Filose Fined.

B.S.I. Officialdom Frowns on Efficient D.O.’s Methods.

From a Special Correspondent.

TULAGI, January 31.

THE prosecution of District Officer Filose, of Ysabel, on 19 charges of “procuring his police boys to assault natives," or something to that effect, has created a great amount of indigna tion in the Group.

D.O. Filose apparently was techni cally guilty and apparently the only thing for him to do was to plead guilty, He was fined £5 on one charge and 10/each on the others; and, presumably, the Administration was satisfied. But the majority of European residents are far from satisfied. If an unbiassed vote were taken outside the service to de cide who is our most competent District Officer it is probable that Mr. Filose would score 100 per cent.

It is notorious that Cape Marsh, where the alleged assaults took place, is a hotbed of trouble among natives, and everyone who knows anything of conditions there was completely sym pathetic with Filose’s policy and the methods he adopted of enforcing law and order and respect for the white man. But, even apart from the pecu liarities of Cape Marsh, it is a fact that there is noted nowadays far too great a tendency to use the velvet glove with classes of natives who understand only the use of the cane, coupled with firmness, fairness and justice.

In this respect, D.O. Filose is a respected and successful district ad ministrator; and it is significant that even the natives of his district, with the exception of a few renowned rogues, are petitioning in his favour.

It may be said that all the non official residents and the missionaries, and probably the majority of officials, have given their sympathy and good will entirely to Mr. Filose, and wish him the best pf luck.