Visitors To Kar Kar Island

Prom A Special Correspondent KAR KAR ISLAND (off the Madang coast, New Guinea mainland), had several official visitors during Sep tember including the Inspector of Expropriated Properties, Mr. Jock Esson.

He had spent many years managing Kar Kar plantations pre-war.

Dr. Jamieson spent a fortnight on the island immunising natives against T.B.

In one day he treated 3,200 natives. He considers Kar Kar Island a splendid station for experimental work as the population is concentrated and the natives co-operative.

ADO Reg Bentick was also among the visitors. He had at one time been stationed on the island as a patrol officer and was chosen for the job of taking the census of 10,000 natives. Mr. H. Evans went along to carry out inspection of native labour.

All Kar Kar Islanders speak in glowing terms of the work that Mr. and Mrs. E.

Tscharke, of the American Lutheran Mission, have done among the natives.

As well as building and supervising a hos pital of 300 beds, Mr. Tscharke conducts a pre-natal clinic, teaches at the school for doctor-boys and their wives and supervises the station. Mrs. Tscharke makes time to take a weekly baby clinic, assists her husband in the hospital and trains future brides of native teachers in housework. It is largely due to Mr.

Tscharke’s efforts that the local saw milling industry had been conducted with such success by the natives.

Mr. W. Middleton, who has been envy ing an extended stay on his plantation thinks well of his line of 100 Highlanders.

He has established a branch of the Com monwealth Savings Bank on his estate.

The natives on Kar Kar are money hungry and let their gardens and homes deteriorate while both men and women work in the plantations or native in dustries. Many natives have bank accounts that would be envied by many Europeans in the Territory.

Mr. Huntley Carpenter has left Kai KAR to take up the position he had previously at Siar. From Siar, Mn Jack Broadhurst comes to Kar Kar. Mr. George Ord went South from Kar Kar some time ag Mr Paul Bayetto seems to have re covered from the jeep accident he experienced in Madang. He is managei at Dogowen Plantation.

Kar Kar Island, often marked Dampiei on the maps, has an interesting history.

The volcano was observed aflame by the explorer in 1700. It is recorded that there was another “blow up” in 1895 when two German Lutheran missionaries were trapped at Kulabob 9 n the island. After several deaths, the mission was abandoned In 1895 and not reopened till 1910 when it was removed to Kurum.