MAU LEADER AT APIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20116, 29 November 1928, Page 11

MAU LEADER AT APIA.

TAMASESE UNDER ARREST.

CONTEMPT OF COURT CHARGE.

REFUSAL TO PAY TAXES.

Australian and X.Z. Press Association APIA. Nov. 27

Tamasese. leader of tlio Mau, who had evaded arrest on two previous occasions, was secured by tho military police this morning and is now in custody. The charge against Tamasese is contempt of 'Court in refusing to pay taxes on a judgment summons.

Anticipations that, disturbances would follow the arrest of Tamasese have not been realised.

During the war over the kingship of Samoa in 1887 and 1888 the Germans supported Tamasese against the rival claims of Malieloa. The Tamasese who now lias assumed tho leadership of the Man in Samoa told tho recent Royal Commission that he is a grandson of tho Tamasese who was king during the Germans' time. Ilis full name is Lealofi Tamasese, the latter being ' a king's title," of which ho was deprived by order of tho Administrator in 1924. Throughout the report of the Roval Commission, however, he is named Ts.masese. In March this year there was danger of a grave crisis in Samoa owing to the failure of the Administration and the warships then stationed at the island to arrest Tamasese and other defiant Sarnoans.

An abortive attempt to arrest Tamasese was made bv the Samoan military police recentlv. When tho police went to Tamasese'fi village, which is about a milo and a-half from Apia, stones were thrown at them, and the police, not desiring to exercise their full powers, did not pursue tho matter further Apia was ouiet and little was made of the incident. The Administrator. Mr. S. S. Allen, was said to be moving ouief.lv, and, if action was called for, lie had a force at his command which would be sufficient to deal with anv such attempts to resist the law. Commenting on the incident the Tl>nu.n's Apia correspondent said:— " Tamasese has again had the spotlight put on him. On November 13 the military police sent out six of their members to lirinnr him in under a warrant issued by the High Court, hut for Fome reason, which is not verv clear, the arrest was not made. It is said that some women threw themselves on Tamasese, and the nolioe. not wishing to hurt anyone, let the matter stand over. It is rather unfortunate that this should have happened. because reports allege that a settlement of tho trouble was imminent. However, that may be. or mnv not he. It is easy to say these thines after trouble has occurred. Nevertheless, the non-success of the venture, to say tho least, has not, helped the Administrator in any wav towards conciliation. "For weeks row matters have been verv tranquil and the police had been doing nvoo'lent, vorlc in connection with offenders against the law, so mnrh so that Tuvao prison failed to find accommodation fnr prisoners, Vaimea had to be reopened. and the police station itself called on to house the workers for the Crown."