MURDEROUS REVENGE

Evening Star, Issue 20137, 30 March 1929, Page 1

MURDEROUS REVENGE

NATIVE KILLS POLICEMAN j “ DEVIL-DEVIL " MAH TAKES PART What the uovelisls have taught tui to call “ romance.” hut: is called by a somewhat liar.shot' name in the Divoico Court, is. it seeins, a matter for the polite in the Solomon Islands. So inutli we learn from a. report by Sir H. Moorhousc into the cireumstanees; under which two sets of murders took place more than a year ago in the islands of Guadalcanal and Malaita. forming part of (he Solomon Group, under British protection, in I ho Pacific Ocean. The inquiry was ordered hy iho Secretary of Stale for the Colonies, and the affairs of Billy Viti seem to have been (ho first cause of a local upheaval. The report stales that one Tnatakornbo' was the local firebrand and bad a had record. Billy Viti, a former village constable,, had always, “ worked well with tlio Government ” until lined £3 it) IfhJtJ under Ibo Adultery Regulation, when Ids whole attitude changed. Tim circumstances leading up to Billy Viti'.v conviction are explained at some length. On the information of tho police, constable i’Tmansua, one <f the men afterwards murdered, the District' Officer sent for Billy Viti to answer a charge, of ndultei’y. Billy came with his three wires, "to whom iheu? is ample evidence to show that lie was married according to native custom.” It was on the charge of committing adultery with his third wife, Tnlnsia, that Billy Viti was convicted. Sir H. Moorhonse says that the whole conduct: of Ihe case was unsatisfactory. In his. opinion the District Officer did not exercise sufficient care to ascertain whether the complaint was actually lodged by the first- wife, as required by the la tv, or was one worked up bribe police, possibly acting under u nrong interpretation of the lan. Labouring under a sense. of grievance, Billy Viti became a useful ally of Tnatakornbo, who was arrested. Hearing of the arrest, Billy Viti made arrangements for the murder of the police during the night, and, in the absence of any guard, was able 1n carry out his plan. Sir H, Moorhonse is of opinion "that the murders wen., not due to any general hatred of lit® Government, nor had the native tax anything to do with the murders.'' Dealing with the .Malaita murders, Sir II Moorhonse pays a high Inbr. ,o to .Mr Bell, who was one of about: a, dozen persons killed. Mr Bell, it is slated, “ well-nigh achieved the impossible ” as District Officer, and gained the confidence of the natives by Ids interests in their affairs ami ins evcr-prP'Cid. if sometimes .stem, sense of just ice.'’ Basinna, who was the, leader of ihe, a (Fail-, was head of one of the clans and a devil-devil man of considerable influence. Ho had been for some time sacrificing pigs (the number has been put up as high as seventy) to find out if the auguries were auspicious. Suddenly Ids chance came ; the film) for the annual payment of the lax was imminent, when, if there was any resentment. among the people against (ho Governineni, it would be at its keenest ; “the go.ds ” acre favourable : Mr Bell would land as usual at the "’lax House'’ and give the opportunity. .-V big meeting was held, at which Iho waverers “ wore only brought to heel by Basiamr playing his trump card, the 'big swear.' against which apparently no Malaita man could stand.” 11 does not require much iinnginal ion to picture Basiana and Hie, olher leaders pointing out that here was a, unique opportunity Favoured by " llie gods,” for gelling rid once and for all. of the Govern men I .which bad interfered v, ifh their playful habit, of promiscuous murder, ami arrested and hanged their people for what was in their eves justifiable homicide, which had substituted a paltry fine or short term of imprisonment for the death sentence lor adultery, which was endeavouring to clean up their villages ami force their pigs info sties when; (hey had to be led. and which finally had ordered them to give up their ‘‘Sniders” (a generic; term for any form of old rifle-). In fairness (o ibe Adminisi rat ion it mnsl lie iveonled- tha I the c alling in of the " Sniders ” was done on Mr Bell's own initial ive and nil limn the knowledge or consent of the Resident Commissioner.