SAMOAN INQUIRY OPENS AT APIA

Horowhenua Chronicle, 26 September 1927, Page 2

SAMOAN INQUIRY OPENS AT APIA

ADJOURNMENT REFUSED,

[Special to Press Assn.—By Radio.]

(Received Sunday, 11 p.m.) APIA, Sept. 24. The Royal Commission held its initial sitting to-day. Mr. Meredith, of Auckland, instructed in the Dominion, appeared for the Administration, with Mr.' McCarthy, the Crown Solicitor, and Mr. Klinkmueler, assistant-counsel. Baxter and Slipper, local lawyers, appeared for the Citizens' Committee, and a Samoan was associated with them. Mr. Baxter intimated, that no attack was being made on the personal characters of any of the officials. The objections were |o the interference of the Administration in the copra trade to prohibition, to the excessive expenditure of the Medical Department to repressive actions against main movements, to Legislative Council doings, to the excess of authority by officials, the banishment of chiefs, the removal of titles and native affairs generally. An application that the banished chiefs be temporarily repatriated - and be allowed to remain in Apia while the Commission continues, was granted only tentatively. The Chief Justice intimated that if they were material witnesses it was doubtless that the Administration would extend the leave period. But if they were immaterial witnesses their presence in Apia would only tend to degrade the Commission in the eyes of the natives. An application for adjournment . of the Commission to allow petitioners prepare briefs of evidence, was not granted. Commissioner Skerrett recognised the difficulties of counsel owing to . circumstances beyond their control. At the same time it was known that the Citizens' Committee's case had been prepared a year or so, as instanced by the Hon. O. P. Nelson in a public paperr. He would s meet counsel's needs wherever possible, but the sittings must resume on Monday morning. * In these days, he said, the oldtime, long brief had disappeared „ and counsel carried briefs in their head. The absence of briefs should prove a benefit, not a detriment. The Citizens' counsel should formulate specific charges and place them before the Commission. But there was no.immediate hurry for the same. -