Native Refugees Headache For P-NG Administration

Aftermath of Mt. Lamington Eruption

Prom Our Own Correspondent

Port Moresby, March 1

THE aftermath of the Mt. Lamington disaster is adding new problems to those already on the Administration’s

I list.

The volcano is still intermittently active, and its future activities are, of course, a matter of speculation, even for the vul canologists. This means that no definite plans can be made for the area. It has not been possible to complete the burial of the dead throughout the devastated area because of the constant crater activity. Only a few patrols have been permitted to get near Higaturu as the ban I is lifted by the vulcanologist only when he is reasonably satisfied that no im mediate volcanic activity is likely to occur.

During February, however, the patrols which were able to enter Higaturu found and buried five more European victims.

They were Mrs. Maynard Lock and her baby daughter; Mr. T, E. Maher-Kelly; ; and two men whose identity has not yet been established. The European child ; found shortly after the first eruption has [ since been identified as the elder daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lock.

THE native evacuees from villages bordering the blast zone are still in camps at Ilimo and Oro Bay, and the Administration is still trying to solve the problem of their future. They can ’ not go back to their villages because they are too near the danger zone. They, how ever, in native fashion do not want to i go anywhere else, and if they are forced into new villages will probably not stay there. Later on they may be persuaded to set up new villages in suitable country outside the volcanic area, but until then they are costing' the Australian taxpayer a tidy sum in foodstuffs. It takes a lot of rice to feed 3,100 natives, and a lot of close supervising to keep them healthy under camp conditions.

ON Sunday morning, February 18, an earth tremor was felt at widely scattered points throughout the Territory. It occurred about 7.10 a.m. and reports indicated that it was felt simultaneously at Port Moresby, Kokoda, Wairopi, Yodda, Sogeri, Lae, Wau and Madang. It lasted from forty to sixty seconds and was strong enough to set doors and windows rattling, and cause stacked tinned goods to fall. Since then, however, no further earth tremors have been reported from these districts.

The tremor coincided with renewed volcanic activity at Mt. Lamington and the development of a second red glowing cone in the crater. Billowing clouds of smoke, varying from yellow to black, rose to about 24,000 feet, and rocks being thrown up in the eruption were falling back into the crater.

Mud-flows and floods have developed along all rivers with their source on the Lamington slopes. First this necessitated moving the Wairopi evacuee camp to Ilimo four miles away on higher ground, and then feeding still more villagers whose gardens had been washed away.

And away down almost at the coast, pumice banks piled up near the river estuaries ruining village gardens, and more villages needed rations. In the abandoned villages on the fringe of the blast country around the volcano, natives had been able to make daily trips to xL food f r om the gardens, but gradu aily the pumice caused the crops to rot, and this supply has been cut off. bo far the health authorities by exercis ing careful control and constant super hSSft , hav , e . maintained an excellent neaith level in the evacuee camps and

there have been no epidemics. The Public Health Department secured the co operation of the RAAF in having the Ilimo Camp sprayed with a DDT and diesel oil mixture. And to control the fly menace, spraying was also done over Sangara, adjoining villages, Higaturu and Popendetta.