NEW G' INEA.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 351, 16 March 1889, Page 4

NEW G' INEA.

Summary of Exploratory and Administrative Worlt Done During Last Twelve Months.

(By A. J. Vogan\)

TrtE ) ear 1887 was chieiiy noteworthy, as lav as the island of New Guinea is concerned, for the successful exploration of the Aii d River system (Gulf of Pa pun) by Theodore F. Bevan. The first work done last year in this direction was that of the Catholicmis'ionor es, whoabont January established themselve e atYulelsland. Making an exclusion inio the mainland, opposite their fetation, the} di-covered an important ii\er, which they christened St. Joseph. i Tli is waterway rises at the foot of Alt. Yule, and flows south. The smaller livers, Hilda and Ethel, in the near neighbourhood (Hall Sound) were also explored some distance. Gold ha\incr been discovered in 1887 in the island of Sudest, the now famous Juanita pio&pecting party began mining; theie in Januaiy of last year. In German New Guinea, Admhal yon Schleintz mnde -in excuis'on of 160 miles into Kaiser Wil helm's Land, about the same time. Januaiy also s<w tho issue of the account, written by Holbrunir, of his trip to Hatzfeldt Ha\en, also that of his journey rom Gonstantine Harbour to Astralobe Boy. In April Dr. Schrader returned from his second vovnpe up the Empress Augusta river ; with the result of confirming the previous opinion formed legarding its important character. The di.>-tatice covered was 380 miles, the furthest point reached being 141 deg. 50min. E. longitude and 4deg. 13min. S. latitude. The head waters nre therefore within Dutch territory. Several minor surveys alonfjr the northern coast were al«o made during the month by the German N.G. Company. In July three of Her Majesty's ships of war assumed duty in the wateis of the protectorate. The Opal, c mmanded by Captain Bosanquet, spe^t a fortnight at Santa ri ; she then took the Commissioner to Gramiile (Port Moresby). The Swinger completed her first trip as despatch bont, between Snmari and Cooktown (Q.). The Dart resumed her survey work in the neighbourhood of Johi nnet island. During this month the Rev. McFarlano published a missionary work entitled " Among the Cannibals of New Guinea." August saw the beginning of a new era to British New Guinea. In that month the first Administrator, the Hon. Dr. MncUirgir. C M.G., passed through Sydney, on hi* way to assume his appointment ; and was present at a special meeting of the Ro\al Geographical Society of Australasia. Sir Ed»ard Strickland, X.C.8., President, in the chair. In this month Captain Sfrachan published a book of traiesin New Guinea, which was rather seveiely handled by the pi ess. Next month (September), His Honrr Dr. MacGresor nominated a Legislate c Council, which passed a number of necessary ordinances. One of these prohibits, under severe penalties, the Eale of firearms or alcoholic liquor to the natives. Another decree grants right of appeal to the Supreme Court of Queensland in legal disputes. The mining laws of Queensland were also adopted in almost all particulars. An impoitnnt matter that of sale rf land, was a'so dealt with ; but this has not met with such favourable comment as the other wotk of the new administration. No Euro pean can legally buy land of the natives. Land can only bp alienated in the first instance through the Administrator. Certain Ifinda outside the boundniies of the native villages wi 1 be open to bona fide settlers. In this month a small rush took place to Sudest, an island 140 miles off the southeast end of New Guinea. The result was so-newhat disappointing, but 150 men still (February 22nd) remain, all doing fairly well, and more are expected there shortly. In November Mr Strode Hall made public his report upon an pxpedit'on he took up the Mai Rassa, or Baxter River. This river has hitherto been described as j forming part o>thedel ( aof the great Fly River. It is part of the work o f this expedition to determine this vexed question. Mr Hall followed up all the important branches of the Wai Knssa, and found the furthest source was sli'l twenty -five mU*s fiom the waters of tho F!y. Mr Hall, who "as sent by thelateCommissioner the Hon. John Douglas, X.C.8., Fays that "-the distance up the river travelled by Capi

Sfcrachan was greatly over-esHmated by that gentleman." The land be.vond the mangrove-covered banks of the river were found to be low-lying, open-forest country with veiy poor soil. In December Heir Hugo Zoeller, the leader of the " Cologi c (Gazette's 'expedition to Geiman New Guinea, returned to Cooktown (Q.)- This explorer with three white officers, and 21 New Britain natives, ai<d cairiers, amounting in all to over 100 men, started from Constantinehafer, and taking advantage of a severe drought travelled inland, some 70 miles by way of the dried •up river beds. A.n elavation of 9,000 feet was reached, and a new chain of mountains 10,000 feet in height, but lower than the Bismarck Range, was discovered, situated between the laiter and the Finnister mountains. This new range was named the Kraetko cluiin in honour of the present Governor of German New Guinea. The country was found to be similar to the mountainous parts of Ja*a. Herr Winter, representing the company, Dr. Hel.«ig, geologist, and Melliotfc, a half caste, accompanied the expedition, which was exactly a month away. The year 1589 has seen first the return of the Hall Sound prospectors, with tales of giand country, north of the Owen Stanley Range. Mr C. Kerry, who exhibited a wonderful nugget from New Guinea in Melbourne in Juno, 1835, has published a book of travels in that c untry. This month (February) has seen the first execu tions for nuuder under the new admi< istra tion. X>\\ MacGregor, after much tiou^le, succeeded in obtaining the arteetof ten of the murderers of Uaptain Ancell. Four were executed by hanging, five sentenced to one year's imprisonment with hard labour, and one to eighteen months' imprisonment. The hanging was superintended by Mr B. A. Tlely, the District Magistrate ; a fireman of tl.M.s. Albatro.-s acted as hangman. Adeepimpiessionseenn to have been made upon the natives by this act, which is an important step in the right I direction, as the ol< I -fashioned way of burning villages, in cases of this sort, had an} 7thing but a beneficial eflect. Dr. MacGregor, who lately vi&ited Maiara and Milneßay,repoit? the country as a splendid one, buL boo thickly populated to be available for white men. The only death of importance tl.at occuri ed in the neA' colony, during the period embrace^ in this article, wns that of Piri, the senior Rartoongan t earlier, who died lately, after having been in New Guinea since 1873