In the northern summer the south-east trades dominate New
they bring rain to the south-east penin sula but the rain diminishes farther west on the south side as the wind is affected more and more by the passage across the corner of Australia. Northward on the east coast the rain at this season appears to be very heavy where the land faces south-east. Farther west there is little rain while the south-east trades blow. In the southern summer, New Guinea is on the wind-path from Asia, round to the very marked Australian low pressure centre. The wind is swinging round from the north-west to north-easterly di rection and it brings heavy rain to northern New Guinea and to the southern part of the Dutch Territory. In one place in the rain shadow of the northerly mountains an annual rainfall of 96 in. has been measured, but on the exposed heights, especially be tween 3,00o and 6,500 ft., it must be enormously greater. In the lowlands the convection currents rule all the year round, but the amount of rain varies. The temperature remains near the average of about 81° declining to about 72° and rising to about 92° as rough monthly averages. 72° is not far from the average morning, and 92° not much above the average noon, temperatures.
general vegetation is that of the rain forest, but under the conditions of great heat the rain-forest cannot grow where there is a long dry season. The tree limit is more than 10,500 ft. above sea-level. Towards the mountain tops one finds European (Rubus, Ranunculus, Leontodon, Aspidium), Himalayan, New Zealand (Veronica), South American (Drymus, Libocedrus) and even Antarctic species. From 6,000 ft. upwards fine Agapetes (Ericaceae), pines (Araucania, Libocedrus) and palms adapted to hill-life abound. In the lower lands palms are very abundant, and along the tidal courses of rivers those of the genus Nipa are common; sago palms are numerous in the seasonal swamps while grass and cane swamps occur where the land re mains long under water. On the Alang steppe is the tall, tough grass, Imperata arundinacea.
New Guinea was probably united to Australia as recently as Pleistocene times, whereas its last effective connections farther west are much older. It thus belongs in the main to the Australian region with nine species of Echidna (Monotremata) and 84 of mar supials among which are two genera peculiar to the island (Dis toechunts and Dorcopsis). Small kangaroos live on the borders of steppe and forest in the higher lands. Bats abound and there is a pig (Sus papuensis), a dingo and 5o indigenous species of rats and mice chiefly on the steppe, and a few squirrels. The bird fauna includes well over Soo species and at least so genera are peculiar to the island. Birds of prey hover over the steppe and catch rats and mice, but apparently they avoid the great forests and here flourish the famed birds of paradise, which are absent from all the islands east of New Guinea. The Bismarck islands have birds allied to those of New Guinea but 74 species are pe culiar to them. Turtles and tortoises are plentiful on the coast and have curious relationships with South American forms ; many lizard species are peculiar to the island but comparatively few snakes. Amphibia are abundant and of Australian affinities. In
sects are very numerous and the butterflies are gorgeous. Land molluscs are related to those of India and Malaya.
Area about 90,540 sq.m., European population 1,107. Natives variously estimated 114,000 to 275,000. A British protectorate was de clared in 1884 after the Government of Queensland had annexed the land in 1883, and after various changes it became (1906) the Territory of Papua under the governor-general of Aus tralia, with a lieutenant-governor of its own. An executive council of one unofficial and eight official nominees helps the lieutenant-governor and also forms part of the legislative coun cil, which has five additional unofficial nominees. There are eight magisterial districts and a central court at Port Moresby, and an appeal thence to the high court of the commonwealth. There are now two government anthropologists. Some simple regulations of native government are administered with the help of (in 1926) 1,024 village constables. About 190,000 ac. of land have been leased, chiefly by planters, and over 62,000 are cultivated, chiefly for coconuts, rubber and sisal. Land may not be bought freehold. Natives may establish communal plantations of food plants in lieu of paying a tax in money, and they do this under European instructors. The expenditure for 1926 was £157,202 and the revenue £172,395; both are increasing fast, especially the latter. The ports are Port Moresby, Samarai, Kulu madau, Daru and the imports are worth nearly L500,000, the exports nearly L700,000; the latter are rising very rapidly. Copper has been worked for some time near Port Moresby and the export of this in 1926 was worth £155,305 while rubber amounted to £194,849 and copra to
(A. C. H.)
Mandated Territory of New Guinea.—The northern section of south-east New Guinea (formerly called Kaiser Wilhelmsland) was mandated in 1919 by the League of Nations to the Govern ment of the Commonwealth of Australia, together with the Bis marck archipelago (New Britain, New Ireland, and adjacent islands), the Admiralty islands and several outlying groups, and the northern Solomon islands (Bougainville and Buka). North eastern New Guinea lies between 2° 15' and 8° S., and 141° 3o' and 148° E. It had been declared a German protectorate in
when not a single white man lived there. Plantations arose in the islands and on the mainland, and three German mission societies soon formed settlements in New Guinea. There are now eight mission societies working in 6o3 stations in 18 districts. Under the mandate, the system of indirect rule through native chiefs has been continued. The administrator advises the governor general of Australia who can legislate by ordinance. There are ten district officers, six of whom are in the islands. The head quarters is at Rabaul. No slavery or forced labour is permitted, but natives are not allowed to leave the territory, and labour indentures are made. No one may supply natives with firearms, ammunition, alcoholic liquor, opium or derivatives of opium. A native police force has 464 constables and 42 N.C.O.s.