New-York tribune., 1919-09-07
Australia Wants |
To Manage Affairs
OF New Guinea
What Did She Fight War
For if She Doesn't Get
Some of the Fruits Of
Victory, She Now Asks
Nsv York Tribune
For,i0n Press Bureau

colony. In ldc-, AuslraIia "V''' "'""N
q considerable quantity OF wrathy
sounds il she did not get mandate
for New Guinea, having been done
ou. {, the Marshall Islands. what
did Australia hght the war for And
Il is quite a bit Of territory Australia
will manage A correspondent OF The
London Morning Post describing New
Guinea says:
The German New Guine- territory,
handed over TO the mandate OF AUS
tralia, is very nearly twice the size or
the British Isles. IL includes German
New Guinea dthe northern part OF the
mainland OF New Guinea, New
Britain, New ireland, several small
adjacent islands. the Admiralty and
Hermit groups. and Buka and bougain-
vile Of the German Solomcns. Inc
white population, mostly Germans, IS
abou. 1000. the native population
about 100000. This territory X one
OF the most fertile in the South PAcltc,
and has been well developed b. the
Germal settlers. Germany .o,es an
excellent territory. which, besides lis
political and strategic .imDor ancce TO
the British Empire, has wonderful
and progressive administration IN ten
years time it might vie with the Dutch
coloL.y Of Java. IL possesses splendid
harbors and rivers, and as naval
base (Germany's in.entionl the whole
possession offered ideal conditions.
Is Well Planned Town
The capital. Rabaul. IS the best
planned town in the South Pacific ISL
ands Blanche Bay. its haroor, can
carry the deepest of oversee steamers;
German men-of-war were able 10 ne up
10 the fine jetty within the small inner
harbor, directly in front of the town.
Every street is laid out with Uniform
care and regularity and is shaded with
beautiful tropical trees. The botan-
ical garden, laid out and managed by
a gardener from the ex-kaisers own
Berlin gardens. is without doubt one
Of the finest in the whole southern
Hemisphere. There are huge business
warehouses, ornate public buildings and
elegant and comfortable private blnga-
lows. Everything has been done Tor
coor and effect. In the German days
this town was the rendezvous OF the
German planters and officials There
we're no less than twenty houses or
vice, ard drink literally flowed like
water: every weekend had orgies.
There were China and Malay towns on
the outskirts of Ra6aul noted for
riots and rank unsanitary conditions.
TIE German was neglectful Of cleanll-
ress.
The early history Of what was Ger
MAI New Guinea IS interesting. \
wonderful half caste Samoan woman
FAMED Queen Emma stands out prom
lren..y IN is commercial rediscovery.
She rad great courage and keen busI-
ness ability. She opened up many CO.
coanLt plantations. all to-day OF great
value. Queen Emma" was also an
enterpris.ns trader, and started the
great German Eew Guinea Develop
ment Company, of which the cx-kaise-
is, or was. one cf the CHIEF share
holders. lie was SO interested IN his
shares that every year a detailed re-
port had especially to be made UP for
him. The title of Queen" was given
this remarkable woman by the natives,
for she was their champion against the
cruelties OF the Germans. Indeed. she
was at one time so incenscd az their
brutallties that her magnificent bun
gaiow. grandly furnished. where she
entertained in regal splondor. was
taboo" (forb.dden) TO all German Of
flcers for some considerable time. She
was hrst the wife of man half Eng
,ish and hall German, named For
sayth, and after his death she married
A German official much younger than
herself named Kobe, and afterward
lived in Berlin, where she was much
favored by the Kaiser. She died at
Monte Carlo in 1914
Treachery by Germans
1t was in September, 1914. that an
Australian naval contingent landed az
Herbertshohe 10 seize the German ter
r.tory and 20 silence the powerful
wireless station up in the hills about
three miles away. The Germans
,reacherous.y promised no opposition,
but no sooner had the Au stralians
landed than mines were exploded and
from secure trenches German soldiers
fired upon them The march Of the
Australians on 70 the wireless station
through almost impenetrable jungle
viii some day be accounted one OF the
fine deeds 0: the war.
For some tine after an Australian
administration had been set up the
Germans continued 10 give trouble and
more than one rebellion was put down.
The last attempt 10 upset the admin
stration was well-.aid plot 20 seize
the administrator and most q the sol
diers while they were a, their usual
Saturday night picture show but the
natives. who were heartily sick Of
their German master and who had
welcomed the Australians, learned u
the plot and informed the Australian
officials. The Germans had very
great surprise when. quarter OF IN
hour before the time of action. they
were ordered 70 assemble before the
German Ecw Guinea Company stores
and deliver up the arms they had Sc
creted in the company's cellars.
Trade and Revenue Grow
The Australian military administra-
ton. especially under the late SIR sam
uel Pcthebridge. X C. ". c.. Was very
successful. 50 much 50 that trade ami
revenue doubled in the first three years.
The Germans settled down. anG accord
ing 20 the terms Of capitulation, which
continued all German laws and cus-
toms, they went on buying and selling.
trading and planting. Away, openly
procla,ming the fact that German arms
would triumph in the end and that not
ONLY German New Guinea wol I'D come
back to them, but that they would pos-
sess Australia.
One Of the progressive measures -
the Australian administration was the
driving out OF malaria from Rabaul.
DR.. strangman. the medical officer IA
charge. drew up drastic regulations for
the sanitary condition Of the town;
hos- of natives were employed IN
clcSnsing drains. roofs, TANKS and
wh, -cver water lodged. so that tho
mala~.s mosquito was practically BAN
shed
NIL .u,,rsliap military admins