BRITISH NEW GUINEA.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 384, 13 July 1889, Page 4

BRITISH NEW GUINEA.

The report ot Mr J. Douglas, special commissioner for British New Guinea, was laid on the table of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly en June 11th. Pearl &hell fishing is carried on, and a Government station has been established at China Straits, South Cape. A gold- bearing quartz reef was supposed to have heen discovered on Zoannct Island, and a prospecting party was organised, but no payable reefs ha\ c been tound. However, alluvial gold has been found in the bed of the Runcio River. Several hundreds have gono to the field, but it is uncertain yet whether a payable field exists ; but there is no doubt but that gold is to be found in various localities in New Guinea. Coal is also said to have been found. Several applications for land have been made by persons who profess to bo desirous of embarking in schemes for settlement, or who conceived that their sen ices as explorers entitled them to reap some reward in this form. One application was lodged by a London syndicate, which appeared to have no further knowledge of the country than that deiived from, very imperfect geographical data. M, H. C. Everill, on behalf of several influential capitalists, who state their willingness to take an active interest in the colonisation of New Guinea, has applied for land ; and also Mr T. Bevan, who considers that his services as an explorer should be recognised by a grant of 254,000 acres. This demand is thought to be most excessive. But no improvement in British New Guinea is to be hoped for without European settlement. There has been a heal thy expansion of mission work duringthe year on the part of the London Missionary Society and the French Catholic missionaries at Yule Island. The refusal of South Australia to contribute its share of the £15,000 guaranteed for the maintenance of British authority in New Guinea is referred to, and the Commissioner points out that the deficiency has not yet been made good by the other colonies. The deputy-commissioner, Mr A. Musgrave, jun., furnishes an interesting paper on the trade with Biiti.sh New Guinea. Trade is almost wholly confined to North Queensland towns, and since 1875 the total value of the trade* is estimated at| £80, 000. Beche-de mer is the most important item, next pearl shell, copra and gum. The supply of beche-de-mer and pearl shell is likely to last for years to come. Cedar and malaya arc also exported. Mr Douglas points out that the real question demanding attention is whether British New Guinea is to be colonised by a white or black race. Being an intensely tropical country, it is thought to be more the home of the dai'k races, but Australia has declared that tropical Australia is not for the dark races. The immediate value of New Guinea to Australia is the strategical advantage which the possession of the south coast gives to us. Along that coast there is a series of magnificent natural harbours.