in these countries.

One report from an English paper-mill which obtained a shipment of kurukuru just before the war was that it produced a paper equal in every way to the paper made from esparto grass.

The girls of Civil Administration, Rabaul, recently organised a dance in the ruins of the New Guinea Club. Hos tesses were Misses L. Hawken, M. Allen, S. Kilminster, P. Bakewell, M. Haffenden and S. McArthur. Over 100 guests at tended the function in the decorated ruins of the popular pre-war club.