P.I.R. Riot Over Pay

Military courts in Port Moresby in January were dealing with charges against almost 80 native members of the Pacific Islands Regiment arising out of demonstrations and riotous be haviour. Forty-nine men were each fined £5, gaoled for seven days then discharged, for having broken barracks. Others facing various other charges, mostly more serious, including that of disobeying commands and of striking a superior officer.

ABOUT 80 of the regiment’s 800 troops broke from the barracks and marched shouting and sing ing four miles towards Port Moresby on January 3.

Authorities believe the men in tended to storm Bomana gaol, where seven fellow troops were under arrest.

The seven earlier had been tak in charge pending an inquiry afi the Army learnt the regiment 1 tended to stage a “sit down” stri in protest against low wages.

A fores of more than 100 nat: police dispersed the demonstrati near Port Moresby’s Taurama H< pital.

Fists and webbing belts were us in wild scuffles but no one was se ously hurt.

Riot batons which were issued police were not used, a police spoki man said later.

Trouble Has Been Brewing

Colonel R. Eldridge, Area Coi mander for Papua and New Guim said in an official statement tl the trouble had been brewing sir Christmas, Troops had been discontented their not being included in gene] wage increase for native workers!

Port Moresby, Rabaul and Li which came into force on January (See p. 17, “Trouble over Nat Wage Scale”.) Native troops are paid 30/month plus clothing, housing a: food rations with 10/- a month r: for every one year’s service to I years.

Colonel Eldridge said the m wage level for troops had be under consideration for son months.

It was announced, the day afi the demonstration, by the Minis] for the Army, that pay increaJ for PIR troops of up to £7O p year, retrospective to July 1, 191 were expected to be approved with a week. The increases were co: firmed on January 10.

Second Time

The January 3 incident was ti second in three years in whi( native troops have hit the headlia of Australian newspapers.

In December, 1957, a force of 1 troops clashed with a large grot of civilian natives at Koki nati' market on the outskirts of Po Moresby, and subsequently a hofl ing mob of PIR troops creat; another disturbance in Court whj proceedings arising out of the Ko riots were going on.