Trip to Gaol

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 547, 27 December 1928, Page 7

Trip to Gaol

Tamasese Arrives from Samoa

Tofua’s Smiling Captive Chief

SMILING and nodding to the group of people who witnessed his landing in New Zealand, Lealofi Tamasese, Samoan native chief, stepped down the gangway of the Tofua shortly before 6 o'clock last evening.

With him were two Auckland police constables, and the familiar patrol van waited on the wharf, its engine running and its door ready open. Young and powerfully built, Tamasese was a picturesque figure in a native skirt costume of smart grey material, topped with an impeccable felt hat of the same colour. He paused at the door of the van and then entered, still smiling. Two bolts clicked home and the van sped toward the city. _ ~ Such was Auckland’s glimpse of the Tofua’s most talked-of passenger from the Islands, who has been brought to New Zealand to serve a sentence of six months’ imprisonment for resisting arrest in Samoa. It was on this charge that he was dealt with, recently by Judge W. H. Woodward, Chief Justice of Western Samoa, who, by a coincidence, was also a passenger on the Tofua.

The decision to imprison Tamasese in New Zealand roused so much comment that an official announcement was made in Wellington last week. This was to the effect that the chief was in no sense a political prisoner. He had broken the law, had been tried in the ordinary way, and sentenced to imprisonment. Furthermore, his removal to New Zealand for the period of his sentence was in accordance with the law.

These statements were, in effect, contested by the Hon. O. F. Nelson, who wrote to The Sun and commented strongly on the case. The arrest was brought about by the failure of Tamasese to obey an order of the High Court to pay taxes. For this offence he was sentenced to an additional six weeks’ imprisonment. For a few days following the arrest there was evidence of bad feeling among the Mau element. One military policeman received a bad cut on the lip from a stone. There were rumours that an attempt would be made to release Tamasese from the gaol, but this did not eventuate. The Samoan was in the custody of Air. C. A. Berendsen, of the External Affairs Department, who handed him over to the Auckland police on the arrival of the Tofua last evening. Until he appeare.d with the constables, Tamasese was nowhere to be seen and reporters who approached Air. Berendsen were baffled by jovial refusals to make any comment on the position. “Just so that we know where we are,” he said, “I might tell you that I am going to say nothing at all about myself or Tamasese.”

Judge Woodward made it perfectly clear that he was not concerned in any way with politics, nor did he intend to discuss the question from that angle. Ills duty was to dispense justice according to the law. However, he was willing to make a statement regarding the legal position of the Tamasese case.

“Tamasese was tried for resisting arrest and sentenced accordingly,” he said. “The law provides that offenders sentenced to six months’ imprisonment or more may be required to serve their sentences in New Zealand. That is the case with Tamasese.” COMMENT RIFE

Comment on the Tamasese case wi rife on the Tofua. despite the fact th;

most of the officials among the passengers were reticent. One passenger said that the police at Suva would take no responsibility for Tamasese during the Tofua’s stay in Fiji, and he remained in Air. Berendsen’s care throughout the journey. Air. David G. Holmes, president of the Utility Company, New York, who had been visiting Samoa in the course of an extended holiday trip, said he was in the position of an unbiassed onlooker. While admitting that he held certain definite opinions on the Samoan question and the case of Tamasese in particular, Air. Holmes explained that he was loth to come forward with criticism while accepting the hospitality of New Zealand. At the same time he felt that if his views as a business man, used to the- handling of problems, would be of any assistance in solving Samoa’s difficulties he should be willing to offer them. AMERICAN’S VIEWS “I join with you all in hoping that the Samoan troubles will soon be over,” lie said. "However, apart from any question of the justice of the Tamasese case I am inclined to winder at tlie present methods of taking people from their homes. Why not make friends of the chiefs? I am not suggesting that they are tin gods with liaios round their heads, but they can exist in themselves without paying taxes, and can continue this policy ox passive resistance indefinitely, v, “They are a quiet, intelligent people and do not seem to be noisily demonstrating, but it appears as though they must be made to bend the knee. “Mistakes have undoubtedly been made, but the administration seems to be so stiff - backed. It takes a greater man to admit a fault.” A Fiji resident, familiar from boyhood with the handling ot natives mere, said he was satisfied that Samoa's problems would not be solved, until those in charge in every branch Had trained themselves in the language and Habits of the people so that misunderstandings and xaux pas couid be avoided. “In Fiji wo are successful because we have been among the natives since boyhood,” he said. “What is more, we have to pass stiff examinations in language and customs.” The crowd that awaited Tamasese’s appearance was a small one but included a number of natives and those vvno seemed in sympathy with Uie prisoner. “ARMED” CONSTABLE Glances of surprise were directed at a uniformed ponce constable who stood near the loot of the gangway noidiug an encased rifle and a revolver, but ins presence there had nothing to do witn the prisoner’s arrival, and the weapons he held were the property of a passenger who had handed them over as required by tlie Customs regulations. The Hon. O. F. Nelson was among those who waited, but he did not converse with Tamasese. Conversation with the chief was not encouraged.