ECHO OF ISLAND TRAGEDY.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18646, 15 August 1930, Page 9

ECHO OF ISLAND TRAGEDY.

Murder Charge Fails. JUDGE’S OUTSPOKEN REMARKS. United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received August 14, 10.5 p.m.) BRISBANE, August 14. Peter Pryor and Thomas Hoffman, charged with the murder of Robert Curry (superintendent of Palm Island aboriginals), were acquitted. The Crown entered a nolle prosequi. Mr Justice Douglas said that the community on Palm Island had every right to protect itself when a man such as Curry threatened the lives of those on the island. STORY OF THE TRAGEDY. SUPERINTENDENT RUNS AMOK. A cable message from Brisbane early in February reported that two black boys rowed from Palm Island, North Townsville, to the mainland, and reported that Dr. Maitland Patterson had been shot in the thigh, and the matron of the hospital through the neck. Both were in a serious condition. An official who lost his wife recently and became demented, is said to have been responsible for the shooting. It was subsequently announced that the police returned from Palm Island with Dr. Patterson and his wife. The latter was able to walk. They had a terrifying experience. The police ascertained that Robert Currie (superintendent of the Palm Island), after running amok, went to Fantome Island and killed his daughter, aged twenty, and his son aged ten, and burned the home. Then when returning to Palm Island, the natives shot him dead while landing. The bodies of the daughter and son were found in the ruins of the home adjoining the island. Currie evidently was greatly worried over complaints of his treatment of the natives.