PUNITIVE EXPEDITION.

Taihape Daily Times, 20 November 1918, Page 5

PUNITIVE EXPEDITION.

A MUEDER IN THE ISLANDS.

[i ; SUVA, October 26. .■About two months ago;-a "French .•trader was murdered Ufa tfo •JaativeSiof % •.the,,island of Malekula, 'm*"the" New ' •Hebrides.: &HIIUAT - ,rJ?rom what>';can- be-" gathered, it appears that .the,man went to the .island.. .in.ia wh&teboat, his object being to i get'labouiv The ; natives r "came'- down ■to see him. The landing'was ; made all right, but the trader *4rorn'long habit, no doubt, sent the whateboat back to the ship while he remained .ashore. The natives lost no time and shot him, returning at once to the mountains. A British punitive expedition was arranged at the'request of the French authorities. A warship proceeded to the island early" this month. A party was sent ashore, having been joined by several French residents and natives. A couple of machine-guns were taken with the party. The village of the natives concerned -.vc ■ six or seven miles inland, well up in the hills. When the village was reached, there were no signs of any inhabitants. They had probably heard what was coming. Proceeding on its way, the party came on, the natives, who were armed with rifles, evidently expecting a fight. An attempt was made to parley but it was of no avail. The natives were looking for a fight and had sent their women out of the way. The machine guns wcr ebrought into action, and about twelve or thirteen of the natives were killed. The natives replied with their rifles, but the expeditionary party had no casualties. A message' was then sent to them that the visit was in consequence of the murder they had committed.