James Larkin

Petition in Circulation

A SMALL committee of Sydney men, act ing on behalf of New Guinea residents, have made an exhaustive study of the case of James Larkin, who was sentenced in 1931 to ten years’ imprisonment for the “murder” of a native at Manus, New Guinea.

As a result, a petition is now being cir culated for signatures in New Guinea, directed to the Administrator, in which a prayer is made for mercy. His Honour will be asked to exercise the authority he possesses, and remit a part of the sentence imposed on Larkin.

The sentence was imposed by Judge Wanliss. The petitioners do not attack the judge’s decision, but plead that certain circumstances surrounding the case were not placed before the Court as effectively as they might have been; and that other circumstances which may have affected the sentence have since changed. They make the important points that a sufficient com parison was not made between the evidence given by natives in the Coroner’s Court, and the native evidence given in the Cen tral Court; and that the medical evidence concerning the cause of death was de finitely inconclusive. It is pointed out, also, that in a number of cases which have occurred since 1931, in which natives have died, following assaults by European em ployers, no heavier sentence than four years’ imprisonment has been imposed.