DUTCH NEW GUINEA

Grey River Argus, 20 April 1911, Page 7

DUTCH NEW GUINEA

. *c* While in London, Professor .David attended, at the rooms ot tnc Koyal Geographical Society, an interesting lecture by Dr H. A. Lorentz, leaaer ot the Dutch expedition which in ISW-9 reached the summit of the great snow mountains in Dutch New Guinea. After great hardships, fever and want of food, the expedition, says Professor David, at last succeeded in cutting its way through the dense undergrowth to the edge of the permanent snowfields of WUt helmina Peak, in the Orange Mountains. This peak rises over 15,000 ft above sea level. Another, over 13,00Q feet high, Dr Lorentz named Nimrod Peak, after Shaokleton's ship. On the. return journey, near the top of Wilhelmina • Peak, the doctor fell over a low cliff, and broke some of his ribs. He had to be carried south in an extemporised litter by his Dyak carriers. Finally, after great suffering- and being nearly starved, he reached the coast. Dr Lorentz attributed his success largely to his Dyak carriers. They were, he said, far .more reliable than the New Guinea natives, and soon got used to -their new environment.

The question of a universal Saturday half -holiday was the subject of a ibrief discussion at a meeting- of the Auckland Prestbytery. The Rev. G. B. Monro said that while shop assistants worked late on Saturday nights, they were not prepared to go to church on the following- morning-, whereas, if Saturday was the half-hol-iday, they would .be. able to go --to church on Sundays. ' Other , speakers expressed the opinion that a halfholiday on Saturday would ,give younpr men more time for a week-end holiday. Eventually, it was decided "that as the question as to when workers shall receive their weekly half-holi-day is not essentially a moral or religious question the ' presbytery feels that it is . not a matter _on which it should a pronouncement. w , ;.•■'. . • • : ' t *"~