Case Surprise

Ocean Island Murder Case Surprise Execution of Tai Shek Postponed

A STAY of execution was announced by the Fiji Government on April 18 in respect of Tai Shek who had been convicted of the murder of Mr. Thomas Arthur Allen, on Ocean Island, in April, 1949. It was stated that fresh evidence had been presented and would be in vestigated. Tai Shek was to hang on April 19.

An appeal against his conviction was heard and dismissed by the Fiji Privy Council on March 29. A petition signed by Chinese residents of Fiji was pre sented to the Governor of Fiji recently but on the advice of the Executive Coun cil he directed at that stage, that the law should take its course.

Mr. Allen was an engineer employed by the British Phosphate Commission on Ocean Island. He and his wife were murdered while asleep. Dectectives and finger-print experts from Queensland pro ceeded to Ocean Island and took the finger-prints of everyone on the island.

Most of the case against Tai Shek was based on the fact that his prints were found on the window in the Allen’s bun galow. At the trial he was not, however, charged with the murder of Mrs. Allen.