White Prisoner Retaken In New Guinea

New Guinea

/"'kN August 20, Ludwig Schmidt escaped from Wewak gaol, New Guinea, where he was held on a charge of murdering natives. Mr. Kyle, A.D.0., went after him, with native police. Schmidt headed in land, and posed among the villages as a missionary. A local chief on August 24. persuaded Schmidt to stay and receive food and shelter, while a message was despatched to the pursuing A.D.0., three miles away.

When Mr. Kyle approached, he sent a native medical assistant to engage Schmidt in conversation, while he and a lance-corporal crept upon the house in which the escapee was sitting. Kyle rushed upon Schmidt, and held him, while the native constable seized his knife and a revolver—which proved to be an in geniously made dummy. There was a violent struggle, but Schmidt was master ed eventually, and marched back to Wewak gaol.

Mr. Charles Francis Warde, of Buin, Kieta district, New Guinea, died at Nama nula hospital, Rabaul, on August 25. He was one of the oldest and most efficient patrol officers in the N.G. Administration.

Joining the A.N. and M.E.F. in 1919, he remained in New Guinea with the military force and after the war did much patrol work in the hinterland. Later he was plantation overseer at Aitape and in 1922 was transferred to the Kieta district, where he served continuously until his death.

Mr. Pat Costello, who is prominently connected with the Fiji gold industry, paid a brief visit to Australia in September. He arrived in Sydney by the Monterey on September 9, and after a quick trip to Melbourne, left for Fiji by the same liner on September 18.