Telefomin Murdere
p. 34 · Read in the full issue
Mercy Plea for Telefomin Murdere
THE Australian Council of Tra Unions has joined forces wi some of the missions to petiti the Prime Minister not to carry c the death sentences passed eight natives at Wewak, Ni Guinea, for the murder last N vember, of a native policems Purari, at Telefomin. (On May 10 other natives received dea sentence for murder of G.
Szarka).
It is not clear from reports reac ing us whether Mr. Justice Gore, Wewak, actually passed the dea sentence on the natives or “i corded” the death sentence. In a event, this is an occasion when t ACTU and the missions can safe leave the matter in the hands the officials on the spot.
In the past, punishment has be' made to fit the case. Some sophi ticated natives have been hang; for murder, but more frequent primitive people have been kept gaol long enough to learn abo civilisation and then sent back their villages to pass the messai on. With UNO looking on, the pr sent sensitive Australian gover ment is more likely than ever lean over backwards to be leniei The Labour unions and t churches are, of course traditio: ally anti-capital punishment, wii the result that, in Austral at least, it is virtually open seas* for murder.