WESTERN SAMOA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3959, 28 January 1930, Page 62

WESTERN SAMOA.

THE DISTURBANCE IN APIA.

MR HALL SKELTON’S ACCOUNT. AUCKLAND, January 20. Mr Hall Skelton, solicitor, who arrived By the Tofua to-day. said the night of Tamasese’s funeral saw a large force of fighting men armed with great strength. They appeared from out of the darkness. “ The High Chief Fanmuma and myself had the greatest possible difficulty in staying their hand in taking the heads On the Administrator and the police, vffiich they could quite easily have done. The Administrator little knew how close they were to decapitation. They evidently were greatly afraid, as they were barricading the police quarters, and _ a force was posted to protect the Administrator; and thev were calling on civil officials to take up rifles. The Samoans were so thoroughly enraged at the death of what they termed their "beloved King Tamasese ’ that it was marvellous how they desisted from revenge. . “ At my last meeting with the -0 ciiiefs they opened their meeting with prajei. Through an interpreter I found out what their fervent prayer was: ‘ Father, forgive them, for they know not what thej do,’ and calling for assistance to giv e them strength to guide them not to stain their hands with the blood of murderous revenge. One old chief was particularly pathetic when he prayed to be given the light to understand why it was necessary th have them murdered, and whether it was wrong to require an eye lor an eye from the police.” “ To say there was a riot was absurd. The matter was all over before a riot could happen. To say they gave notice to the Mau that the wanted men would be arrested was well known to be untrue and a mere afterthought. To say that Constable Abraham was chopped down with an axe and then beaten to death, and that this was the cause of the police firing was untrue M hen an old man, Westbrook, called at the office of the Administrator and said. 1 enter ijay protest against this outrage as a Britisher,’ the Administrator ordered his immediate arrest. He was rVr'v handled, although very old and half-blind, and locked up apparently for three hours. Later the Administrator ordered his release without charge. Westbrook is issuing a writ for £lOOO against, Colonel Allen for alleged illegal arrest.'

RIOT AT APIA

INQUEST ON VICTIMS

Radio.

APIA, January 18. The inquest was resumed on January

15 Mr Kruse, a director employed by Mr O F. Nelson, stated that on the morning of December 27 he asked the inspector of police for permission tor Mr Smyth and Mr Hall Skelton to land at Apia wharf, explaining that it was more convenient. He told the inspector that a Mau procession was coming to Apia on December 28. He remembered the inspector saying that if the “ wanted ” men were in the procession thev would be arrested, and if the arrests were effected and the Mau resisted a lot of fighting might result. The police were determined to get the wanted men. The inspector told witness to inform the Alan not to bling the “ wanted ” men in the procession. Witness replied that he was not the legal representative of the Mau, but he promised to tell the Mau if he saw its members. Permission was granted by telephone on the afternoon of December 27 for the landing at Apia. Later witness saw Tamasese to arrange a reception, and passed on the inspector s message. Tamasese said: “ Very well, I will talk it over with the others this evening.” On the following morning (December 28) witness saw a procession of 300 members of the Alan. He saw the so-called Alau police carrying batons.

Sua, one of the wounded Samoans in hospital, stated that he was in the procession. He saw a policeman attempt to arrest Alatau. A general mix-up occurred, and blows were struck on both sides. He saw a policeman fall, but did not know the cause. He did not see who was first struck. The police then fired revolvers, and the Alan used stones. The shooting ceased, and the police retreated to the station. He did not see the constable who was killed. Witness returned to the courthouse corner and saw’ Tamasese, umbrella in hand, calling on the Alan to keep the peace. He saw Tamasese hit by one single distinct shot before the burst from the machine gun occurred. He rushed to assist Tamasese, when he (witness) was hit by what he thought •was the first machine-gun burst. He thought Faualo and Tuia were also hit by this burst. He did not see anybody killed outright.

Faualo, another wounded Samoan in hospital, stated that he was in the procession opposite the market, when the first shots were fired. He continued towards the courthouse, when he saw Tamasese, waving an umbrella, calling to the Mau to keep the peace. He saw Tamasese fall, and with others went to his assistance. When he was lifting Tamasese his leg was hit by a bullet from a machine-gun burst. He was wounded before Sua and Tuia were hit. He said the purpose of the 40 Alau police in the procession was to keep the peace. Chief Tuimaleali’ifano stated that when the procession passed the courthouse the police rushed in an attempt to break through it to arrest Afatau, but were prevented by the Alau police by pushing. They (the heads of the

Alau) had instructed their police to keep the other police back quietly without force. Shots were fired immediately after the breaking through. Witness was calling on the procession to keep the peace, when he was hit. Stones were thrown in the general mix-up. To Mr Slipper (solicitor for the rela-’ fives of the deceased Samoans) : Before leaving Vaimoso he instructed the committee not to bring the “ wanted ” men to town. When he joined the procession at the Customs he was surprised to see the “ wanted ” men present. To the Coroner: It was correct to say that when the police tried to arrest anyone they were generally resisted by the people of the village. Under instructions from the Alau Committee if the police went to A’aimoso to arrest any one they were to be resisted forcibly, and if the police got the “ wanted ” men thev could have them.

CONFLICT BETWEEN POLICE AND MAU.

CONSTABLE ABRAHAAI CLUBBED TO DEATH. WELLINGTON. January 21. A despatch, extracts from which here follow, from the Administrator of Samoa has been released by the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward) : — Apia, Western Samoa, December- 31, 1929. Alemorandum for the Alinister for External Affairs. Wellington. Riot of December 28. 1929. The following is an account of the riot which occurred in Apia on December 28, 1929.

The Mau were preparing a reception for Messrs Skelton (of Auckland, solicitor) and Smyth (ex-deportee). It was to consist of a parade of the Mau along the Beach road, marching thence to Vaimoso. and following with feasting and speeches. It seemed to me impossible to allow persons wanted by the police to be paraded in this manner, and I there fore gave consideration to the arrest of at least one such person if similar action should be taken by the Mau on this occasion. I accordingly instructed Inspector Braisby to be in readiness to arrest one of the wanted men, and selected one, K. Matau, to be arrested if brought into the town. This man was chosen for the reason that he is easily recognised, and he is one of those for whom a warrant was issued for an assault in June, last. “ On the morning of December 27 one, R. Kruse, of Messrs Nelson’s firm, applied on behalf of the Mau to Inspector Braisby for permission for Messrs Skelton and Smyth to land at the Tivoli wharf instead of the usual landing at the Customs wharf. The object of this was to make a more spectacular procession along the whole of the Beach road. Inspector Braisby, after reference to me, gave permission accordingly, and at the same time warned Kruse to let the Mau know that if the ‘ wanted ’ men were paraded arrests would be made. Subsequent telegrams already published in the proceedings of the inquest make it plain that this warning was duly given to Tamasese. Tuimaleali’ifano, and the Mau generally. The Mau procession started to come along the beach from both directions, the main body under Tamasese, Tuimaleali’ifano. and others coming from Vaimoso. and the Faasaleleaga natives from Matautu. intending to converge at the Tivoli wharf, and after the I landing to return to Vaimoso. The number in the procession is estimated at from 1500 to 2000, all carrying sticks, clubs, or knives. The ‘ wanted ’ men paraded with the Mau. including K. Matau. who was near Tamasese at the head of the procession. “At 6.27 a.m. the ‘arresting party," consisting of Sergeant Fell, six European constables, and one native constable, moved out to arrest Matau. Sergeant Fell was unarmed and the remainder carried batons only. Sergeant Fell arrested Matau. but was unable to secure him, and the latter finally escaped, because immediately Matau was seized Sergeant Fell was set upon with clubs and knocked senseless, while the other constables were also attacked by all the Mau | on the spot. “ A ‘ covering party.’ consisting of the rest of the available police, 20 in number, rushed in to extricate the arresting party, and in their turn were attacked by some 200 of the Mau. The ‘ covering party ’ was armed with revolvers as well as batons, and all the police being now in great danger of their lives revolvers were freely used, and most of the police were able to withdraw to the police station, fighting their way back, and followed by the Mau. Several police were separated from the rest and withdrew through a passage between Andrews and Fabricius’s shops, and round the back of the central office to the police station. Among these was Constable Abraham. Abraham was knocked down on the Beach road, apparently struck with a club, and then with an axe. He struggled into the passage mentioned, and was last seen alive there, firing with his revolver. Apparently he was too much disabled to follow the other police up the passage, and was caught by the Mau returning through the passage from following the others, when they clubbed him to death after his revolver was empty.” “When the police retreated to tire police station they were followed up by some 300 of the Mau, who began a vigorous attack on the building with stones, but were driven off by a few rifi-e and revolver shots and a Lewis gun fired over their heads into the sea. The Faasaleleaga men were stopped by their leaders at the Vaisigano bridge, and took no part in the riot. When the riot started, as far as I can learn, Tamesese and Tuimaleali’ifano did nothing to prevent the attack on the police, and the former, at any rate, may have taken some active part in it. After the attack on the police station had begun the latter was seen trying to hold back the rest of the Mau from entering the road to the police station, and during this stage he received a bullet wound through the arm from a shot fired over the heads of the crowd. His injury is of a minor nature. The exact stage at which Tamasese was shot is doubtful. His case was hopeless from the first, and he died yesterday ; morning. “ The whole of the fighting must have been over in less than a-quarter of an

hour. I arrived at the Central Office at 6.40, I think, and it was just finished. The police were at the police station and the Mau were removing two bodies from the street at the Central Officd. The crowd soon dispersed and by 7 a.m. had gone. The small number of casualties in comparison with the large number in the crowd, and the weapons used against them, indicated the restraint with which firearms were used by the police, who behaved with the utmost moderation in a critical position. Sergeant Waterson. who directed the police throughout, deserves the greatest credit for the coolness and judgment displayed in handling his force and for dispersing the crowd with so f-ew persons killed. It would have been easy and quite justifiable to have inflicted much greater casualties if shooting had been indiscriminately resorted to. (Signed) S. S. ALLEN. Administrator. P.S. The following postscript is added, in order to amend the above in tire evidence at the inquest: ‘Tamasese was pTobably not at the head of the procession. No evidence yet shows where he was, or what action he took. The arresting party proper consisted of four men (including Sergeant Fell), unarmed with batons or revolvers. The other three European police of Sergeant Fell’s party formed the first covering party, and carried revolvers. The rest of the European police (the main covering party) were in the police station, 100 yards away, and they carried revolvers. Constable Abraham was apparently killed with stones, not with clubs.”

ALLEGATION BY MR SKELTON.

AD MI NISTR ATOR ’S R EPLY.

The text of various statements recently made in respect of the riots in Western Samoa by Mr Hall Skelton and his associates has been conveyed to the Administrator of Western Samoa (Mr S. S. Allen), and his replies to them, as set out below, are issued for publication bv the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward)’: 1. The entire white population agrees that the whole thing was prearranged. Machine guns, snipers, and riflemen had l»een previously posted where it had been decided to halt the procession. Reply: There was no prearrangement except to effect arrest, and precautions were taken accordingly. No machine guns, snipers, or riflemen were previously posted. I think public opinion supports me. A proposed public meeting of protest droppeed from want of support. 2. No stones were thrown until Samoans had been shot down by revolvers and machine guns. Reply: No firing occurred until Sergeant Fell had been knocked senseless and others batoned and stoned. 3. Machine guns fired into the mass of people. Reply: One Lewis gun only was fired over the heads of the people and one burst into the ground in front of the police station. No one was struck bv

machine gun fire. 4. A machine gun was posted at the police barracks, pointed to the spot where the clash occurred.

Reply: One Lewis gun has always been kept at the police barracks, and was brought out when the riot began, but was not fired. 5. The declaration of the Mau as seditious prevented any Mau adherents from giving evidence at the inquest. Reply: The inquest began on Thursday. January 2, and the Mau was declared seditious on Monday, January 13 The declaration in no way prevented anyone from giving evidence. Slipper appeared for the relatives of the Samoans, and all witnesses whose names were given by him have been called. Slipper 'greed that the evidence was comprehensive. Thirty witnesses were called, of whom IS were called by Slipper. 6. The police had said that Smyth and Skelton would be pumped lull of lead and had no right to be there. Reply: The statement is untrue.

7. Smyth and Skelton went with the Mau to Vaimoso after the incident, and were followed to the vicinity of Vaimoso by 25 police with fixed bayonets. Reply: The police marched only to the end of the Beach road (a distance of. say. half a mile from the scene of the clash, and further distant from Vaimoso), and did not follow Smyth and Skelton. 8. Mr Meredith and Mr Johnson said that they would attend a public meeting, but became afraid of deportation. Reply: There was no reason why Messrs Meredith and Johnson or anyone who wished to should not attend a public meeting. There was no fear or threat of deportation, and the public meeting dropped through want of support. 9. A machine gun was fired almost simultaneously with revolver fire. Reply: No machine gun was fired until the police were driven back to the police station. 10. The bandmaster’s instrument was

shot to pieces by machine gun fire. Reply: The bandmaster’s instrument was smashed to pieces by beating Sergeant Fell with it. IT. The police admit they had a Lewis gun and three snipers in position, and another gun at the barracks. Reply: No guns or riflemen were in position before the riot. The term “ sniper ” is entirely incorrect. 12. A leadlight in the Law Court buildings had been removed for a machine-gun which was actually fired. Reply: No leadlight was removed from the court building, and no gun or rifle was fired from there. 13. The Mau police were intended merely to keep their men in order. Reply: The Mau police were for the protection of their men from arresfj and acted accordingly. 14. Matau threw Sergeant Fell to the ground merely in surprise.

Reply: Sergeant Fell was not thrown to the ground by Matau but was knocked down by a baton. 15. All Skelton’s witnesses (for the Nelson v. Auckland Herald case) except three were sniped and killed or wounded. Reply: I do not know who Skelton’s witnesses are or were.

16. The police quarters were barricaded after the incident, and a force was posted to protect the Administrator. Reply: This is untrue.

17. Westbrook called at the Central Office to protest and was immediately arrested, but subsequently released without charge. Reply: The statement is inaccurate. Westbrook was arrested in the street by my order for using language likely to provoke a breach of the peace. He was released without charge on account of his excited state.

18. It is abundantly proved that no official warning in writing or otherwise was given the Mau of any intended arrests.

Reply: At the inquest Kruse (an adherent of the Mau) gave evidence that he was warned by Braisby (the Inspector of Police) and in turn warned Tamasese that wanted men would be arrested in the procession. Also, Tuimaleali ifano (one of the leading Mau chiefs), in evidence at the inquest, stated that he had warning of the arrest, but nevertheless the wanted men were paraded, and further that the Mau had given instructions to resist arrest if the police went to A aimoso to arrest Matau or anyone else.

19. The facts are largely admitted by the police. Reply: The facts as outlined by Mi Skelton are certainly not admitted by the police. 20. I have no doubt that Tamasese was sniped.

Reply: Tamasese was not sniped. 21. Machine guns were turned on to Apia native village square, where women and children and young men rushed out in curiosity, meeting a long blast of gun fire, killing two boys, two young men, and wounding seven others. Reply: Lewis gun fired no burst into Apia native village, but one over the village and one into the ground in front of the police station to stop an attack from that direction. No women or children were wounded, or at any time in danger from fire, and the two boys reported killed were full-grown men and one who had recently been involved in a stoning attack was shot in 11l Ifi street. No one was struck by machine gun fire.

22. The wanted men have been almost daily on the beach, and could have been arrested without disturbance at any time.

Reply: The men have been wanted on criminal charges for some time, but have never appealed in Apia and have been kept hidden by the Mau. 23. Inquest was held only on Abraham, and not on Samoans. Reply: Inquest is being held on Abraham and also on the Samoans. With reference to the allegations made by one Polley, the only answer that it is necessary to make is that from affidavits in the possession of the Administrator it is clear that, despite his assertions, Polley did not see the riot at all. Mr Skelton has, of course, never sug gested that he was present at the scene of the disturbance.

MAU STILL IN THE BUSH. SIXTEEN FURTHER ARRESTS. APIA, January 23. The Mau are still in the bush. Constables and naval parties continue to operate iu West Apia and 16 unimportant arrests hate been made during the last two days. One man, who vigorously resisted arrest and threw stones, is now in hospital, being seriously wounded by a bullet.