Morobe Murders.

McCarthy’s Attackers Hide in Bush.

THE resistance shown to the patrol led in April by Patrol Officer McCarthy into the country beyond Surprise Creek, in the Morobe District of the Mandated Territory, was not in evidence when a second patrol examined the area with the same object.

McCarthy’s patrol had arrested the murderers of Emil Clarius and William Naylor, who were killed there early in the year, and was marching back with them when it walked into an ambush.

In the attack, McCarthy was struck by two arrows. Six police boys were also hit and two of the prisoners were killed.

When this news reached Surprise Creek, Patrol Officer Mark Pitt immediately or ganised a patrol and went in search of the attackers, making the two days’ journey in little more than a day.

Mr. Pitt’s theory was that the natives who attacked Mr. McCarthy would at tack him. This was what he desired, since it would give him the opportunity to make arrests. Each side-track off the main track had “banus” (bamboo sticks placed on bushes). To knock off banus is taken as a declaration of war. Though no banus were found on the main track on the outward journey, on the road back Mr. Pitt encountered several, signi fving that the natives resented their presence. All he knocked down, but no trouble ensued.

At the scene of the attack, Mr. Pitt found the remains of Mr. McCarthy’s equipment, which the party was forced to abandon in order to carry the wounded. This had been looted. Mr.

Pitt suspected the inhabitants of a vil lage called Wanda, but he found the village deserted. It was enclosed by three stockade fences, 12 to 15 feet high, composed of posts nine inches thick.

Realising that it would be probably several months before the villagers re turned, Mr. Pitt went back to Surprise Creek.

Knowing that the villagers would re

main hidden in the bush for at least three months, it is the District Officer’s intention to send out a strong patrol at the proper time to surround the village and make arrests.