Another N. Guinea Road

Madang Link with North Coast

A NEW road linking Madang

and the potentially rich Idium river area on the north coast of New Guinea will soon be completed. A great deal of the credit is due to Mr. Tom

Ellis, ADO Madang, who has

taken personal interest and re

sponsibility in building roads in

the District.

At present, under construction by trained native carpenters under European supervision, are three new bridges over branches of the Mur mass river. They will be 200 ft, 55 ft, and 50 ft, respectively. When these are completed it will be pos sible to travel by car from Madang right up to Serang, and thence to the Idium river.

On August 18, Mr. Ellis drove his International utility from the Mur mass river—near Mr. John Cox’s camp at Modu—to the Idium river, which is 61 miles from Madang.

This was the first time the journey had been made by a conventional vehicle. He crossed the Murmass and Sumerang rivers by bamboo raft but found bridges over the other

seven. They included one Bailey bridge, three of reinforced concrete and steel, and three built of Kwila bearers with airstrip matting for decking, and concrete abutments.

The journey took approximately one day, with stops to hold “Court” at various native villages en route.

On the return journey Mr. Ellis

reached the Murmass river at 3/ p.m. on August 20.

The first section of the road fro; the Murmass onwards past Mr, To Huxley’s station at Bagildek, is < rather loose earth and gritty forms tion. But from the Dell river or wards the road has been built I local natives and is in good cond tion.