Another Aspect

Recent Buka Case:

Letter to the Editor

THE latter part of an article in February PIM, about prosecu tions of a native, Siarua, employed by Mr. Archer, of Tame Plantation, calls for some comment.

The District Services are working under bad conditions, shortstaffed and with a heavy paper war thrown in their lap, and we could be more tolerant than quite a lot of us are.

In this case, had positions been reversed and Siarua belonged to some other plantation, and it became known to Mr. Archer that he spread false information regarding this alleged murder, and no action had been taken by District Services, Mr.

Archer would have been the first to castigate the officials for not doing their duty. Siarua was charged under a wrong section of the Act and had this mistake not been made by the officials he would certainly have been found guilty. District Services did their duty in investigating on infor mation supplied; had they ignored it, further trouble might have eventu ated. 1 take a dim view of the naming in your paper of the official con cerned, as this officer cannot defend himself in the newspapers. Your paper is read by many natives, and such reporting tends to lessen very considerably the authority of the

District Services—something . which

cannot be afforded in these times of “sophisticated” natives.

I am, etc.,

G. Mackenzie.

Tulaen Plantation.

Buka. 7/4/52.