BACK TO SAMOA

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 239, 10 May 1933, Page 5

BACK TO SAMOA

Deportees Returning After Five Years | MAU CONFLICT RECALLED Auckland, May 9. Returning to Samoa by the Mariposa this evening are the Hon. O. F. Nelson and Mr. E. W. Gurr, whose period of five years’ deportation from the Islands concluded last December. Following the report of the Royal Commission on Samoa in 1927, Mr. Nelson, who was the senior elected member of the Legislative Council and chairman of the Citizens’ Committee, and Mr. Gurr, who was editor of the Samoa Guardian, were deported by the then Administrator, Sir George Richardson, for a period of five years. This action was taken on the grounds that they were prejudicing the functioning of the Administration. At the same time, another resident, Mr. A. G. Smyth, was deported for a period of two years. He returned to Samoa in December, 1929, and is at present manager of Morris Hedstrom’s branch at Apia, and also chairman of the Chamber of Commerce there. It will be recalled that on his return there Avas a clash between the Man and the police which resulted in one policeman and 13 natives, including the high chief Tamasese, losing their lives. Mr. Nelson will he accompanied by his five daughters and nephew. During his enforced residence in New Zealand he has lived in Auckland, most of the time at Takapuna, where he has won popularity among local residents.

Mr. G. L. Westbrook, formerly member of the Legislative Council, and of the Citizens’ Committee, is returning to Apia after six months in New Zealand. He was one of the members of the Citizens’ Committee who was called upon to show reason why he should not be deported after the action had been taken in regard to Mr. Nelson, but no further action was taken in his case.