AUSTRALIAN "NEWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 12 September 1924, Page 2

AUSTRALIAN "NEWS.

it'STUALIAN AND N.Z. GABLE ASSOCIATION Ti iit MURDKI; OF O'DOW'D. s:iMK STARTLING EVIDENCE. (Reerived this day at 10.2." a.m.) SYDNEY. Sept. Id The ‘•Sun's'' special rcjirescntativi* at I'apua reports the trial el six nal i*.es for the murder smile lime ago ol a labour recruiter. O' Dowd. Four J• li•oner' were oni|>loycd by and accum|ianving O'Dowd at tlir* lime of the

null'd* r. A ...ii dine. ;,, if,, i \ id* in of 1.1 - 111 ill,' a. Ml. el H'D.ii.d Ml,. ll'. 111 mi II". to the village Pi recapture ton of them, brothers, who laid escaped. Their father told them to kill D'Diiwd in prevent him taking his sons away. They ambushed and speared D’ltowd to death. The natives then deserted the village and took refuge in. the hu-li. A punitive expedition. composed of native imlice am! other natives. was sent to the scene and indulged in wholesale shouting. Three of tin* wives of tin* witness’ father and three other women were killed. Dm* of the head men's wives had a lil tie child at tlie breast and iL Mas killed a- well as till other children in tin' village; excepting three belonging In M'itiiess, mliu. with himself, wile ami fultr male natives, had been taken prisoners. Two i I the male prisoner- had since died. The *i i'ii" of the shooting; was in the Rn'.sih-.nihalcn area

The judge. < oiumelii ing on the evidence, -aid that if this ferocious punishment was meted out to these people, it had ait important hearing on the relations of the natives to the nd-

Uillilst i'll Rail. The "Sun's'' representative slates that in view of the serious statements a searching inquiry will he made into the eoniluot of the punitive expedition.