HOSTILE NATIVES

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 33, 9 February 1933, Page 11

HOSTILE NATIVES

MURDERS IN NEW

GrFINEA

ACT OF REPRISAL

(From "The Post's", Representative.) ' ' ■'.. SYDNEY, 2nd February. According to the latest reports to reach Sydney fromEabaul, the murder in New Guinea on 7th January of .William Naylor, and Emile Clarius as well as nine native carriers; was the result of an increasing native. bitterness against the steady advancement of, the white man in the Mandated Territory. The murders occurred in a native .area in the Morobe. district which had not been previously visited by Europeans. ■*■ Strange to say both white men, believed to be prospectors, were respected by the tribesmen, but their death was demanded as vengeance sworn to be wreaked on labour recruiters. • The murders followed closely on the killing of the recruiter, _. F. Exton, in December, and are regarded as a tangible sign' of growing opposition from all tribesmen. Despite an assurance that special measures are being taken by the Administration to bring Papua .and the 'Mandated Territory under strict control there is _ feeling that other prospectors and recruiters will fall victims to the tribes. . - Many of the inland blacks, instead of jbeeoming accustomed to the settlement of Europeans, refuse to regard it as inevitable, and are prepared to fight eyery inch of the way. To accentuate the there is ill-feeling among the tribe over the recrui'ting;of labour; Many-of tho natives■ who havo'been persuaded to.leave their own districts —the recruiting is purely voluntary— have suffered in health and some have died._ Those who returned do*so with hate in their hearts and in many cases vow to kill the first recruiting lagent who, puts in an appearance. This attitude of revtage quickly spreads, and it.is felt that m_y''thousands of natives in New" Guinea'ai-e imbued with it. The feeling inland is said to be that the more rigorously the white man is repelled, the more mercilessly pioneers are treated, the greater chance there is of their mountains being preserved. .■'.-■ The murder of _xton> who was a recruiter of labour, showed the attitude of the natives. He.was killed in the district in which three years previously,he had recruited a big 'band *of natives. Although. he . was friendly with the tribe he had to'pay the penalty because, it had been decided to kill the first white recruiter to appear, no matter who he was.".. Naylor and Clarius were ; visiting another district altogether,.and it is evident that they and their nine native carriers were set upon /by a big hostile tribe. * The party evidently were taken quite unawares and quickly clubbed to death.. When a rescue party was.sent out it too was ambushed, and in the thrilling fight which followed three natives were killed and two were wounded. All the members of, the Government party escaped. The Administration . claims to have the position in hand, but there is consternation in many quarters because no arrests have been made. The position is one of grave danger for those whites who are living in isolated parts of the Territory.