Escapee

Elusive Tongan

Leads Police a Merry Donee

From Our Own Correspondent

Nukualofa, May 8.

fi'WO male prisoners, Tubou Gata and X Amusia, escaped from the Siaine Prison, Nukualofa, on April 8.

Swimming across Fagauta Lagoon, they landed near the village of Talafoou, and made for the back part of the island.

near Fatumu, Gata’s village, where they hid in the numerous caves that abound there. On the following day Amusia, perhaps not relishing the hard life of the hunted fugitive, returned and sur rendered himself to the police.

On April 11, Gata, who was still at large, stole a shotgun and some cart ridges from an old American recluse (Mr. Douglas) living near Kologa. That night, to scare off some men who were inquisitive as to his whereabouts, Gata discharged the gun near the village. The police who were seaching for him. and the Royal Guards assisting them, were then armed with rifles. The search went on for some time, until informa tion came from the island of Eua that Gata was there.

It was found that Gata evaded the searchers by hiding in a hole, which he had dug, and covered with dry leaves, near Talasiu. He remained there until April 19, when he escaped in a canoe to the small island of Fukave, where he stayed until the wind was favourable, and he made for Eua on April 23.

There he asked Ned Cook, a European, to go to Nukualofa and get him food, clothing, and a compass, so he could get away to Samoa. Ned went to Nukua lofa and reported to the police.

A number of constables went by cutter to Eua that afternoon. Their plan was to keep in hiding, in the vessel, and rapture Gata when he swam out to get his supplies, as arranged with Cook. But Gata learned of the presence of the police, and sought refuge in the wild, and almost inaccessible parts of the is land —where he is still defying the ef forts of the police to capture him.

Mr. Frank Whelan, who was one-time manager of Bulolo Gold Deposits in N.G., and who went to New Zealand some months ago. has returned to the Morobe goldfield, New Guinea.