Scott
p. 15 · Read in the full issue
Death Of John H.
Victim of Filipino Resentment of Colour Bar
A MEMBER of the United States Ser vices, in a private letter to the editor of the PIM, throws some fur ther light upon the death of Mr. John Scott (a sectional manager for New Guinea Goldfields Ltd.) by a Filipino soldier, in Lae, New Guinea, last New Year’s Eve. This American has been en gaged in special work in the Pacific, in the course of which he has travelled extensively with Filipinos enlisted in the US Army. He formed an intense dislike and contempt for the Filipino Scouts (as they are called) and their filthy, unpleas ant habits. He proceeds: “While we were proceeding south we met a northbound United States boat, which was transferring an American Search Team from Lae to Manokwari (in Dutch New Guinea). This was when I heard first of the Lae incident—and it made my blood boil.
“This was a Team in the command of an American-Mexican officer —he had about two American assistants and the rest were Filipino Scouts. These Scouts were accustomed to going to dances and buying liquor and other ‘diversions.’ They had plenty of licence in other Territories —but this did not go so well in the Aus tralian Territory, and in Lae they noticed the coldness of the Europeans towards them. But the American-Mexican offi cer assured them in Lae that they were as good as the next man —and this in turn encouraged them in their arrogance.
“It was the offensive attitude of these Filipinos which caused a brawl at a New Year’s Eve dance in Lae and, as a result, an outstanding citizen of Lae was struck on the head with a bottle by one of these Scouts, and died from his injuries.
“I understand that there has been a lot of jabbering between Washington.
Canberra and Manila in regard to this incident and the trial of the Filipino.
The last word of it I heard was that the Filipino had been let off, as he had killed in self-defence.’
“In Manila, according to the news papers, the killing of an American is no 1 " an uncommon thing and the stealing of Army jeeps, at gun-point, is so frequen; as to be hard to bear.
“On our way south, we called at Dutch New Guinea, and the officials there thought we were taking the Lae incident too seriously. In Finschhafen. however, we found the officials very cold on the subject.
“We were told that the people of Lae were so infuriated over the death of Mr.
Scott that they had been anxious to go after the Filipino Scouts with rifles and dynamite; so we decided that it would not be wise to take our party of Filipino Scouts into Lae, and we gave it a miss.
“When we got to Port Moresby we were advised by American Army officials not to allow our Scouts off the ship unless they were under escort. A police officer escorted three truck-loads of them to Rouna Falls; but during most of the week we were at Port Moresby the Fili pinos remained on the ship.”
However, it appears that in spite of precaution a number of incidents did occur in Port Moresby, and the party of Filipinos eventually, on the advice of American officers, “were bundled off to Dutch New Guinea, where the Govern ment has a more kindly attitude to wards this class of native.”
Trial Of The Filipino
THERE have been several reports re cently in Australian newspapers about the way in which the Filipino soldier escaped trial and puftishment.
Here is a correct report, from official sourcesi “Eduardo Bahinting, a Filipino Scout, was several months ago charged, ‘that he did unlawfully kill one John Harcourt Scott.’ He was tried by the District Court at Lae, Mr. J. Costelloe, JP, ADO, as Magistrate. Mr. McCubbery, Deputy Crown Law Officer appeared for the Crown, and an American barrister, Capt.
Maul, US Forces, appeared for Bahinting.
The Magistrate ruled that his Court had jurisdiction over the Filipino Scout and the case was heard. The case was dis missed on the grounds of ‘insufficient evidence.’ An appeal has been lodged by the Crown with the Supreme Court, on the grounds that an incorrect ruling on a point of law was given. The appeal has not yet been heard. The Filipino was removed from TNG when he was dis charged at the Lower Court hearing.”
Oung Fiji Swimmers
Swimming awards for 1948 have been presented to pupils of the Suva Girls’ Grammar School as follows: Top photo (Senior School) left to right: J. Ackland. L. Chapman, J. Smith J. Riley, E. Snowsill. J. Keith, C. Wright. A.
Jory. B. Wright. B. Weaver, L. Edwards, S.
Waring. (Front row): M. Turner, C. Freeman, J. Numa, J. Bradnam. R. Poulton, U. Ruddock (Juvenile Champion), W. Read (Junior Cham pion), L. Macdonald (Senior Champion), A. Cor kett, M. Benjamin, S. Blomerly, L. Chamberlain, J. Watson, A. King-Irving.
Lower photo, left to right, from the back (Junior School): C. McGready, G. Redward, R.
McGready, H. McGready, E. Message, M. Maykin, N. Smales.