Police And Natives Clash In Buka

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29753, 21 February 1962, Page 15

Police And Natives Clash In Buka

(N.Z.P A -Reuter—Copyright)

PORT MORESBY, Feb. 20. The Buka Island crisis was nearing full-scale war proportions, the Administrator of PapuaNew Guinea. Sir Donald Cleland, said today. As Sir Donald Cleland announced at a specially-called press conference that top Administration officials had gone to Buka, where more than 1000 tax-defaulting natives have clashed with police, police posts throughout the territory were stripped of ail available men. An airlift of 12 chartered airliners rushed 400 reinforcements to Buka this morning after they had been assembled overnight with the aid of radio broadcasts over the Australian Broadcasting Commission's internal network.

Sir Donald Cleland said that the Assistant Administrator, Dr. J. Gunther, the Director of Native Affairs, Mr K. McCarthy, and Police Commissioner C. Normoyle

had flown in today to assess the Buka situation. In Sohano, the Bougainville District Commissioner, Mr A. F. Gow. reported that yesterday's clash began after the police party climbed down 100 ft cliffs to one of the native villages situated on a beach. Twenty-one native police and about 40 natives were injured in a 10-minute clash which followed. Three injured policemen were brought back to Sohano today for treatment. None was seriously hurt. The Administration officials held an impromptu airstrip conference with Mr Gow as soon as they reached Sohano. More than 100 native police, in scarlet-trimmed navy-blue shirts and lap-laps (kilts), badges shining on their scarlet and blue berets, formed up in platoons after disembarking from aircraft They carried .303 rifles and ammunition belts their standard equipment—but no ammunition. Each man also carried a five-inch baton and a haversack containing 'rations and clothing.