Officers

Attacks on N.G.

Officers Are Repatriated Natives to Blame?

Prom Our Own Correspondent WAU, Aug. 3.

DURING recent years, numerous re ports have been published of Ad ministration officers and members of the Native Constabulary being at tacked and meeting their deaths at the hands of hostile natives in territory de scribed as being under Government con trol.

Going back to 1935, A.D.O. Colin McDonald was killed by a native con stable at Ambunti.

A. D. O. Nurton was attacked and lost his leg on the Rai Coast, Madang Dis trict, in 1936. This area had been under control since 1926.

Patrol Officer T. A. Hough lost his life in a controlled area of the Morobe Dis trict, at the end of 1936.

Patrol Officer F. Moy was attacked on the Liron River in the Waria District, Morobe. in 1936, and one of his native constables wounded.

Recently three native constables were killed near Akinum, Gasmata District.

New Britain.

Patrol Officer G. Greathead was attacked at Wahgi, Mount Hagen area, a few weeks ago.

Portion of the costly Mount Hagen fc>epik patrol, just concluded, was attacked shortly after its commencement.

And now the latest and greatest tragedy has occurred at Wanali, Sepik District, when Patrol Officer Neil Elliott was killed in cold blood by a native vil lage official who had been appointed by the Government. Two of his Native Con stabulary escort were killed also. Patrol Officer F. Shand, going post haste to in vestigate the tragedy, was himself at tacked.

The foregoing are instances which come readily to mind, and there have been many others. All these are in striking contrast to the opening up of the Terri tory during 1921 to 1931, when attacks on Government patrols by natives much nearer to the cannibal state than they are to-day. were practically unheard of.

The Sepik District comes into consid erable prominence. Oil prospectors have been working through this area for many years without the slightest trouble of this description. Why, then, are Admini stration patrols attacked when they should stand for law and order?

It is held in many quarters that the obligatory repatriation of indentured natives, who are year by year becoming more and more sophisticated and many of whom do not want to go home, is hav ing a deleterious effect upon village life.

Natives are repatriated, for instance, to a ‘‘closed area”, which means that they are confined there and cannot return to their employment. It is only reasonable to suppose that such natives, having be come sanitary in their habits and having experienced a higher state of living, should become firebrands.

The fact remains, however, that there is something radically wrong somewhere and it is high time that this wrong was put right.

It is generally felt in this Territory that indentured labor is becoming more and more arrogant and insolent, and the foregoing facts indicate that the “kanaka” who has come into contact with repatri ated natives is showing similar traits.