Psychiatrists

BSIP Murder

Case Of The Shy

TN order to have a little each

way, the British Solomon

Islands Protectorate has imported

(a) a gallows; and (b) some

tear-gas from Hong Kong.

The gallows are to hang Reginald Poole, who was sentenced to death in Honiara in February for the murder of a mission native, if the appeal which he has now signed fails. The tear-gas is to quell native rioters if Poole wins his appeal.

Anyway, this is what rumour and the newspapers say. The reader may believe it if he wishes.

Two psychiatrists have visited Honiara and departed. They were sent by the British Home Office.

They arrived in Sydney from Lon don in late February and while they were waiting for a plane connection to Honiara went —according to the Sydney Sunday Telegraph —“into hiding.”

If they are good psychiatrists they probably know that this is the wrong thing to do —not only is it likely to cause them to develop complexes but it is the sort of conduct cal culated to drive newspaper reporters to a frenzy.

The reporters found their hotel, where the manager said they were registered and where the receptionist said they were not.

The psychiatrists are Dr. Harvie Snell and Dr. Joseph Hopgood. They were in Honiara “observing” Poole.

There appears to be no legitimate reason why they should not do this; no reason why the whole thing should be shrouded in mysteries; and no reason why the psychiatrists should go into hiding—if they did.