SAMOA TRIAL OVER

Evening Post, Volume c, Issue 54, 5 March 1934, Page 9

SAMOA TRIAL OVER

0. F. NELSON CONVICTED

ASSOCIATION WITH NIAU

JUDGE'S COMMENTS

United Tress Association—By Eleftrio Teleeraph—Copyright APIA, March 3. O. F. Nelson, who was arrested on November 21, on charges of identifying himself with seditious activities in connection with the Mau, also with being in. possession of documents in relation to Mau organisations, was convicted on three of the eight charges. The Judge delivered an interim judgment, and sentence was deferred until Wednesday, March 7. Further bail was refused, and Nelson was remanded in custody. Concluding his address yesterday, he referred to himself throughout as, a scapegoat. -Ho stated that the Mau would never rest until their grievances wero redressed. Where legitimate wrongs existed no amount of suppression would ever crusji the Mau. He had acted* in good faith throughout, believing that the laws relating to sedition had been suspended owing to the attempt to convene a meeting with the Administration. ( The Mau felt that it had a duty to strive for the welfare and liberty of Samoans. There was no intentional guilt. He could not take what happened to him lying down. He thanked the Judge for the Court's indulgence and the pationt hearing given him. In his interim. judgment, the Judge said that the procedure had boon unusual on account of the politics involved. He proposed to comment on that point in the final judgment on March 7. He convicted Nelson on t!ic second, third, and sixth of the eight charges before the Court. He quoted extensive extracts from the evidence of Mau witnesses besides documentary matter, and said that the clearest evidence had established that Nelson was the Mau adviser and. Apia agent and correspondent of the "Guardian" newspaper, published by the defendant with Mau money. 9?he authorship of reports, letters, messages, and instructions seized was undoubtedly Nelson's though he pleaded innocence of guilty intention, particularly regarding his preseneo at unlawful assemblies of a seditious organisation held in September. On account of the serious nature of the charges and disclosures, further bail would bo refused. Nelson was transferred to Vaimea prison. Faumuiua- exhorted many of the Mau onlookers to keep the peace and disperse from the vicinity of the Court.