Cyclist In Papua
p. 38 · Read in the full issue
Was It A Harsh
Sentence?
Old Resident Injured Native Cyclist In Papua
THE friends of Mr. P. J. McDonald, a very old resident of Papua, have taken amiss a sentence of two months’ imprisonment imposed upon him by Judge Bignold on May 21, because he seriously injured a native in a motor accident.
Mr. McDonald was driving a jeep and was on the wrong side of the road —he said he was forced into that position to avoid deep ruts. He collided heavily with a native on a bicycle, and the native was very seriously injured. McDonald appears to have been driving at a high
speed—after he hit the native he swerved to the left side, ran up a gutter and hit a tree. The police alleged that he was under the influence of liquor, but a medi cal man certified that he was sober at the time. He had had no previous convic tions The judge apparently took the view that there had been criminal negligence; nothing else could explain a sentence of imprisonment imposed on a white man in a black man’s country. But many people did not agree with this finding.
They held that the whole thing had been an accident, and could have been met by the imposition of a heavy fine, A resident of Port Moresby, asked to express an opinion on this case, said: “Undoubtedly, this sentence can be com pared unfavourably with other sentences for similar offences; but the circum stances—and the judge or magistrate are different in most cases. Wherever there are courts there are anomalies.”
Fortunately for him, Mr. McDonald be came ill, and six weeks out of his two months’ sentence were served in the European Hospital. He did not suffer much hardship, therefore; but he and his friends do resent the stigma. They ask, for example, why the Port Moresby radio station mentioned him by name when broadcasting the announcement that he had been sentenced to gaol; whereas, in practically all similar cases, the announcer says only “a European."
To put it quite baldly, they ask if the incident is connected in any way with the Administration’s very persistent pro native policy.
Miss Doreen Quilty, formerly of Bris bane, was recently married at Port Moresby to Mr. Stanley Carne, of Gympie (Queensland). The bridegroom is at tached to the Civil Aviation Department, Port Moresby.