PERSONNEL OF THE PARTY

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3168, 14 March 1911, Page 5

PERSONNEL OF THE PARTY

Doubt® still exist as to the fate of the Papuan explorei-s. Mr Staniforth Smith left Port Moresby last November with Messrs. Pratt, Bell, H. L. Murray, and Hennelly, and also some native constabulary and carriers, intending to traverse the country westward to the rivers discharging into the Papuan Gulf, thence making his way to the coast by one of these rivers, Mr Murray and Mr Hennelly returning to Port Moresby The latter left Mr Smith in- latitude S. 6.50. longitude 143.55, on December 7. They were then 8000 ft high. Besides Mr Bell and Mr Pratt, the Administrator took with him 11 officers of armed native constabulary, and also 14 native carriers. It has never been publicly stated what was the intention of this expedition, hut two reasons are conjectured. First, to locate coal discoveries by a prospecting party at the Puxari River, and, second, to arrange for labor being made available. Mr Staniforth Smith was still a comparatively young man, having been bom in Victoria in 1869. He ivas educated at the St. Arnaud Grammar School, and was subsequently a student of engineering at the Melbourne University. He Avent to West Australia in 1896, and Avas four years later elected Mayor of Kalgoorlie, holding the office in 1900 and 1901. In the first Senate elections, out of 16 candidates for West Australia, lie was returned at the head of the poll b- a large majority. At the completion of his six years’ term lie Avou’Td not seek re-elec-tion, though it was regarded bv most people as a certainty that he Avould haA’e won one of the seats. As a Senator he made a special study of tropical government and development, and travelled through the British and German possessions in the PacifieNew Guinea, Java, Ceylon, the Straits Settlements and Northern Australia. He. received his appointment in Papua in 1908. Mr Staniforth Smith, who was unmarried, had a personality that Avon him hosts of friends. He was genial in a pleasant way, Avith wide-reaching sympathies and undoubted kindliness of disposition. His choice of a necessarily rigorous and self-denying life in the far awa-v territory of Papau. Avhen lie had every prospect of continued public life in Australia, stamped him as a man of grit, such as no young community can well afford to lose. Mr L. L. Bell Avas also a native of Victoria, being the son of Mr George Bell, of Toorak. He Avas first appointed to the public service in Papua m January, 1906, and before joining the present expedition had risen to the position of chief inspector of natives, at. a salary of £325 a year. The tliird Avlute man, Mr A. E. Pratt, was a surveyor, and a former resident of Sydney. He was Avith the Mackay-Little expedition, which discovered, in 1908, the coal mine Mr Staniforth Smith Avas desirous of further investigating.