YOUNG SAMOANS KILLED.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 11 March 1930, Page 8

YOUNG SAMOANS KILLED.

CORONER MAKES NO COMMENT IN CASE OF MOLIA.

WELLINGTON, March 9

The result of the inquests on the two Samoans, Kitialo and Molia, who; met their deaths in the mandated territory recently, were, announced on Saturday by the Prime Minister. In the case of Pitialo, the Coroner, Mr J. H. Luxford, gave thb following verdict: “I find that Pitialo met his death as the result of a wound caused by the accidental discharge of a firearm in the hands of A.B. Seaman A. D. Colson. No blame is attributable to anyone.” In the other case, Mr Luxford stated that he intended to record a formal verdict, as it would be improper at the present stage to make any comment. “My verdict is that Molia died in Apia Hospital on January 27th, 1930, as a result of a gun-shot wound inflicted by a revolver bullet fired by Lance-Corporal Ricketts, of the Samoan Police, on January 22, 1930.” The Prime Minister added that, with reference to the inquest on Molia, the Administrator had advised him that all the other evidence was contrary to the deceased’s own account in his dying depositions of the accident (in which Molia' stated that he was fired on at a distance of a few inches as ho was sitting on the ground), and that the question whether further proceedings should bo taken was now receiving consideration.