FIGHTING IN PAPUA.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1837, 25 August 1913, Page 10

FIGHTING IN PAPUA.

NATIVES RAID A VILLAGE. MAGISTRATE'S EXCITING EXPERIENCE. Forty miles south-east of.Port Moresby, the capital of Papua, and a lew miles from vne coast,-stands tlio Government station of liigo, iu charge of jilr. Assistant magistrate Unimiea-y. Looking northward 011 a clear dny one can discern tiie mighty summits ot tho Owen Stanley liange, and between lies a succession of steep ami rocky ridges clothed with rank vegetation. Early in June lubt <1 bush "boy" walked into tno station, and reported that the natives of a certain village perched on the southern slopes of Mount Obree had raided a village nearer the coast named Kokila, killing and wounding many of the inhabitants, and retiring to their stronghold with a largo quantity of loot. Mr. Chinnery at once took, steps to investigate the matter, aud with a party of native police and carriers set out for- tho scene with tho iuteution of arresting tho alleged murderers. It will give southern readers sJme little idea of the work required of Government oiiicials in Pap.ua (says the Sydney "Telegraph's" correspondent) when it is explained that Mount Obree is cno of tho great peaks of the Owen Stanley liange, rising to a height of 10,000 feet, aud has never yet been scaled by a white man., Tho magistrate could only surmise as to the exact locality of the village aud to get there meant a scramble literally 011 hands and knees at times over miiss or country peopled by more or less friendly natives of whose character actually very little is known, his only companions being a handful of native police and unwilling carriers—yet it was just' an ordinary patrol, such as is being carried out day after day by many a young official in tho Territory. Eventually the party foouid themselves at tho foot of a rising slope, and they needed not the excited gestures of their guide to tell them that their quanry lay before them, for from a village 'lying above them there camo a liowi of execration, and a large body of natives wero discovered entren-jhed Whind strong palisades.

Mr. Chinnery assembled his party, and through the medium of an interpreter called upon the villagers to surrender. ■ A fresh storm of liowls arose, mingled with threats and insulting gestures, and suddenly the -whole village swarmed over tho palisades, and commenced to advance downhill on tho Government party, amidst whom showers of spears and arrows began to fall, several of the police having hairbreadth escapes.

' 'Plio position was now a desperate one, and required a desperate remedy. Calling 011 his police, Mr. Chinnery and party charged up tho hill to meet tho oncoming savages, who, staggered.by this audacious manoeuvre, turned tail and swarmed back otot the palisadss, whence they recommenccd hurling .showers of. spears on the little baud. Th<i native constabulary, reaching tho crest of tho hill, with fine courage literally hurled themselves on the palisades, and a fierce lliand to hand struggle ensued, during which half a dozen of the natives were shot dead, and many wounded- before the position was actually won. Somo of tho killed were afterwards identified as having taken part in tho Kbkila raid. ,

The village, -which is situated in a stroii; position on the edge of a rozorbacl;, was defended by three stockades 12ft. high, with long platforms on wfliich were found short speara as thick as a man's arm, with points 18 inches lone, evidently for use at close . quarters. A large quantity of loot token from the Kokila peoplo after the massacre was also found, and about 40 shields and bundles of spears wero destroyed by the police.

Other villages in tlio vicinity were visited, and friendly relations maintained.