AN ISLAND MASSACRE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 220, 28 December 1910, Page 5

AN ISLAND MASSACRE

PUNITIVE MEASURES UNDERTAKEN By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Sydney, December 27. Fuller details of the rebellion at Ponape show that oil receipt of the news, the Acting-Governor, Dr. Oswald, took all necessary steps to fit out a troop of native constabulary to proceed to Ponape for the relief of the settlement and pun-' ishment of the murderers. In the afternoon Dr. Oswald left in the Germania, taking two German officers and about 70 native constabulary. At Koeweing he will take aboard fortv or fifty more native constabulary. The German steamer Siar was chartered by the Government and sent to Frederich Wilhelmshaven to bring further reenrocements of native bring further reinforcements of native police. The Siar ttasf" sailed for Ponape; with about a hundred -troops and provisions. It is the intention of Dr. Oswald, on ar-, riving at Ponape, to proceed immediately to inflict punishment on the natives implicated in the massacre. If he finds on' arrival that the other white settlers also have been killed, he will go to the island of Yap and cable to Berlin and to the German squadron in Chinese waters for further reinforcements, as his force will not be strong enough to attack natives' successfully. The natives of Ponape, it is believed, have a very large number of! guns, and if thev should succeed in tak-J ing'the fort, would secure a further hun-' dredand fifty modern army rifles, with, a large quantity of ammunition. \