THE NEW BRITAIN MASSACRE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLVII, Issue 12283, 17 September 1904, Page 5

THE NEW BRITAIN MASSACRE.

United Press Association —Copyright. •SYDNEY, September 16. Fuller details of the massacre ait New Britain show that one of the Mission boys 'warned Faltiher R'asiher of the plot. Similair rumours were common, but were unheeded.

. -Toman shot Father Rasher whila he Avjas in bed, sick. A second shot killed ■him when one of-the Sisters was conducting the wounded man- from the room. Tomani then shot the Sister dead.

. lllie shots were the signal for the murderers to cut down the. victims with whom they were conversing.

.The evidence is that the whole plot was carefully pre-arran.gei't.

Some'of ■the 'bodies were horribly mutilated. . .'..'.

Subsequently ah attack was made on Vunamarita Station.

Two more attacks wei*e made while Falther Rasher's burial was-proceeding. The white's in the settlement, assisted by .the Bonka boys engaged on the plantation, beat off the .attackersl, killing some of them.

Tcimari sent a message that he would kill .anyone coming to remove the bodies, arid intended ttb kill all the whites, also the Governor and Bishop Oouppe. After the massacre the natives1 feasted upon looted sit ores. Tqniari, in a speech, declared he would dinve 'all the whites out of the country.

Latieslt reports state that the punitive expedition shot 15 'and captured 20 of the Toniari is still at large.

At the time of t<he massascrethe ViceGovernor was1 abeent in New Guinea, sup.pressjing a plot tfo 'allegedly simultaneously massacre all. the whites in German New Guinea. One of tihe plotters, just before the time fixed it© .attack the whites assembled, kept the natives at bay till the arnival of the Vice-Governor and a strong body of police, wihen the natives were driven off and the ringleaders arrested. Tt is rumoured that ZQO natives were killed, though it is officially stated that only six were Mlkd. The natives' also attacked1 the Catholic Mission Station at Eerlinlaven. They speared one of ttihe Bnotihers through the arm. The Father in charge of the station, using a rifle, foe'at them off.