Papuan Patrol

Officer

This is Mr. Jack Hides, of the Papuan Government Service, who is going to Misima (Eastern District) as Assistant Resident Magistrate. In giving this young man well-earned promotion, the Papuan Government loses one of its best patrol officers.

Mr. Hides has led some rather remark able patrols into the interior of New Guinea. He caused some remark, about three years ago, by unexpectedly appear ing at Wau, after penetrating from Cen tral Papua, the practically unknown region south-westwards of the Kratke Range, and thus crossing the backbone of New Guinea. More recently, he marched into Port Moresby with Cannibal Chief Gopa and a large party of native mur derers, whom he had secured in a mid night pounce in the mountains, over 200 miles away.

The secret of this young man’s success —he is only 28 —lies in his knowledge and understanding of the native mind, and the extraordinary rapidity with which he moves. He was born in Papua, knows several of the native dialects, and regards the unspoiled, back-country natives as being among Nature’s finest gentlemen.

In the course of patrols organised to dis courage raiding and murdering, he has personally arrested some hundreds of murderers, and boasts that he has done it without killing a man. He has had some very narrow escapes—particularly among the nomadic pigmy tribes of the central region.

Mr. and Mrs. Hides returned to Papua from furlough by the April Montoro.

Somehow, one cannot see this restless young patrol officer settling down to the peace and calm of Misima.

Mr. Jack Hides’s Record