LOST IN PAPUA.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1069, 7 March 1911, Page 5

LOST IN PAPUA.

THE MISSING EXPEDITION. MORE RUMOURS OF MASSACRE. Uy Tclesraph-Press Assocfation-CopyriirM Sydney, March G. The Thursday Island steamer Winderoo reports that one of the launches which has been searching for Mr. Stain forth Smith (Administrator of Papua) and his party is missing. The auxiliary ketch Sir Arthur has been dispatched to search for her. A vague rumour is afloat at Daru that six police of tho original party have returned to their villages. While tho steamer Merrie England was searching tho-Kikori River, 'natives reported that tho Government party s raft had capsized in the river' and the party massacred by natives of the vicinity. Ihe reported massacre has been the subject of.searching inquiry, but substantiation of the rumours has not been. forthcoming. ~ ... In Melbourne official reports discredit the massacre story.

•NO NEWS ON FLY RIVER. '■•" (Rec. March 7, 0.30 a.m.) Melbourne, March 6. The Government Agent at Thursday Island has telegraphed that a steamer has arrived from Dau at the mouth of the Fly River in Papua. There is no news whatever there of the missing expedition. This is six days' later news than that cabled this morning. •

Concerning the report of the dispatch of a military contingent to New Guinea in connection with the search for Mr. Smith and his party, a letter from a gunner in the Royal Australian Artillery stationed at Thursday Island to his relatives has been received m Sydney. Ino letter reads:— "There is much' anxiely here as _to what has happened to Staniforth Smith and his expedition. It is believed that Staniforth Smith, in undertaking Hi-1 cross-country trip of several hundreds or miles, has bitten off more than he can chow. He is looked upon as likely to bo the next Governor of New Guinea, and consequently he possibly felt called upon to do something particularly daring, but the officials hero believe that he took too big a risk, and that his party have been wiped out. With over 30,000 cannibals in the district that he had to pass through, this is quite possible. Anyhow, this business is likely to give us a job, 1 believe, Lieutenant has telegraphed to headquarters offering his services. He discussed the matter with one of the non-coms., who evidently 'sounded' us all, and, of course, we are all dying to go anywhere so long as we can break away from the monotony of lifo in this hole. If there's anything to bo wiped off the slate we're tho chaps .to do it, because life is so deadly dull here that a chance of a scrap with the 'niggers will be_ all tho more appreciated by us." P.S.—Word has come to hold ourselves prepared for embarkation. The talk is that wo are to go to New Guinea on Thursday. I hope it is true." , • ' . It was afterwards denied in Melbourne that it was intended to dispatch a military expedition.