NATIVES SHOW FIGHT

Hokitika Guardian, 7 March 1922, Page 4

NATIVES SHOW FIGHT

POLICEMAN'S A DVEN'TUJiE IN QUEENSLAND SYDNEY, Feb. 22. A sensational story of a constable’s fighl with aboriginals comes from Cairns, in North Queensland. The aboriginals there hav Teen giving considerable trouble, and a constable whose duty took him to one of the camps met with a hostile reception at tlie hands of four blacks who were living in a state of semi-mil la ary. Constables Selby am! Dickson went out to arrest a blackboy named -Oliver, who had absconded from the ■hired service of Chas. Myers. On ai rival at 17 Mile, it was found that there were two aboriginals’ camps, and the constables divided, Dickson going to one and Selby to the other. Selby was accompanied by a blackboy. When Selby and the blackhoy arrived at the cam]), they found that there were four male aboriginals there. On Constable Selby’s airjval the blacks immediately became hostile tov*raf>.*t on

wards him, and, in order to frighten them, lie fired a shot from his revolver into the air. The blacks, however, rushjcd }u,ui, eyfcVing Id lll iby. the arms and body, and a struggle ensued, during which the revolver which Coni stgble Selby held in one hand was .evi- ] dctitl)' accidentally discharged, the bullet lodging in flic calf of one of Selby’s Mgs. I,n the struggle Constable Selby aas felled, and the aboriginals became stilj more desperate and kicked him about the body. Endeavouring to protect himself, and hoping to frighten 1 them, Selbv, who still held the revolver,

tiled ano.t.fier shot into the air, and it is thought that the shot may have taken .effect jil the ' shoulder of one of t! <• black fellows. The blacks then kicked the revolver out of Selby’s hand, hut be eventually got away, a,ml made for the bouse of a farmer named Smyth, about a mile .away. Tjfie fugitives are said to have escaped to the Jordan Bongos, and the nigged nature of .the .country, with the flood-

ed creeks, will make the work very d.itioult for the pojice, but it is hoped that a capture will soon be effected. An interesting feature of the camp was an alarm, wb,i.e.h had been arranged in order to give warning of the approach of any visitors. Another affray with aborigines occurred during the week near Burtvi e (TV A ) A well known goldfield identity jmd prospector. Dixie Scott, was filling a. tank with water at a dam. A tribe of

aborigines, numbering between 30 and 40. objected to his taking the water, which is very scarce in that neighbourhood. One aborigine armed with an old pick-head attacked Scott, who seized a piece of iron pipe five feet “long. The aboriginal throw the pick-head, but i missed iSoott. .Simultaneously Scott struck at bis assailant. This increase! the fury of the aborigines, and Scott recognising that he had no clyinoi against them, drove hurriedly away pursued by a shower of native missiles He was struck several times on the bad and one nulla broke a bone in one oi his amis. The aborigines continued b follow J',i m until near Burtvi Ho, wher lie received .treatment at the hospital The police are in pursuit of the abon gines, who have returned to the inter ior.