The Four-Days Wonder Of

British Justice in BSIP Makes Headlines

The Poole Trial

The indiscreet silence of the Solomon Islands Protectorate Government and the Melanesian Mission on the murder by Reginald Poole, 24, of a 12-years-old Malaita boy in mid- November, exploded in late January.

Newspapers first heard of the murder from London when Poole’s mother left there for Honiara on what was called a “mercy flight.” Newspapers there after were in full cry; and hysteria, both in Horiana and Sydney, has been the keynote.

The results were unfortunate for the mission and for the BSIP gen erally. A newspaper reporter travelled up to Honiara with Mrs. Poole, and by implication, the Mission was pre sented as something less than human. “Was pressure brought to bear?” Mrs. Poole is alleged to have said. “Has my son been left to rot in an island jail, friendless and de serted by the missionaries he yearned to join and help?”

The mission, had in fact, brought Mrs. Poole out from England and had briefed Mr. Dudley Jones, a Rabaul barrister, to defend him.

As a Christian mission it probably felt morally bound to do this, although legally it, no doubt, is in the same position as a company employing a clerk —the company be ing in no way bound to provide for the clerk’s defence if the clerk should commit a murder. However, the mission knows its own con science best in this matter: only the mission knows under what terms and conditions Poole had joined it. (Poole at first wished to plead guilty, and wanted no defence).

By implication also, the news papers put the BSIP Judicial Com missioner in the nosition of having to find Poole guilty, and to hang him. Local natives, it was alleged, demanded no less. (A couple of Malaitamen were hanged some time ago for murder).

All this might have been avoided if the matter had become known soon after the event, on November 17. One newspaper alleged that the whole matter had been “hushed up” and this belief only whetted the appetites of the sensation-hungry Press. (The BSIP Govt. Newsletter of January 17 which covered events in November and December, arrived in Sydney on February 8.

It reported briefly the arrest of Reginald Poole and his appearance at a preliminary inquiry.

It was stated that he had been examined by two psychiatrists—one retained by the Govern ment and one by the Melanesian Mission.) The case was tried before the

Judicial Commissioner of the BSIP, Mr. G. Horsfall, with the assistance of three Assessors, Mr. John Lotze, Mr. H. B. Dixon, and J. Tamana, a Solomon Islander. Mr. Phillip Dalton, Attorney-General, prosecuted and Mr. Dudley Jones conducted the defence.

Dr. J. McGeorge, psychiatrist to the NSW Government, flew up from Sydney to give evidence.

EVIDENCE showed that Reginald Poole, 24, had gone to the Solomons as a lay worker for the Melanesian Mission (Anglican) in 1954. He had first been at Pawa School but in July, 1955, was trans ferred to Maravovo Mission Station, on the west coast of Guadalcanal.

Before he left Pawa, two Solomon Islands boys at the school told the headmaster of the school, the Rev.

Derek Alan Rawcliffe, that Poole was a homosexual.

At Maravovo, Poole taught in the school. At the station were the Rev.

D. Hoey, his wife, and a European nursing sister. On November 17, Poole had lunch with Mr. Hoey and “appeared quite normal.” After the meal was finished, Poole went to his own house, called “One Boy” (this or “one fella boy ’e come,” is the usual summons in Melanesian Pidgin when a boy is wanted) and a few minutes later rushed to Hoey to tell him that he had killed the boy.

Hoey found the 12-years-old Malaita native in Poole’s house. A pick-axe was sticking out of his arm-pit and there were several other wounds on his body, includ ing a fatal one in his skull. He died half an hour later.

Hoey sent for the police, Poole was given sleeping drugs, and Hoey mounted guard over him with a rifle. The police later arrived and took Poole to Honiara, where he re mained at Rove Prison until his trial.

Dr. McGeorge said that he con sidered that Poole was emotionally disturbed but not insane at the time of the murder. By the time he examined him (this, apparently, was sometime in December), “early neurosis had developed into early schizophrenia (split-mindedness).”

The doctor said that Poole had ad mitted to him that he had indulged

in unnatural practices and that had murdered the boy to aw temptation. He (Poole) had tn to commit suicide but that “murder would achieve the sas result.”

The defence was insanity, I Dudley Jones pleaded—and msj people will agree with him —that; is not the action of a normal pern to have lunch quietly “as usul and then five minutes afterwae to go out and murder an almost r known boy.

ON February 3, the Judicial Co missioner found Poole guij The three Assessors agreed w the verdict.

Poole was sentenced to death.j The High Commissioner for Western Pacific, Mr. John Gutj has the power to commute sentence. And the case is opem appeal within 30 days.

If there is no appeal, or co; mutation, Poole will hang, , Honiara.

Mrs. Poole is now on her t home. Details of the trial are ing sent to Poole’s cousin, who n make a personal appeal to British Colonial Secretary.

This is the first trial of this j that has taken place in Solomons. There have been ott murder trials—but Suva was ti) the headquarters of the WPHCa It is unfortunate that some p'c 1,000 miles from Honiara —ae (according to the newspapers) seething, clamouring Malaitame was not chosen for this trial, n had taken place in most Austrai States the sentence would, an matter of course, have been ck muted; there certainly would H been an appeal; and it is poss* that the original verdict would H been different, anyhow.

A Sydney Sunday newspapers February 5 gave a good indicat of the sort of hysteria that has tt current since the case was V covered” at the end of January..

Under a headling “Drums I for Hanging” it stated: “HonL Saturday—Native drums will to-night as Solomon Islanders o brate the forthcoming hanging ■ white murderer. . . The trial held in an atmosphere of native e rest. They (the natives) madL clear that nothing but the hansi of Poole would satisfy tH: Acquittal would end white ms law in Malaita. . . North Malac district headman was also pies at the verdict. He had expea outbreaks of murder, burning stealing if Poole was acquitted..; There was a great deal morea in the same pattern, some of i the reporter’s fantastic idea of I anesian Pidgin.

To sum up: • As a direct result of oven; newspapers’ belief that the Govv

it and the Mission tried to “keep juiet,” the whole unfortunate ness got the full treatment of lationalism —which will leave no 3t in the minds of uninformed spaper readers that justice in Solomons hinges more on native jf in a tooth for a tooth than the unemotional processes of ish law. Indeed, the conduct tie whole unsavory affair leaves >ts in all our minds: Did Poole justice?

No one in their right senses — the PIM least of all—can srstand why the Mission, when und Poole to have homosexual encies as long ago as July, 1955, not pack him off to England ad of waiting for a far bigger *dy to overtake them all. its Christian unwisdom it have imagined that Poole could :ome his unfortunate weakness rayer. But missionaries these are not expected to be sheltered ners. They are expected to rstand the darker side of m weakness and cope realistic -and most of them do. The on’s first duty, as a mission as European, was the protec of the young natives entrusted *re is also, still, the remnants e almost outmoded business of ng up European prestige. The on failed in both these duties, s difficult for normal people to :stand a homosexual’s urges, have to take the medical pro n’s word for it that it is a se needing treatment. But even aivest person should know that late Poole in a community far people of his own age and and to place him in daily con vith young native boys was the possible treatment for his le. jort of the trial was received by PIM a local Honiara correspondent on i 9. In factual details it followed the above report. However, there was y interesting and significant difference this Honiara report and the reports d in the Australian newspapers. To emarkable feature of the case was the lumber of natives attending the trial calmness almost amounting to apathy non Islanders in Honiara. Atlhough the aroused deep feeling in the dead boy's of North Malaita, there were no dis is and the proceedings both inside and the court-house were characterised by an hurch-like quiet . No more than 10 came into the court-house." bruary 8 a Sydney newspaper published lowing; would gladly sacrifice miyself to the to prevent a bad outbreak of violence aid Poole is not hanged,' the Bishop nesia (Rt. Rev. A. T. Hill) said to-day.

Poole is not hanged, the natives will ifidence in whites and return to their lages.' Bishop believes 'reprisal killings' would and that he would be one of the