Inquiry Began
p. 33 · Read in the full issue
How “Ocean Island” Murder Inquiry Began
Prom Our Own Correspondent
Suva. Oct. 3.
AUSTRALIAN reports that the Ocean Island murder investigation was started in April as a result of an appeal by the Commissioner of Police in Fiji to the Premier of Queensland are officially denied at Suva.
The first move was made by the British Phosphate Commissioners, who asked the Australian Prime Minister for assistance in tracing the murderer of Mr. W. Allen (an employee of the Commission) and his wife. This request was referred to the Queensland Premier, who made two police officers available.
The Queensland authorities, who mis takenly supposed that Ocean Island came within his jurisdiction, then asked the Commissioner of Police at Suva to ar range for certain preliminary steps at thfe island. This request the Commis sioner passed on to the Western Pacific High Commission.
An unofficial sidelight on the general overseas haziness about the Ocean Island and WPHC set-up, as well as of South Pacific geography, was the fact that after the news of the murders had seeped out by way of Australia, a press agency rep
resentative at Suva was bombarded with cablegrams from London, Sydney and elsewhere —all based on the assumption that Ocean Island was no more than a launch trip away from Fiji.