Japs In Rabaul

Enslavement of Natives

PROBABLY, when Australians resume occupation of New Guinea—and especially Rabaul —the acute and growing problem of the “flash coon" (that is, native labourers who have been spoiled by European associations and have become cheeky and insolent) will have disappeared. The natives will be very glad to see “white fella master" again.

Japanese troops are imposing slave conditions on Rabaul natives, according to “boys” who have escaped and reached Allied lines (says R. B. Leonard in a despatch published in “The Herald,"

Melbourne).

Although stories of the kind are always treated with reserve; there is sufficient corroboration in this case to give the account the brand of truth.

The natives claim they were con scripted at Rabaul, taken to Buna (north-east coast of Papua) in a trans port, and confined in barbed-wire enclo sures before being put to work. Orders were given in Japanese, which they could not understand, but, in spite of this, they were frequently thrashed for disobedi ence.

The natives said the Japanese had brought 300 geisha girls (prostitutes) to Rabaul and installed them in the former Chinese quarter of the town.

During a heavy raid on Buna the con scripted carriers escaped, and made their

way- to the Wau area. Their rations from the Japanese had been much less than those formerly provided by the Austra lians, and, on their way along unfamiliar and unfrequented pads, they ran short of food. Many exchanged their lap-laps, or loin-cloths, for coconuts.

The natives testified that widespread damage had been done by Allied airmen in their raids on Rabaul, harbour instal lations having been smashed and war ships sunk.