£600 for Dead Papuan’s

Relatives

From Our Own Correspondent

Pt. Moresby, April 4.

THE relatives of Barani, a Papuan native employed by Wanetta Pearling Co., of Thursday Is., who last August was taken by a shark near Yule Entrance on the Barrier Reef, have received £6OO through the Protector of Papuans at Thursday Is. as compensation under insurance pro visions.

In accordance with a regulation passed last year, the Treasurer has been appointed as trustee of the money which will subse quently be applied for their benefit. This ordinance was passed to protect the in terests of natives entitled to money or pro perty of the value of £5O and upwards who obviously could not utilise it to their best advantage.

Last year a half-caste girl living after the manner of natives, came into a sum of £2,000 under her father’s will, and other natives became entitled to some hundreds of pounds as compensation (under the Queensland Act) for the death of their husbands and fathers in Queensland waters. It was obvious that these natives would squander such large sums of money immediately unless it was settled on them strictly. It was on this account that the Administration made provision for the pro tection of their interests and other natives in the same circumstance.