Guinea

Bad Outbreak In New

9 Murdered Include Alf Robinson,

Dcm

MR. ALFRED ROBINSON, who had a distinguished record as a Coast- Watcher in World War 11, and as an administrative official, was murdered by New Britain natives, at Pooaing vil lage, on New Britain, about 190 miles fromi Rabaul in mid-December. Eight native labourers who were with him were also killed.

This is the first serious incident of the kind that has occurred in New Guinea Territory for many years. There is nothing, as yet, to show the circumstances surrounding the murders. Unless very great provocation caused the attack—and that is most unlikely, in the case of an experienced man like Robinson—the in cident must reflect badly upon the Wardist Administration. It has been said, for some time, that the Australian Administration is so concerned about making union-conscious citizens out of these primitive Melanesians that it neg lects its primary function—the mainten ance among them of order and a proper recognition of the white man’s law.

The Territories Minister (Mr. Ward) on December 18 took time off from his at tendances at the Timber Lease Con spiracy trial to announce “that a full investigation is being made.”

It is reported that Mr. Robinson was struck from behind, with a tomahawk, while he was in Pooaing village trying to engage labour for his copra plantation.

Another report says that he was speared.

Mr, Robinson was on of the few Austra lians who escaped from the massacre of prisoners by Japanese on Tol Plantation,

early in 1942. Tol, curiously enough, is not very far from the place where Rob inson was murdered. It will be re membered that the Japs rounded up a lot of exhausted refugees from Rabaul, tied their arms behind them, and system atically butchered them. Although his arms were lashed, Mr. Robinson succeeded in dashing away from his captors and hiding from them in the jungle. He was eventually picked up, in a bad condition, by an Australian patrol and, shipped to Australia, where he made a complete recovery.

He became one of the famous coast watchers under Mr. Eric Feldt, and he was awarded the DCM for outstanding courage. After the war he joined the Administration, and he became Acting District Officer at Gasmata, in New Britain, Last April, he resigned j£rom the Administration in order to take over and run Ring Ring copra plantation. He went first to New Guinea 22 years ago, as an Administration clerk.

His wife and child are residents of Dalby, in Queensland.

How He Won The Dcm

117 HEN a warrant-officer with the Aus tT tralian New Guinea Administration Unit, Mr. Robinson was the first Australian soldier to land at Momote, Los Negros (Manus), on February 29, 1944. He volunteered to act as a guide for 35

American officers and men, who were to attack and capture Hauwei Island from ihe Japanese.

The enemy opened fire from concealed positions with mortars, machine guns and rifles. Some of the landing party re treated to their vessel, which put off into deep water. Robinson and his native guide, with other American soldiers, re mained on the beach. A covering PT boat had withdrawn, also, after having suffered heavy casualties, and Robinson’s party was left without support.

When the landing craft returned to the beach, Robinson carried a wounded American soldier aboard. Heavy mortar fire sank the landing ship, and Robinson, despite heavy fire and the risk of sharks, supported the wounded man for five hours. The two men eventually were picked up by a naval craft.

On the following day, Robinson volun teered to guide a stronger force, which ultimately captured the island.

Mr. A. W. McMillan, who recently re tired from the post of Inspector of Schools in Fiji, left Suva in December for New Zealand, where he intends to make his home. Mr. McMillan went to Fiji in 1929 as Inspector of Indian Schools. He had previously spent many years in India and had become an authority on certain In lian languages. Some years ago he pub lished a Hindustani handbook which attracted wide attention, and recently he prepared a “Guide to Hindustani” for use in Fiji. Mr. McMillan had been chairman of the local St. John Ambulance Associa tion, and has held a first-aid certificate for 48 years.