SHOT BY A CONSTABLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20113, 26 November 1928, Page 12

SHOT BY A CONSTABLE.

SEVENTEEN BLACKS KILLED. BATTLE IN THE SCRUB. A REMARKABLE STORY. [from our own correspondent.] SYDNEY, Nov. ]5. Remarkable revelations wero mado at tho Supremo Court at Darwin when two blacks wero charged with having murdered an old dingo trapper, Frederick Brooks, near Alice Springs, in Central Australia. Evidence of the shooting by a polico constable of a number of blacks—tho first time that tho incident was revealed to the public—has caused a great deal of concern, as there are still many people who aro sympathetic for tho welfaro of tho aboriginals.

One of tho witnesses at tho trial was an intelligent native boy, who gave particulars of a conversation bo overheard at tho camp on tho night beforo tho murder. A decoy lubra (nativo woman) ho said, was sent to Brooks' camp, eight blacks hiding closo by in tho scrub. When tho lubra gave tho signal tho blacks rushed tho camp, tho lubra preventing Brooks from getting his gun. Tho eight men hammered Brooks to death with yam sticks, boomerangs and tomahawks. A polico party of four, with two trackers, followed tho murderers' trail for sixty miles. Constable Murray said that tho party was attacked by tho eight murderers and twonty-fivo women and children, armed with spears and other weapons. He opened fire and shot six of the murderers, captured the two accused, and drove off tho women. Later Constable Murray said that ho had had three encounters with different mobs of blacks, who refused to stand when called upon, but threw their spears and boomerangs from short distances. None of the polico party was hit, but seventeen natives wero killed, including two lubras. Constable Murray said that six of eight blacks who murdered Brooks wero killed and the other two were captured. Ife was able to identify the tracks of tho accused because of the peculiar shapo of their feet. He chained the prisoners to a tree. In his encounters with tho natives, he admitted, he fired to kill every time, because he was in scrubby country, and ho feared an ambush. He did not open fire until the blacks commenced to throw their spears and boomerangs. Iho two accused were found not guilty by a. jury and acquitted. A report covering the evidence given by Constable Murray has sinco been sent to the Federal Ministry which has promised that a full inquiry will bo mado into tho story of tho shooting of such a large number of blacks.