STORMY CAREER

Evening Star, Issue 25113, 1 March 1944, Page 3

STORMY CAREER

BEATS OF MR 0. F. NELSON SAMOAN MAU TROUBLE RECALLED (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Feb. 20. A Press Association cablegram from Apia states that • the death occurred yesterday afternoon of Mr O. F. .Nelson, M.L.C. The funeral was held today. In a statement to-night, the Prime Minister (Mr Fraserisaid that Mr Nelson had devoted the greater part of his life work as a leader of the Samoan •people. A misunderstanding which unfortunately arose between the Administration and the Samoans led to a disturbed state of affairs in Western Samoa some years ago, but as a result of the changed policy which was established under the present Government, and which enabled the return of Mr Nelson to the islands in 1936. a state of harmony had since existed. The Samoans and their leaders had con tinued to co-operate fully with the Administrator,' Mr A. C. Turnbull, and the Government in New Zealand. Mr Eraser added that Mr Nelson was certainly a great man, and his passing was deeply and sincerely regretted hy the Government, as it would be by the Samoan people. [Mr Nelson, who was born in 1883. was a merchant with extensivp interests in the Samoan group. He was educated in Samoa, and in 1900 he assumed the management of his> business in Savaii. In 1922 the business was incorporated, and ho became managing director. He took a prominent part in the public life of the territory, and was chairman of the Welfare League, the Samoa-born Soldiers' Fund, jUid other organisations. For some years he was a member of the Legislative Council. He closely identified himself with the activities of the Mau, a local political organisation, which came into sharp conflict with the Administration, and this association led to his deportation from Samoa from 192? to 1933. He was again sentenced in 1933 to 10 years' banishment and imprisonment, but the sentence was quashed by the Court of Appeal in June, 1934. and in April, 1936, he returned to Apia by permission of the New Zealand Government. In 1938 he was again elected a member of the Legislative Council.]