Murder Alleged

Recruiter Attacked in N.G.

IT has been reported from New Guinea that Mr. C. A. Gough, a well-known trader and recruiter of Aitape, has been murdered by natives near the village of Umbrum, which lies some 30 miles inland from Suein (on the coast, midway between Aitape and Wewak). Umbrum is in grass country, in the Sepik Valley, south eastwards of the Torricelli Mountains.

Gough was seeking recruits and, accord ing to native reports, he was attacked, speared in the back and neck, and killed.

There was a fight, in which four hostile natives were killed. Gough’s native lab ourers ran away and four of them, all wounded, arrived at Wewak and reported the matter to the District Officer, Mr. G.

W. L, Townsend.

Mr. Townsend and his assistant, Mr. J.

McCarthy, left Wewak early in September to inquire into the incident.

Umbrum is not in “uncontrolled” terri tory.

Mrs. Luckham, wife of Mr. A. A. Luck- Ham, C.8.E., Resident Agent at Aitutaki, Cook Islands, died as the result of a cerebral haemorrhage on August 12. Mr.

Luckham was formerly Resident Commis sioner at Niue Island.