SAMOAN AFFAIRS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 50, Issue 82, 17 January 1930, Page 5

SAMOAN AFFAIRS.

SEVEN MAU ARRESTED. POLICE ENTER THE BUSH. (United Press Association— Copyright.) APIA, January 15. Six mounted police proceeded this morning into the bush near the old wireless station. They returned at noon with seven members of the Man under guard.

ANOTHER RIOT VERSION. EYEWITNESS GIVES ACCOUNT. (Per Press Association.) WESTPORT, This Day. From Suva, Mr H. E. Holland (Labour leader) has received a cablegram in which the sender, Mr Frederick Pollev, formerly of New Zealand, declares that he was in Apia when the shooting affray took place on December 28, and saw the incident at close * His statement is to the effect that the police fired on- the mass of the people almost simultaneously with the attempted arrests, and that stones were not thrown until a number ot Samoans had been sbot down. Three riflemen were then sniping from the Courthouse verandah. . He saw the police run down an alleywav with emptied revolvers. Constable Abraham reloaded and started firing again, when he was struck wit-i a rock, „ A machine-gun was firing down 111 Ifi Road, wounding and ' killing the bearers of Tamasese. This gun was then turned on the native village, where there were women and children who were not in any way interfering. Two boys and two young men were killed and seven wounded. Tamasese bad run from the rear ot the "procession with upraised hands, and appealing to the Samoans to keep the peace and to the police to . stop firing. When he was shot down he was also "declaring that the two wanted men should be handed over. He seemed to be deliberately sniped by a rifieman. The two wanted men had been walking the streets of Apia daily, and the Alan leaders sav that absolutely no notice was given of the intended arrests. . . , Tiie whole population is terrorised into silence, but both white rodents and visitors' from overseas unanimously desire punishment for those responsible for the tragedy. . Accounts of the incident which have been published in New Zealand are almost wholly untrue, and the sender of the cablegram says he h prepared to swear on oath the facts which he •itated.