MISSING PAPUAN EXPEDITION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1057, 21 February 1911, Page 5

MISSING PAPUAN EXPEDITION.

(Rec.February 21, O.to a.m.) Thursday Island, February 20. Reports from Dnru, New Guinea', point to tho possibility of Mr. Staniforth Smith's porty having been massacred by tho natives. Two ketches, one in chargo of tho Resident Mogistrato at Daru, aro out searching. Natives who arrived nt Daru on February 11 stated that tho search partics took all the native police aud cxpolico from their villages, and they wero under tho impression they wero going to fight tho natives who wero reported to have killed Mr. Smith's party. Tho safety of Mr. Smith is doubted at Daru, as tho;question appears to have been discussed amongst natives whether ho would be permitted to pass through their territory without hindrance. Nc authentic news has been received by-the Acting-Mjjgistrato nt Dnru, who, however, is inclined to bolievc the reports of the coast natives, who got their information from their wilder neighbours in tho vicinity of tho Papuan Gulf delta. AN. EXPLORER'S THEORY. Brisbane, February 20. A well-known New Guinea explorer ii of tho opinion that Mr. Stanifortl Smith, tho Papuan Administrator, am his missing, exploring parly have gon( from tho Fly River into tho mountains whero food is scarce,' and havo probablj perished from exhaustion.