Clashes With N.G. Natives

Annual Report Describes 1932-33 Conditions

THE annual report of the Administrator of the Mandated Territory of New Guinea for the year ended June 30, 1933, has just been circulated. Like most other government publications, it loses much of its topical interest because over a year has elapsed since the Administrator made his comments on current conditions and recent events; and it has value now mainly as an official record.

A section of the report which should receive wide publicity is that dealing with clashes between whites and natives on the mainland of New Guinea, where Europeans, in the quest for gold, are penetrating ever more deeply into a region hitherto unexplored.

Describing the work of the official patrols, the Administrator refers to the “deadly warfare which is taking place continually between the various villages” and to the “clashes which have arisen out of contact with miners and their laborers” —

events which more than once have led to attacks upon patrols sent by the Adminis tration to adjust the differences. It is re called that in June of 1933 the Assistant District Officer, Mr. Ian Mack, lost his life in an affray at Aiamontena, an uncon trolled native village.

“Early in the year (1932-33) an acute shortage of payable claim-working ground on Edie Creek and the Bulolo River caused some prospectors to seek permission to enter the uncontrolled watersheds of the Watut, Ramu and Purari rivers. Owing to the numbers and hostility of the native inhabitants of these mountainous regions only properly-equipped miners were grant ed permits under the Uncontrolled Areas Ordinance to enter the area. Base camps in charge of experienced officers were, in the interests of natives and Europeans alike, established in the Watut, Ramu (and later the Purari) watersheds, where every effort was made to win the confidence of the wild mountain natives, and develop a friendly understanding between them and the prospectors.

“Early in January, 1933, however, two European prospectors, Messrs. Naylor and Clarius, who had been refused permits to enter the uncontrolled area because they could not fulfil the required conditions, eluded the district officials and crossed the Watut divide into the Papuan watershed of the Tauri River, where they were killed by a number of natives who had pretended to be friendly. Six of their native laborers were killed, but three escaped, one of whom reported the murder to the officials at the post on Surprise Creek (Otibanda).

“Five separate patrols have since visited the area for the purpose of arresting the murderers and establishing control. The first patrol arrived on the scene a few days after the murders had been reported; it was attacked and in the fight that followed some of the attackers it is thought, wounded. The second patrol was in the district for one month without seeing any of the inhabitants, who presumably were sheltering in friendly villages lower down the Tauri River.

“A third patrol to the head of the Tauri River came into collision on 23rd April, 1933, with the people who had attacked the late Messrs. Naylor and Clarius, and after a struggle, in which three men were killed, eight of the suspected murderers were arrested.

“On 25th April, while moving towards Otibanda. this patrol was attacked from ambush by friends of the prisoners. The European officer in charge, together with six police and one native servant, fell seriously wounded, and two of the prisoners were killed, by the first shower of arrows.

The unwounded police rallied and drove off the attackers. Packs were discarded, and the wounded men were carried on litters to Otibanda —a twenty hours’ march.

One of the wounded native constables has since died.

“A fourth patrol went immediately to the scene, but found that the attackers had fled into hiding places. A base camp has been established on the watershed, and patrols will remain in the area until the people are under control.’’

The Customs Tariff (Papua and New Guinea Preference) Bill, 1934, was passed by the Commonwealth Parliament in July. It is a machinery measure, made necessary in connection with the opera tion of the Ottawa Agreement, and it does not alter existing rates of duty.