Tragedy In New

Guinea

How Patrol Officer Elliott Was Killed

DETAILS of the death of Patrol Officer Neil Elliott (murdered by natives in the Wewak area of New Guinea on July 1) are now available.

Patrol Officer Elliott, with Patrol Offi cer Shand, was doing patrol duty near Wanali, 45 miles southeast of Wewak, on his way to Maimai, one of the gold centres of that district. Apparently, El liott arrived at Wanali in the afternoon, and found the village very dirty. He reprimanded the tultul (village chief re sponsible to the Government), giving in structions for the cleaning of the village immediately, and then retired to a rest house apart from the village. Later, a constable was sent to inspect the work, but when 70 yards distant he and Elliott were attacked simultaneously.

Elliott was attacked by the tultul, whom he had rebuked previously, and received a knife wound in the arm. While Elliott was struggling with the tultul another native thrust a spear into his abdomen.

Elliott fell to the ground, still struggling with the tultul and the other native, un til members of his party came to his as sistance. One of them clubbed the tul tul with the butt of his rifle, forcing him to release Elliott. Elliott then shot the tultul with his revolver, firing from the ground.

The native constable who was attacked received three wounds, but got back to the rest house, where Elliott, though se verely wounded, extracted a spearhead from the constable’s shoulder with his teeth.

Elliott died at 4 p.m. The native con stables placed his body on a bed in the rest house and left to bear the news to Patrol Officer Shand.

On his arrival at the rest house at midnight Shand found that the natives had returned and, moving Elliott’s body, had speared it many times.

On Sunday morning the body of a native constable named Aipaum was found close to the rest house, also spear ed many times. He was not present when Elliott was attacked, but had re turned later, with stores. The carriers were unharmed.

Shand remained at Wanali on the night of Saturday, July 1. On Sunday he heard natives firing rifles stolen from Elliott, but no attack was made. The bodies of Elliott and Aipaum were buried near the village of Wanali.

Assistant District Officer Niall, Pa trol Officer Mader and thirty police left for Wanali by plane on July 4. District Officer Townsend also flew there on July 6, and took charge of the situation.

Wanali village was first visited in 1928, and since has been visited many times by patrols, and by the geologists engaged m the search for oil, and there had been no cause to anticipate trouble.

Apparently the tultul was aggrieved at Elliott’s rebuke, and incited the natives to attack. It is stated that only the na tives at Wanali were involved.

Official advice from Rabaul on July 24 stated that the patrol under A. D. O. Niall had been successful in apprehending all the natives wanted in connection with the murder of Patrol Officer Elliott. The prisoners were taken to Wewak gaol. The

rest of the natives, who had fled follow ing the attack on the officer at Wanali, had returned to their village.

Notification has been received in Papua and New Guinea from the Australian Minister for Trade and Customs, that Pandanus fibre, a hard fibre commercially known as hemp, has been included in the Bounties Act, with a bounty of £6 per ton.

Mr. A. F. Ker, formerly stationed at Wau, New Guinea, has taken up duties as Treasury Clerk at the Wewak District Office, replacing Mr. Frank Hutton, who has been transferred to Salamaua.

Mr, and Mrs. David G, Hammer, of the Church of Christ Mission, will leave Sydney in August for the New Hebrides to relieve Mr. and Mrs. Dudley during their furlough.