NO CONCERTED RISING

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 173, 12 October 1927, Page 1

NO CONCERTED RISING

MALAITA MASSACRE i “IN ACCORD WITH NATIVE CHARACTER” B V Cable.—Press Association.—Cspyrighi Heed. 1 p.m. SYDNEY. To-day. In connection with the massacre at Malaita, in the Solomon Islands, a. cable received from the chairman of Lever Brothers’ Pacifii Islands plantations, states that District Commissioner Bell’s party was massacred while collecting taxes. He surmises that Bell and the cadet. Mr. Lillies, with a party of native: police, were following the usual custom, and had erected a tent on the beach, where the natives made their payments. It is supposed that some hillmen failed to come in, and the party then proceeded inland, one of the native police going ahead. The natives, resenting the collection, struck and killed him. It would be in accord with the native character that the rest of the advance party should be set upon and killed, and that when Bell and the rest came up they too were killed. “I do not think there was any concerted rising against the whites or the Government,” concludes the message. "The native poll tax has been in operation some years. I think it would be very difficult to get in touch with the natives concerned in the outrage. Their country is very mountainous and heavily timbered.” Missionaries express ths same views and hope that no reprisals will be 1 taken. —A. and N.Z. ADELAIDE SAILS CRUiSEF. ON PUNITIVE El CP EDITION i By Cable.— • Press Association. — Copyright News has been received at Suva j that the Australian crur ser Adelaide i has sailed from Sydney for Malaita on ■ a punitive expedition ir connection | with the massacre of the District Commissioner, Mr. Bell, a cadet, Mr. Lillies. and 15 native police. I The New Zealand sloop Veronica is i not to go to "he Solomons.