Air Executive

Dies In

Pt. Moresby Scuffle

From Our Own Correspondent

P T Moresby, Dec. 5.

117 HAT might have been no more than a *T minor scuffle became tragedy at the Civil Aviation Department mess in Port Moresby on the night of November 10. When the incident ended, Reginald William John Charlier, aged 31, was dead, and shortly afterwards two Port Moresby residents were arrested and charged with unlawful killing. They were Robert Yin cent Clancy and Victor Hiram Carter.

Charlier was the managing director of

the newly-formed Charter Air Services; and, with his two brothers and business associates, he was in Port Moresby en route to his company’s headquarters at Lae. Their departure for Lae in the firm’s Avro Ansons was fixed, and then bad weather made a postponement necessary.

The Charlier party sought and obtained accommodation at the DC A mess; and. after dinner, they wandered in and out the recreation room.

It appears that later, Reginald Charlier and others became involved in a minor argument; a few blows were struck and Charlier died before reaching hospital. From medical evidence, which was extremely detailed, it appeared that the blood vessels of Charlier’s head were not normal. Hence blows which ordinarily would have produced no more than black eyes and a few aches, proved fatal.

At both the Lower and Supreme Court hearings the witnesses alleged that Carter was the first to hit Charlier, and then, as the latter was getting to his feet, Clancy struck the second blow. Charlier fell to the floor again and was dead be fore his friends could get him to hospital.

The Crown’s case was conducted by Mr. Sydney Johnstone (Crown Law Office). Mr. Norman White of Port Moresby appeared for Carter, and Mr.

Dudley Jones, of Rabaul, for Clancy. The trial concluded on December 12. The two accused were found guilty of assault and causing bodily harm, each was fined £2OO, or a year’s gaol.