SAMOAN CONFLICT

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 103, 25 January 1930, Page 11

SAMOAN CONFLICT

ANOTHER ARREST RESISTED NATIVE WOUNDED SERIOUSLY SEVERAL WANTED MEN SECURED The latest news from Samoa Indicates that a native was seriously wounded on resisting arrest by the police. It Is not certain whether the injury will prove fatal. The following telegram on the subject, received from the Administrator of Western Samoa, was released by the Prime Minister (Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward) yesterday:— “Operations yesterday resulted in finding the camp of the main body o? the Mau near the watershed south of Faleasiu. The camp had recently been abandoned and the Mau had moved west, so we are continuing to restrict their area. Eleven were secured on minor charges, but no head men yet. I regret that one native was shot by the police yesterday and the wound is believed fatal. I fully realise the importance of the matter and am making full investigation and will report further later.” Another Version. A special radio message to the Press Association states: “The Mau are still in the bush. Constables and naval parties continue to .operate in West Apia. Sixteen unimportant arrests were made in the last two days. One vigorously resisted arrest with stones, and the man is now in hospital seriously wounded by a bullet. /

AUCKLAND CRITICISM REPLY BY ADMINISTRATOR ANSWERS IN DETAIL The text of various statements recently macle at Auckland in respect of the riots in Western Samoa by Mr. Hall Skelton and his associates were conveyed to the Administrator of Western Samoa (Colonel S. S. Allen), whose replies were issued for publication yesterday by the Prime Minister (Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward). These were as follow Statements by Mr. Skelton' and his associates: 1. The entire white population agree that the whole thing was prearranged. Machine guns, snipers, and riflemen had been previously posted where it had been decided to halt the procession. Reply by the Administrator: There was no prearrangement except to effect arrest, and precautions were taken accordingly. No machine guns, snipers, .or riflemen were previously posted. I think public opinion supports me. A proposed public meeting of protest dropped from want of support. 2. No stones were thrown until Samoans had been shot down by revolvers and machine guns. Reply: No firing occurred until Sergeant Fell had been knocked senseless and others batoned and stoned.

3. Machine guns fired into the mass of people. Reply: One Lewis gun only was fired over the heads of the people, and one burst into the ground in front of the police station. No one.was struck by machine gun fire. 4. A machine gun was posted at the police barracks, pointed to the spot where the clash occurred. Reply: One Lewis gun has always been kept at the police barracks, and was 1 brought out when the riot began but was not fired.

5. The declaration of the Mau as seditious prevented any Mau adherents from giving evidence at the inquest. Reply: The inquest began on Thursday, January 2, and the Mau was declared seditious on Monday, January 13. The declaration in no way prevented anyone from giving evidence. Slipper appeared for the relatives of the Samoans, and all witnesses whose names were given by him have been called. Slipper agreed that the evidence was comprehensive. Thirty witnesses were called, of whom eighteen were called by Slipper.

6. The police had said that. Smyth and "Skelton would be pumped full of lead and had no right to be there. Reply: The statement is untrue.

. 7. Smyth and Skelton went with the Mau to Vaimoso after the incident, and were followed to the vicinity of Vaimoso by 25 police with fixed bayonets. Reply: The police marched only to the end of the Beach Road (a distance of, say. half a mile from the scene of the clash, and further distant from Vaimoso), and did not follow Smyth and Skelton.

8. Mr. Meredith and Mr. Johnson said that they would attend a public meeting, but became afraid of deportation. Reply: There was no reason why Messrs. Meredith nnd Johnson or anyone who wished to should not attend a public meeting. There was no fear or threat of deportation, and the public meeting dropped through want of support.

9. A machine-gun was fired almost simultaneously ,with revolver fire. Reply: No machine-gun was fired until the police were driven back to the police station. 10. The bandmaster’s instrument was shot to pieces by machine-gun fire. Reply: The bandmaster’s instrument was smashed to pieces by beating Sergeant Bell with it.

11 The police admit they had a Lewis gun and three snipers in position, and another gun at the barracks. Reply: No guns or riflemen were in position before the riot. The term “sniper” is entirely incorrect. 12. A, leadlight in the Law Court buildings had been removed for a machine gun, which was actually fired. Reply: No leadlight was removed from the’ Court building, and no gun or rifle was fired from there. 13. The Mau police were intended merely to keep their men in order. Reply: The Mau police were for the protection of their men from arrest, and acted accordingly. 14. Matau threw Sergeant Fell to the ground merely in surprise. Reply: Sergeant Fell was not. thrown to the ground by Matau, but was knocked down by a baton. 15. All Skelton’s witnesses (for the Nelson v. Auckland “Herald” case) except three were sniped and killed or wounded. \ Reply: I do not know who Skelton’s witnesses are or were. 16. The. police quarters were barricaded after the incident, and a force was posted to protect the Administrator. Reply: This is untrue. 17. Westbrook called at the Central Office to protest and was immediately arrested. but subsequently released without charge. Reply: The statement Is inaccurate. Westbrook was arrested in the street by my order for using language likely to provoke a breach of the peace. He was released without charge on account of his excited state. 18. It is abundantly proved that no official warning in writing or otherwise was given the Mau of - any intended arrests. Reply: At the inquest Kruse (an adherent of the Mau) gave evidence* that he was warned by Braisby (the Inspector of Police) and in turn warned Tamasese thnt wanted men would 1 he arrested if in the procession. Also, Tuimalealiifano (one of the leading Mau Chiefs) in evidence at the inquest, stated thnt he had warning of the arrest, but nevertheless the wanted men were paraded, and further, that the Mau had given instructions to resist arrest if the police went to Vaimoso to arrest Matau or anyone else. 19. The facts are largely admitted by the police. Reply: The facts as outlined by Mr. Skelton are certainly not admitted by the police. 20. I have no doubt that Tamasese Was sniped. Reply: Tamasese was not sniped. 21. Machine guns were turned ou to women and children and young men rushed out in curiosity, meeting a long blast of gunfire, killing two boys, two young inen, and wounding seven others. Reply: Lewis gun fired no burst into Apia native village, but one over the village, and one into the ground in front of the Police Station to stop an attack from that direction. No women or children were wounded, or at any time in danger from fire, and the two boys reported killed were full-grown men, and one who had recently been involved in a stoning attack was shot in Ifi Ifi Street. No ->e was struck by machine-gun fire. 22. The wanted men have been almost dailv on the beach, and could have been arrested without disturbance at any time. Reply: The men have been wanted on criminal charges for some time, but have never appeared in Apia, and have been kept hidden by the Mau. 23. Inquest was held only on Abraham, and not on Samoans.

Reply: Inquest is being held on Abraham, and also on the Samoans. With reference to the allegations made by one Polley, the only answer that it is necessary to make is that from affidavits in the possession of the Administrator, it is clear that, despite ' his assertions, Polley did not see the riot at all. Mr. Skelton has. of course, I never suggested that he was present at the scene of the disturbance.