Some Japs Still at Large

in SW Pacific European Deserters Also Live Native

IT seems likely that as the islands of the South West Pacific return to a peace-time footing, there will be sur prises in store for next-of-kin of some Australian and American servicemen who were reported missing in those areas.

A number of Japs have recently been discovered “living native”; but in that case they seem to be not so much concerned about their next-of-kin as with their an cestors.

A correspondent in Samarai says that, on March 12, the Administration launch came in from Esala, in the D’Entrecas teaux Group, with a Japanese prisoner.

He had been found in the Dum Duni Islands, near Goodenough. He had been looked after by natives since the action on Goodenough, early in the Pacific war, and had apparently been quite happy. He was not discovered by an Administration patrol. His presence in the area nad been reported after a village quarrel.

Patrolling of small villages in these outer islands will probably now be given priority, and it is possible that more Japs will be found.

At the end of March, five Japs who had been “living native” in the Solomons for some years were shipped back to Japan, after interrogation in Rabaul. They had known that the war was over, but said they were afraid to give themselves up.

It is likely that there are Japs living with the natives in the wild and primitive country back of Wewak and Aitape. It probably will take years to eliminate every possibility.

Reports trickling in from patrol officers and native police who are now reaching some New Guinea outposts indicate that there are white men “living native”, too, in some parts of inland New Guinea.

The Japs, presumably, have little to return home for; but it is hard to understand the mentality of Europeans who go native in this fashion, and cut themselves off from their own people and country.

Yet a South Australian deserter was found recently in the Ramu Valley; and, last year, an American who allegedly had no recollection of anything that happened after 1943, was picked up at the back of Lae. It is obvious that any European living in this way now does so of his own free will; unless, of course, he has be come mentally unbalanced.

It is unlikely that a man who would de liberately desert and live native would be deterred from giving himself up now by fear of being termed a deserter.

During the war, marooned miners walked from Wewak to the mouth of the Fly River, in Papua, in eight months 1 It is unlikely, therefore, that 18 months after the war has ended, misplaced ser vicemen are still trying to find.their way to the New Guinea sea coast.