Staffs

Murder Of Mission

Official Muddling Imposes Cruelty on Relations

EARLY in October the Australian Board of Missions' was informed that the Rev. James Benson, Miss Mavis Parkinson and Sister May Hay man, Anglican missionaries stationed at Gona, Papua, had, according to native reports, been killed. This report has since been confirmed with regard to the two women (see page 14 of this issue).

In October, the ABM received also a report that the staff at the Sangara mis sion had become prisoners.

The following extract is from the “Aus tralian Board of Missions Review” of June 1, 1943: — Details have appeared in the press concern ing events which happened in the Buna-San gara district between July and October of last year, and we are informed that, in addition to Sister May Hayman and Miss Mavis Parkinson, the Sangara and Isivita staffs also perished.

These would include the Rev. Henry Holland, the Rev. Vivian Redlich, Mr. John Duffill, Sister Margery Brenchley and Miss Lilia Lashmar. We extend our profound sympathy to their relatives.

It is a matter :or much regret that this press account appeared without first making the facts available to the relatives themselves, or to the organisations which could have advised those concerned. We had already been warned that

bad riews might come as a result of investiga tions that were taking place now that the Japanese had been driven from Papua. There was, however, a clear understanding with the authorities at Canberra that we should be offi cially advised before any facts were made pub lic. Inquiry is now being made as to why this undertaking was disregarded, causing that addi tional distress to the relatives which we thought we had taken adequate precautions to avoid.

There is still no definite news of the Eev.

James Benson, of whom it was stated that he set out to find a responsible Japanese officer, hoping to arrange safe conduct for the two women. It is officially reported that Mr. Ben son was last seen on the road to Sanananda.

On that occasion he spoke to a half-caste boy, saying that he was a prisoner and on his way to Buna, and expected later to be taken to Rabaul. It would appear that, though the chances seem to be against it, there remains a glimmer of hope that Mr. Benson is still alive.

There is no excuse for such official muddling. These tragedies have made

the Australian public physically sick; the

feelings of the relations of the unfor

tunate people on being first acquainted

with the facts through the cold medium of the press can be imagined.

The Rev. Dennis Taylor, of the Anglican Mission, Papua, is at present in Australia, for health reasons. He is

making satisfactory progress and is doing

locum work in Brisbane.