Planter Convicted

of Theft Sabine’s Sentence Remarkable Case in New Guinea

From Our Own Correspondent.

Rabaul, Nov. 1.

A CASE that aroused considerable interest was the charge brought by the Crown against J. E. Sa bine, planter, of Gunanuar Plantation, Kokopo.

The charge was one of stealing 10/from a native by threats; but allega tions of serious offences against the Native Labour Ordinances were also brought into the case.

The prosecution alleged that in 1928 Sabine, who was then on a re cruiting trip and travelling from Ra baul to Madang on S.S. Montoro, came in contact with nineteen natives who were also travelling on the Montoro, from Kavieng to Salamaua. These na tives had been recruited by a Mr.

Kirchner and were being sent to Messrs. Pryke and Joubert, to whom they were under a three years’ con tract. Sabine is alleged to have told the natives that Salamaua was a very unhealthy place, and induced them to desert at Madang. After remaining there for some time they signed on to Sabine under assumed names and went to work on his plantation at Kokopo, near Rabaul. The disap pearance of these natives was repor ted to the authorities, but all trace of them was lost.

In July of this year the contracts made with Sabine expired, and the na tives were taken to the District Office at Kokopo to be paid off. It is alleged Sabine did his utmost to induce the natives to sign on with him again and threatened if they did not do so to report them to the District Officer for their desertion three years ago.

On their return to the plantation, after being paid off, Sabine and his assistant demanded from certain of the natives a payment of 10/-, which it was stated had been advanced to them when they made contracts at Madang and which it was understood was to be repaid on the completion of the contracts.

One native, Papa, reported this to the District Office, with the result that the disappearance of these nine teen natives in 1928 was then cleared up, and proceedings were immediately instituted against Sabine.

The Chief Judge (Mr. Justice Wan liss) in a lengthy summing-up, com mented on the seriousness of the case, found Sabine guilty, and sentenced him to eighteen months’ imprison ment with hard labour and a fine of £400; or, if the fine be not paid, a further term of eighteen months, with hard labour. This, in effect, is the maximum penalty for the offence of which Sabine was convicted.

The case aroused considerable local interest, as Sabine is very well known and has been an exceptionally success ful planter. Some people are of the opinion that the sentence was too severe, and lesser sentences imposed by the Rabaul Court, for what might be regarded as more serious offences, have been quoted.

But, against that, it is pointed out that the really serious nature of Sa bine’s offence is not the theft of an other man’s labour and of money from the labourers; it lies in the lowering of the white man’s prestige among natives who already are difficult enough to control. The Judge very strongly commented on this aspect of the case. Sabine had ten previous con victions against him for breaches of the Labour Ordinances, etc.