Missionary And
pp. 29-30 · Read in the full issue
Shooting
Incident in Chimbu Region of New Guinea
From Our Own Correspondent.
Rabaul, Aug. 15.
FOR the third time within a few months a mission worker stood in the dock of the Supreme Court, Rabaul, and faced Chief Judge Wanliss on a serious charge.
Small of stature, with a long flowing beard and long dark hair, Brother Lucidius Zimmer is now standing his trial on a charge of illegally killing a native up in the Chimbu-Wahgi country, an “uncon trolled” portion of the Morobe district. The Brother has been in the Territory for over eight years and has been working in the Madang district and amongst the Denga ragu tribe in Morobe.
Mr. P. J. Woodhill represented the Crown, and Mr. A. N. McLennan ap peared for the accused, who pleaded not guilty.
The Crown’s evidence was that accused killed a native, Andungi, by shooting him on February 8, 1936; and called two local native school-boys who witnessed the shooting. A statement in Pidgin made by the accused was also put in as evidence, and Patrol Officer C. D. Bates, of the local police post, who investigated the
matter, also gave evidence, as well as Bro.
Marcolinus Hoffman, who was on the Dengaragu station when the alleged offence was committed.
Outlining the Crown case, Mr. Woodhill said that the Dengaragu Catholic station was situated towards the headwaters of the Chimbu River, some 7,000 feet above sea level. The mission station was situated on an old battleground used by the Inau and the Dengaragu tribes, who were constantly at war, and since the advent
of the mission had selected an adjacent site for a new battleground. Two bridges had been built by the mission across the Chimbu River. On February 8, tribal fight in £ broke out and the accused, with some of bis school-boys, ascended a hill to watch the fighting. The accused was armed with a Mauser pistol and carried a heavy walking stick, Evidence would show, said Mr. Wood hill, that the mission had prohibited the use of one of the bridges by the natives
when engaged in fighting. While the ac cused and the boys were watching the fighting, three large armed parties of natives came along towards the bridge.
Accused shouted and waved to them to go back. They all obeyed with the excep tion of the deceased, who proceeded to wards the bridge head. Accused Ihen fired his pistol; and the native Andungi fell down, having been shot through the head. Patrol-Officer Bates of the Chimbu- Wahgi post arrived on February 21, and received a report from the accused, and again visited the station for further inves tigations on April 2.
The taking of the evidence in this case, as in so many similar cases, has been long and tedious. The two native school boys, lads of about 10 or 12 years of age, are members of the Dengaragu tribe which has but recently come under the influence of whites and have but a limited knowledge of pidgin English, and it is difficult for them to understand the seri ousness of the situation or the importance which may be attached to their every spoken word. Often, during their exam ination in the box, their attention seemed to be far more occupied with the whirring of the revolving electric fan above their heads or the speed of a passing motor in the street. An interpreter was supplied for the accused, in order that he might be cognisant of everything that was being said.
Gun Expert’S Evidence
Mr. McLennan, for the defence, first called Warrant Officer Worman, who is an expert armourer, having served 16J years in the Life Guards and 3i years with the Australian Permanent Forces, and gave evidence as to the condition of the Mauser pistol. After testing the weapon, on which he discovered a bulge on the barrel and a distinct groove in the rifle of the muzzle, he stated that the accuracy of the pistol was unreliable and might shoot anywhere.
The accused was then put into the box, and after describing in detail the position of the mission house, the bridges and the fighting natives on the day in question, he stated that he fired one shot from the pistol into the air when the warriors first took no notice of his command not to cross the bridge. Then, later, he fired at the bridge head for the purpose of frightening both tribes and preventing them from using the bridge, which was tabu for fighting pur poses, and on which tribal tabu marks had been placed in accordance with local cus tom. The shot which he fired at the bridgehead accidentally killed the native Andungi. He had no intention of hitting the native.
Accused also stated that Father Mor scheuser and Brother Eugene were both killed near Dengaragu in December, 1934.
When accused returned to Dengaragu from Alexishafen in January, 1936, he travelled the latter part of the journey with Patrol Officer Bates, who had occa sion to fire on the natives; but he did not remember how many shots were fired.
The verdict was “not guilty.” The Judge’s remarks on the case are referred to elsewhere.
Mr. A. Long, of the Buka Plantation and Trading Co. at Numa Numa, Bou gainville, arrived in Sydney from New Guinea by the Nellore on August 25.
Rev. Walter Shepherd, M.A., 8.D., who has been appointed to Tonga by the Methodist Missionary Society to replace , Rev. A. H. Wood, M.A., 8.D., sailed from Auckland for Nukualofa with his wife and daughter by the Matua at the end of August.