Officials

Gaol For Two

Extraordinary Cases In New Guinea

LAE, March 5.

JUDGE F. B. PHILLIPS, sitting with out a jury in the Supreme Court of Papua-New Guinea, to-day sentenced two Territory officials to long terms of imprisonment for offences against natives.

The officials sentenced are; Harry Edward Hamilton, 38, Assistant-District Officer at Wau, and Jeffrey Kenneth Gill, 26, patrol officer. Hamilton was sentenced to three years’ light labour and Gill to five years’ imprisonment.

Hamilton pleaded guilty to a charge of having indecently assaulted a native named Kurara, at Kaiapit, in the Mark ham Valley, 80 miles from Lae.

Natives gave evidence that last Janu ary, Hamilton, in his capacity as magis trate, was hearing a charge against Kurara. He ordered Kurara to expose him self and then beat him about the ex posed part with his hand, said witness.

Gill, who pleaded not guilty, was charged with having procured a native girl named latsa so that another native named Porpua might have carnal know ledge of her.

Witnesses said that at Kaiapit, last November, Gill, also acting as a magis trate in a native court, was hearing a charge of adultry against latsa and Porpua, in the presence of natives. Gill ordered the two to repeat their offence in public, which they did, witnesses said.

The Deputy-Law Officer for the Com bined Territory (Mr. C. McCubbery) con ducted the prosecutions.

Hamilton and Gill will serve their sentences in Australia. —“Daily Telegraph” report.