Hides Was Not There!

Old Papuan Official On A Matter of History

Letter to the Editor IN your May number you published a eulogy on the late Dave Pullen. It was written by Mr. Middleton. The article is so full of inaccuracies that I cannot let his criticisms of Jack Hides pass without comment.

Both Dave and Jack were friends of mine. Dave did so little patrolling, and Hides so much successfully, that compari sons cannot be made. Hides was one of the best Patrol Officers; and, for his crossing from the Fly to the Kikori, he was recommended for the RGS Medal by the late Sir Hubert Murray. As Sir Hu bert explained to the Secretary, in Lon don, Staniforth-Smith got the medal for failing to cross from the Kikori to the Fly, so why should not Jack get the medal for succeeding?

As regards Hides being to blame for the deaths of the mountain carriers (not “on the Tafa,” but near Mavi) Dave Pullen alone was responsible—Jack Hides wasn’t even there!

The morning of the disaster, Jack, after advising against the handcuffing to the wire rope (I have the photo) at Mondo, left in the opposite direction, for the coast. I know all about the deaths, for I was sent up there to clean up the mess.

“De mortius nihil nisi bonum,” I know; but if Mr. Middleton wished to eulogise Pullen there was no need for him to say cruel things about Hides. Mr. Middleton would have been well-advised to have avoided the incident altogether.

I am. etc.,

Brisbane, 1/7/1951.

S. H. Chance.