THE TRIAL OF NELSON.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 114, 23 February 1934, Page 5

THE TRIAL OF NELSON.

MAU AND COMMUNISM. A NEW ZEALAND PARALLEL. (United Press Association— Copyright). APIA, February 21. . Sub-Inspector Fell, continuing lus evidence at the Nelson trial, said that there had been no visible signs of-the Mau since his return to Samoa m 1932. The official Mau uniform had been absent. He was unable to say that no resistance had been shown since tlie return of defendant. The hitter's general reputation in Samoa and abroad was that he was the leader of the Mau. Witness was a member of the New Zealand Police seconded for duty m Samoa. He had had experience in prosecution in seditious offences in the Dominion. The methods and aims of Communists there and the Mau m Samoa were similar, both professing a desire for'the overthrow of the Government constitutionally, keeping the peace but ignoring the law. The result was clashes whenever the police enforced it He had heard Communist speakers claim brotherhood with the Mau. Obviously, if there had been no police action recently and the Man had been allowed- to continue flouting the law, there would have - been *-P«g}" bility of similar trouble to that of 192 J, 12 or 18 months hence. It was recognised that the leader of a movement of a seditious nature was morally responsible for consequent developments even if they were unforseen. Experience had proved that matters frequents ly passed beyond the control of leaders inevitably resulting in trouble. Pub-Inspector Fell said he did not believe the Man was genuinely anxious to meet the Administrator recently. The reason given for the failure of the conference was insufficient and insignificant. Such a fono, if held and a settlement followed, would be the best solution. Tuala Tulo, a Man member, arrested at the Savaii Malaga, denied that there were any political aims in the Malagas, whereupon Inspector .McCarthy produced documents signed by witness and other members of the Mau committee which,he alleged, proved the conThe defence objected to their admission, and the niatter was deferred. , .. ,«.„„ An accountant of the Gold fetal Transport Company produced books showing the Mau accounts for taxi hire in August. October and November. The data disclosed increasing visits by tlie Mau to defendant's residence and iournevs between Apia, Vaimoso, Lelea and Tuaefu. with much standing tune at Tuaefu These and the buses used to convey the Malaga party to Luatuanuu were paid from the Mau s funds. . . ~ The defenqe protested, as this witness had not been expected and his evidence not listed.