Dangerous

New Guinea Natives

Series of Attacks in Goldfields Region

Unconfirmed Report That Lost

Airman Was Killed

THE natives in the hinterland of the New Guinea goldfields, who have been known to be of a truculent and hostile nature, have been very treacherous of late.

The unrest seems to have commenced with the massacre in the Upper Watut district, of Hellmuth Baum, a well-known prospector, and nine of his natives.

About the same time, Messrs. Mick and Paddy Leahy, who were also prospecting in that region, were attacked and wounded.

A Papuan patrol officer, with a party of native police and carriers, who passed through this area on the way to the coast, also found the natives very hostile.

There was a rumour that Pilot Trist, of Guinea Airways’ staff, who has been missing since May 22, landed his ’plane safely near Zenag aerodrome and was killed and eaten by the natives there. The report was investigated by the Administration officials and pronounced quite baseless.

The area between the Papuan border and the main dividing range of the Mandated Territory is how officially described as highly dangerous country.

Much of the trouble has been attributed to the Kukukukus, an untamed, nomadic people, who have drifted over from the Papuan border.

BAUM met his death near Surprise Creek, in the Upper Watut, only three days’ walk from the main camp at Watut. The three natives, who were the only survivors from the massacre of this well known prospector and his party, took nearly a month to get through the bush to the camp at Watut, as they had to lie low to escape capture by the searching bushmen.

They arrived thin and ill, from hunger and exposure. They said that Baum was drinking his morning coffee, just at daylight, when the natives attacked without warning. They crawled under the tent flap very silently and pinned Baum’s arms down to his sides, whilst other waiting natives killed him.

Baum was one of the most respected men in New Guinea. No one had a better knowledge of the Morobe dis trict, as he had spent many years in those parts. He used often to say that he could travel through New Guinea with a walking stick. He would never believe the natives guilty of treachery

and he seldom carried firearms. It was known that he was always very kind to his natives.

Recently, Baum was believed to have been on very good gold, and he had told some of his friends that he was going to Germany to visit his mother during the coming year.

Leahy Bros.’ Desperate Fight

Two other prospectors, the Leahy brothers, had a desperate fight for their lives at the hands of natives in this vicinity. At about the same time as Baum was killed, Messrs. Mick and Paddy Leahy were at Laggamah, also only three days’ journey from Watut.

They were recrossing an old trail when the natives, without warning of any kind, and for no known reason, suddenly appeared at the usual hour of attack —near dawn —and made a brutal onset. A warning cry from the native carriers aroused the white men.

The Leahy brothers never kept any kind of watch in their camps, so the

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Three of the Kukukuku natives arrested and brought in by District Officer Peldt, near Surprise Creek, in connection with the murder of Hellmuth Baum. The three are handcuffed together. On D. O. Feldt’s return from this region he reported that the area between the Papuan border and the main dividing range was highly dangerous. —Photo by courtesy of L. V. Waterhouse. ===

secure any weapons with which to prevent trouble. They bravely managed to save their carriers from harm, but were badly hurt themselves.

Mick Leahy was battered unconscious by a “pineapple” club. Paddy Leahy was speared through the shoulder, but despite his injury, he was successful Mr. Mick Leahy, one of the Leahy Brothers, who were savagely attacked by natives in the New Guinea goldfields region.||

in scaring the invaders off and in getting his brother to the Watut camp without a further attack.

Both men are now at Salamoa, where they are making good recovery from their injuries, although the knock that Mick Leahy received from the club has so far left him deaf in one ear.

These two brothers, like Hellmuth Baum, are thoroughly experienced in all bushcraft. Neither of them had Some of the police party with the six natives arrested near Surprise Creek in connection with the murder of Mr. Baum. D. O. Feldt is in the centre of the group. The men are handcuffed togethcr and attached to a bamboo. —Photo by courtesy of L. V. Waterhouse. ever felt the slightest fear of bush natives. Mick Leahy, in company with M. Dwyer, during last year carried out an important trip across New Guinea. On that occasion they were sent out to prospect in Central New Guinea, as the result of a fund subscribed by residents of the goldfields.

Three Attacks A Day

Still a third party has been attacked.

A Patrol Officer from Papua, to gether with another European, seven

police “boys” and nine carriers, arrived at Surprise Creek from the Papuan border. They stated that they had met with hostile natives over the whole of the journey—sometimes they were attacked three times a day. The Patrol Officer, finally, could not show himself in any of the villages in order to trade for food and the party arrived at Surprise Creek with food supplies exhausted. He is said to have described the district he passed through as Kukukuku country.

Six Prisoners Captured

District Officer Feldt and Patrol Officer Samson have been investigating Baum’s murder, and they recently returned to the coast with six prisoners, after a three weeks’ trek. D. O. Feldt stated that the area between the Papuan border and the main dividing range is highly dangerous.

This area has been now declared closed by the Administration.

Pilot Trist’S Fate

Rumours have reached Sydney that Pilot Trist, who has been missing since May 22, has also met his death at the hands of natives, in the vicinity of the Zenag aerodrome.

Trist, who was flying one of Guinea Airways’ single-engined Junkers, left Lae at 8 a.m. that morning for Bulolo.

Another pilot, Mr. Wiltshire, flew to Bulolo just 15 minutes later, and on landing was surprised to find that Trist had not arrived before him. The weather had been cloudy but, as the route contained six emergency landings it was generally thought that the missing Junker would be found in one of the clearings along the route. Guinea Airways, therefore, immediately sent planes out to conduct a thorough search of the locality.

No word was heard of Trist until June 11, when natives arrived at Wau and said that the pilot had been killed near Zenag. They told the authorities that the “white master,” who

was sick, walked to a village and tried to make friends, but he was struck down and killed. After holding a big “sing sing” the kanakas ate him. They then took the cargo from the plane and covered the machine with grass.

The Zenag natives have previously proved to be of a peculiar type and District Officer Feldt photographed on his return from Surprise Creek with Kukukuku prisoners. —Photo by courtesy of L. V. Waterhouse.

while not actively hostile they are regarded as unreliable and dishonest.

Police parties left for Zenag as soon as this news was received. It is now reported that one party has returned owing to the hostility of the natives.

On July 11, the Administrator advised the Prime Minister (Mr. Scullin) that there was no foundation for the report that Trist was killed by natives. (A description of the Kukukuku people, who are blamed for some of these disorders, appears elsewhere in this issue.) ... === Revenue of the New Guinea Administration during 1929-30 totalled £339,642 and expenditure £356,312. As the year opened with a surplus of £20,383, there was a surplus at June 30, 1930, of £3,714. ... ===