POSITION IN SAMOA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20491, 17 February 1930, Page 11

POSITION IN SAMOA.

fIHM ACTION INEVITABLE,

JRIOTOUS CONDUCT 01? MAU

RESTRAINT OF ADMINISTRATION

REPORT BY LEADING MISSIONARY

The following extract from a letter Vritten by the Rev. G. S. Shinkfield, 8.A., chairman of the Methodist district in Samoa, which is under the jurisdiction of. the Methodist ChuVch of Australasia, refers to the present disturbed position.

Mr. Shinkfield has been in Samoa for jnany years, and' has for several years been the head of the Methodist mission, to which a very, large number -of the Sanioans belong. The letter was sent to the general secretary of the mission, the Kev. J. W. Burton, whose headquarters are in Melbourne, and this portion contains Mr. Shinkfield's official report on the position as follows: Since synod things have gone from bad to worse, until we are now practically under martial law. A proclamation has been issued declaring the Mau to be a seditious organisation, and the Dunedin has landed a large detachment of men with the object of protecting the police in ar. attempt to carry out the new. proclamation which originates in New Zealand, or rather comes from the New Zealand Executive, but no doubt originates here. ' -

Actions of the Mau. For your information, I shall review the incidents leading up to the present serious situation. As previously stated, the Mau established themselves near to Apia, set up an office and proceeded to arrogate to themselves the functions of the; Government. They forbade anyone attending the Courts, even as witnesses, and counselled its members to resist arrest and refuse to have any dealings with the Administration. They armed their police with batons, which were more like clubs, and did not fail to use them when opportunity offered. They next sheltered wanted-men and .escaped prisoners, and this led to a fatal clash with the police. The police were unable to effect an arrest in any village of the Mau near Apia. Sentries were placed in the roads at night by the Man, and frequently cars were insulted and the police stoned. The effect of this conduct on the morals of the country can be' imagined, while the prestige of the Administration went down daily.

Clash With the Police. As time went on the Mau became still 'more aggressive, and last Saturday (December 28) overstepped the bounds completely. They asked for permission to hold • a procession' to celebrate the homecoming of one of the three white deportees, Smyth. They were told that they could.have the procession, but they must not • again ,have> wanted criminals or escaped prisoners within their ranks, or they would be arrested. They took no notice of the order, with the result that the police proceeded to arrest one of their members who was leading the procession and who was wanted.

The; result was wholly unexpected. The Mau resisted the arrest and mobbed the police. Reinforcements were quickly on the scene, for the incident took place right .in front of the. Government buildings and hear the police station. The police were forced to use revolvers, but finally had to rietreat to the police station, hard pressed by the mob. 'lt now became a riot antf the Man made kn attempt to storm the police station, but were soon repn|sed by; Lewis gun fire over their heads. But it was not until the police returned to the fray armed with .rifles that the situation became under control, and. not before one. policeman had been killed and three Samoans also, though several died from wounds afterwards through not being taken promptly to the hospital, and among their number their leader Tamasese.'' ■ i - .

Breaking Up the Matt. This incident determined the Administrator and the New Zealand Government to attempt to break the Mau. The Dunedin came in en Sunday, and nearly all the natives down this coast have gone to the hush. The has been declared to be a seditious organisation, and 20 men wanted on criminal charges have called upon to give themselves up. As

most of; these are Mau leaders, they have ' ordered the Maif to evacuate their villages and clear with them. Meanwhile the police, assisted by the Navy, have taken charge of the district around Apia and the deserted villages—deserted except for women and children—and are planning to V carry out the proclamation and break up the Mau. .It is-a most extraordinary situation. Something had ''to be done. Everybody marvelled at the restraint of the Administration. The Governor has been here

nearly two years now, and has* tried every means possible to approach the Mau, but without success. The trade returns for the ye?r have fallen £169,000., The copra returns fell 3000 tons for the year. Not only has the country been going back economically, but also spiritually and morally. The Samoans were getting out of hand, thanks to the pernicious influence of certain white men.

But this does not apply to our Church. Our people have been wonderfully loyal to us and to their Church in the face of tre-

mendous discouragement. The "Governor" mentioned in the last paragraph is Mr. S. 8. Allen, the present Administrator, the other and unofficial title being, in common use by the Samoans.