Melbourne, Nov. 12, The discovery of gold is invari ably followed by tragedy and in this instance—the acknowledged new Eldorado, New Guinea—history has, but repeated itself. A party of prospectors finding that the famous Edie Creek field was fully pegged out decided to prospect further in-Tand at a spot where they had been assured gold would be found. From recent reports received they were correct in their surmise but one thing they did not take into consideration was the savage nature of the tribes into whose country they were penetrating, The result was three men lost their lives and a party of police are seeking for the murderers, The men in question wore Messrs, Collins, Marley and Fischer, all of whom were—experienced men who knew the dangers they were running but apparently had grown careless and did not take even ordinary precautions against attack, Some of their companions to get back to the coast apd give the alarm, The Minister for Home and Territories, Senator ow, will not allow anything in the form of reprisals and his instructions are definite that the police party must keep strictly to obtaining the prisoners and on no account arouse such feeling as would require armed force being necessary to quell trouble. Besides the native trouble there has been rumours of claim-jumping taking place upon the established gold fields. Claim jumping is no uncommon occurence any gold field and it is unlikely that a place like Edie's Creek, almost inaccessible, and with a torturous and dangerous track down to the coast along which to carry the gold wrested from the earth, is to be free of this curse, Measures are being taken to prevent illegal claims and no encouragement being given to miners on the mainland to venture over to New Guinen to try their luck. Even face of all Government condemnation " party of some 600 have left for the fidds from Australia. The overcrowding of the field and the ports of good payable gold in their areas has led to prospectors going' further afield and making the work ritory more difficult than wise would be. One area in cular some 200 miles inland has been mentioned as a payable field and some prospectors are pushing forward to investigate, This field was discovered by a German before the great war commenced, but it has one peculiarity and that is mos-quitees. These vicious insects are alleged to inflict the natives elephant itis but it is not known as to whether white men would become similarly affected. It is likely that the prospectors will risk the clephantitis as the area is supposed tobe immune from malaria and ti tribes in it friendly towards th white races, The tribes directly ai sociated with Edie's Creek are eannials and said to be the—fiercest and most warlike of all the natly con the island.
The West Australian Murderers The firm stand taken by the West tralian—Labour—government which culminated in the execution of Treffane and Coulter for the murder of the two detectives in what was known as the Goldfields Crime, has gained the admiration of the people throughout the Commonwealth. Treffane left behind him confession which implicated _himself and Coulte Coulter. ref to confess and confession was a pack of lies.
mall crowd of sympathisers yatiier around the gaol at the critical ho but their numbers were out of all proportion to the noise made by various unions before the fatal day arrived. \Deputations awaited upon the Minister and petitions were presented requesting the abandoning of the execution. It was stated to be in direct opposition to the rules of the Labour party but the Premier of West Australia and his colleagues recognize no party when it comes to doing what they consider their Jduty to the people of their State. Only recently the attitude of this branch of Labour polities has Jeome plainly discerned when the ministry declared itself stand behind Mr. Bruce and Federal Treasurer, Dr. Earle Page' scheme for date of Australia and the fertile Lauds not yet available for settlement, In direct opposition to [this branch of the Labour party is ithe party in New South Wales who have in the course of the last two, Jyears refused to execute several of the worst and vilest of murderers Australia has ever known, Be Mr. Long, the Premier South Wales and his ministry are Jnot favourable to the Federal GolvcrnmentRond scheme and more-lover are fighting the Feder: in the courts over the imposition of the all tax by means of which the Federal government hope to raise the necessary money to pay for the constructional work,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.