Aftermath Of P-NG Buka Incident

P-NG Buka Incident

From a Staff Correspondent in Rabaul Armed with copious files compiled during the hearing of charges against Buka rioters and tax-evaders, Madang Magistrate R. R. Ormsby returned to the New Guinea mainland in March.

Though of a confidential nature it is known that some of the matter in Magistrate Ormsby’s files will make pretty heady reading for those who insisted the Buka incident was of no importance.

PROMINENT in his report will be alleged attempted infanticide, human sacrifice and an instance of expected manifestation of the dead, it is believed.

The attempted infanticide is said to have occurred during the clash between Hahalis villagers and police when a group of native women tried to smother a child by pressing its face against a police officer.

On another occasion during the fighting Hahalis villagers looked re peatedly toward an adjacent cemetery where it is believed they expected their dead to rise up and aid them.

The sorry Buka post-mortemising meanwhile goes on. In the P-NG Legislative Council in early March, Mr. Paul Mason pointedly made reference to early warnings of trouble which were disregarded by Adminis tration.

During his speech in the Council Mr. Mason said: “These Buka natives are not in newly controlled territory. They were among the first natives used as police themselves, long before the German government was established.

“They were used first by the early settlers as their guards and police.

They were used as police by the first BSI Government . . . they have had perhaps longer continuous asso ciation with Europeans than any other natives in the Mandated Terri tory of New Guinea with the ex ception of the Duke of York islanders . . .

“Since District Headquarters has been at Sohano unrest has grown.

One wonders why. Our Advisory Council has from time to time tried to make the Administration aware of what was going on but we were told our minutes were unnecessarily long ...”

While Mr. Mason wonders and

Magistrate Ormsby ponders, Te torians close to the troubled sc are somewhat bitter. While all c cur that Administration handled affair in praiseworthy fashion they gret the prodding necessary to ge into action.

Warnings of brewing trouble v not negatively voiced. They were ( spoken. So outspoken according Paul Mason that he believed “sc residents brought the matter of Buka unrest before the Leader of Opposition, Mr. Calwell, as they they were getting nowhere with Administration with their warn! which they had been submitting over three years”.

On March 30, the Administn Sir Donald Cleland announ award of P-NG Police Medal bravery to Constable Bokuwa, for his part in quelling the Bi trouble. The citation said Boki rescued two native policemen c ing a fight with the Buka on beach near Hahalis. He fought way into rebels surrounding inju Sgt. Kipau and cleared a path for him and then went back j carried out Cpl. Mange.

Also in March, representatives four Native Local Govemm Councils on New Britain offe £2,000 compensation to the Adm stration for damage they did equipment in the Rabaul riots of year.