Murdered

How Chalmers Was Murdered

Letter to the Editor IREAD with interest the article “40 Years Ago—How Rev. James Chal mers Was Killed” (“PIM”, May, 1941), but “M.L’s.” version of the cir cumstances surrounding the death of this pioneer LMS missionary does not tally with what I learned at Daru (Papua) a short time after the tragedy.

“M L ” stated Chalmers (“Tamate’) met his death as the result of a planned massacre, which also was to include the looting of the “Niue”, the Mission vessel in which his party arrived at Goaribdri Island (Gulf of Papua). The latter part was foiled because the captain got out into deep water when he saw the mission aries murdered.

I was at Daru when the remains of Chalmers and his fellow missionary, Oliver Tomkins, were buried at the rear of the Customs building (the Collector of Customs in those days was a man who later succeeded to the English title of Lord Elibank). There I met both the captain of the “Niue” and Rev. Baxter- Riley, who followed Chalmers at the LMS station on Daru.

The “Niue’s” captain said that, when he heard of the proposed visit to Goari bari he begged Chalmers to wait for a month as the natives were in the middle of a big tribal feast and would certainly kill anyone, European or native, who ven tured ashore on the island during the festivities. Chalmers, however, was de termined to go ahead with his plan, and left Daru for the island.

When they arrived off Dopima village, a canoe put out, and a native told the party exactly what the captain had al ready stated; but Chalmers remained adamant. He and Tomkins got into the ship’s dinghy and were pulled ashore by the native mission students accompanying them. As they stepped out of the boat, they were clubbed to death.

Seeing what had happened, and know ing that nothing could be done for them, the captain up-anchored and sailed back to Daru, with the help of a young native.

Later, Government officials went to Goaribari in the SY “Merrie England” (Captain Hunter) and arrested the known ringleaders.

Rev. Baxter-Riley, too, told me that the account related above was substan tially the correct version.

I am, etc.,

J. Nixon-Westwood.

PO Box 957, Wellington, NZ.