For Counselling

Perjury

N.G. Native Sentenced to 10 Years' Imprisonment

From Our Own Correspondent

Rabaul, Jan. 11.

TN the Rabaul Supreme Court recently, the native Kowat appeared on a charge of counselling perjury. It was alleged that he was responsible for influencing and counselling witnesses in a case which came before the. Supreme Court last June when a Chinaman was charged with the unlawful killing of Kowat’s son.

Kowat, who was a tultul of a Madang village, pleaded guilty to the charge.

He was sentenced to 10 years’ impri sonment with hard labour. In his sum ming up His Honour the Chief Judge pointed out the gravity of the prisoner’s offence for trying to put an innocent man in gaol. The witnesses Kuminak and Manus were also charged with perjury in connection with the same case, and received sentences of seven years and one year respectively.

231 Minor Offenders Fined

The District Court has been kept busy of late. Over the Christmas and New Year holiday period numbers of lorries loaded with singing and shouting natives repeatedly passed through the town. The vehicles were frequently overloaded and in one instance 91 passengers were being carried when the police intervened.

As a result of this behaviour 165 nat ives appeared before the Court charged with being absent from premises and 66 natives charged with wearing clothing on the upper part of the body. Convic tions were recorded in all cases and fines of 2/- on each charge were inflicted.

Two Years’ Gaol For Copra

Thief

Several cases of copra stealing from plantations by natives have been reported due to the high price of copra and to the fact that no control is exercised over natives where transactions in copra are concerned. (Continued on top of next column)

The native Isak, employed on one plantation, appeared before the Supreme Court charged with stealing copra from a plantation warehouse. The Chief Judge in passing sentence of two years with hard labour emphasised the seriousness of the crime and said that natives must realise that they cannot steal copra from their masters.