Attack On H.G.

Patrol

Native Constable Killed: 'Plane Brings Reinforcements

TWELVE natives, including an official constable, were killed and many were seriously wounded when a hostile tribe attacked a section of the Taylor Patrol (now exploring Central New Guinea), at Wabag, 70 miles from Mt.

Hagen, on August 28.

Wabag is one of the patrol’s supply base camps and was in charge of Mr. C.

B. Walsh, Medical Assistant, while As sistant District Officer J. L. Taylor (leader) and Patrol Officer J. R. Black had pushed on further into unknown country. Four police with 35 carriers went to a nearby village to buy pigs, but a dispute occurred and the villagers sud denly attacked with poisoned arrows.

In the skirmish that followed, Con stable Gerchon was captured and killed and a carrier seriously wounded; 11 of the attackers were killed and many re ceived serious wounds.

Using his teleradio set, Mr. Walsh got into touch with the Administrator at Rabaul, and a plane with District Officer E. Taylor and Mr. P. O. Downs, accom panied by native police with stores and ammunition, was sent out to Wabag from Salamaua, via Madang. By September 1, the situation was well in hand, and the natives were quiet. Mr. Downs, with a detachment of police, remained at Wabag, D. O. Taylor returning to Salamaua by plane.

Value Of Expedition

In his address to the Legislative Council of New Guinea on August 24, the Administrator. Sir Walter McNicoll, re ferred thus to the Hagen-Sepik patrol:—

“The first written reports and maps from this important exploring party in dicate the extremely valuable nature of the work being done. The duration of this patrol may not be completed for at least six months. have been greatly faci litated by radio communication, in which the Administration has had the willing co-operation not only of the official A.W.A. station, but of several wireless amateurs, particularly Mr. L. Williams, of Salamaua, and Mr. R. Chugg, of Madang Another most helpful feature was the skilful and successful dropping of food supplies by a Ford aeroplane belonging to Gumea Airways, and piloted by Mr T O’Dea and Mr. K. Garden.”

Mr. J. Russell, 64. formerly of Levuka, Fiji, died at Sigatoka early in August.

Miss Flora Saunders arrived at Rabaul T.N.G., by the “Nankin” in mid-August to be married to Mr. Carl Vagey, man ager of the Methodist Mission’s Ulu plantation.

Mr. B. N, Whitehead, of Witu, New Guinea, was married to Miss Eileen Nixon in the Church of England, Rabaul, on September 6. Mrs. J. Craig Price, of Mel bourne, was matron of honour, and Mr.

H. G. W. Brinston was groomsman.

Mr. H. P. Smith recently died in the Colonial War Memorial Hospital, Suva, at the age of 74 years—43 spent in Fiji.

He was in business at various times at Taveuni and Levuka before joining A M. Brodziak and Co., at Labasa, later being transferred to Nausori. On his return to Fiji from the Great War, he was with Henry Marks and Co. for a short period and then took up land un der the Government’s soldier dairy set tlement scheme at Tailevu.

Rt. Rev. W. H. Baddeley, Bishop of Melanesia, arrived in Auckland, New Zealand, from Sydney by the “Awatea" in early August. He told the news papers there that the incidence of lep rosy in the Solomon Islands was caus ing alarm. Where two years ago it was not thought the disease existed, there are now 600 sufferers. Compulsory seg regation of patients does not exist, and they come and go as they like, undoing much of the good work done by the mission, which has a small leproskrium.

Bishop Baddeley will board the “South ern Cross” for the New Hebrides late in September.

Guinea Airways probably will estab lish a regular aerial service between Pt.

Moresby and the Kanosia district-, to serve the group of plantations lying near Galley Reach, some 40 miles west of Pt. Moresby.—Own Correspondent.