WERE THEY MOLESTED?

Taranaki Daily News, 20 September 1924, Page 16

WERE THEY MOLESTED?

DOUGLAS MAWSON WOMEN A WHITE BABY. .“BANAXA®” STORY OF MURDERS. Darwin. Sept. 5. Little ei’edenee is placed in the re* port that the two white women survivors from the Douglas MaWson had given birth to black babied. Latest information from a native ■boy, w-bo saw the men of the vessel murdered, stated that the elderly woman has given birth to a white baby girl. .Further news of the supposed surof the Douglas Mawson was brought by the ketch John Aloe, Which has arrived in port from Elcho Island. A letter from Constable Elgrove, of Elcho Island, stated that the women, according to a native boy’s story, are now with the blacks near Caledon Bay. A party is leaving Darwin immediately. Constable Lovegrove stated in his letter to the Administrator of the Northern Territory that he interviewed one of the native boys named “Banana” after the boy had been with Mr. Zachharow, one of the Huddersfield rescue party. -“Banana” said that a boat, apparently the Douglas Mawson, went on the ro-ks h little south 07 Poiiit Bradshaw. About ten men and two women reached the shore ih a launch. It was rough and some of the man were drowned, said the native, when tn:* launch hit the rocks. The hilts were built, one for the Then and one for the women.

One of the blacks saw them land dnd collected all the other natives in the vicinity, story goes on, who arrived with large bundles. of '*pearS, which they hid in the woods. They approached the survivors and pretended to be friendly, but one morning murdered the men and took the women away. The elderly woman has since given birth to a white baby girl. The boy said that the two women were alive' ahd with the blacks near Caledon Bay.

NO NATIVE OFFENCES. Melbourne. Sept. 5. Senator Pearce (Minister for Home and Territories) has received a telegram from. Mr. Administrator at Darwih, stating that a statement had 4>een obtained from three Aarnheim Bay natives. They said they had seen two white women with Arnheim Land natives. The Bradshaw Inlet native described the landing of the wrecked party from the Douglas Mawson. and the attack oh and death of the white men. According to officials of the Home and Territories Department offences against white women by Northern Australian natives are practically nonexistent, so there is every reason to hope that Mrs. Willett and her daughter have not been molested.