SAMOA RIOTING

Taranaki Daily News, 31 December 1929, Page 11

SAMOA RIOTING

NINE KILLED IN FIGHTING REPORT OF ADMINISTRATION TAMASESE AMONG DEAD MAU MEMBERS DISPERSED By Telegraph.—Press Association Wellington, Last Night. Eight Samoans and one policeman are dead" as the result of Saturday’s rioting at Apia,® states a communication received by Sir Joseph Ward from the Administrator, Colonel S. S. Allen. High Chief Tamasese,' who recently served a term of banishment in New Zealand, is one of the dead, ne having died of wounds. Six policemen were injured (none seriously), and twelve natives (including High Chief Tuimalealiifano) were wounded and are being treated in hospital. The riot occurred when members of the Mau gathered to welcome Mr. A. G. Smythe, who was returning from two years ’exile in New Zealand, and Mr. Hall Skelton, counsel for the Hon. O. F. Nelson, who ie visiting Samoa to collect evidence and to brief witnesses in connection with a libel action to be heard at . Auckland on February 20 against the New Zealand Herald. The Administrator, in his report to the Prime Minister, stated that from 1500 to 2000 Mau members paraded on Saturday and that about 300 took part in the attack on the police, who attempted to arrest wanted men. The attack lasted only a few minutes. Afterwards the Mau men hurried off to Vaimaso. .The Mau had dispersed and no further incidents were expected.

Commenting on the report, Sir Joseph Ward said the loss of life was greatly to be deplored, but the information to hand showed conclusively that the police acted with great forbearance and that firearms were used only ns a last resort.

A full meeting of Cabinet has been called for to-m'orrow to discuss the matter. Those members of the Cabinet uot already in Wellington have been specially summoned and most of them will arrive to-morrow.

HISTORY OF THE. DEPORTATIONS.

EXPIRY OF MR. SMYTHE’S TERM

The legal force expired on December 22 of one of the three deportation orders made in 1927 banishing from Western Samoa the men who it was maintained were largely responsible for discontent amongst the natives in the mandated territory. The three deportees were the Hon. 0. F. Nelson and Messrs. E. W. Gurr, who were ordered to leave Western Samoa for five years, and A. G. Smythe, whose term of banishment was two years. .

Mr. Smythe’s period of absence expired last Sunday. He has spent the greater part of his term of exile in Suva, and he has wasted no time in taking up hie residence again in the mandated territory. It was expected his return would probably be an occasion for much celebration by hie supporters. The other deportees have yet three years of their period of banishment to run. They are both in New Zealand.

The expiry of Mr. Smythe’s deportation order recalls one of the keenest political controversies in the history of New’ Zealand, arousing as it did international as well as local interest. The deportation orders were the culminating point of protracted inquiry and discussion as to the causes of native disaffection with the Dominion’s administration in the mandated territory. A loner statement in justification of the deportation orders was issued by the late Prime Minister (the Right Hon. J. G. Coatee) a month after the orders had been made. Declaring that the Government had determined’ to take a stronger course in governing Western Samoa, Mr. Coates referred to the deplorable effect of the Mau activities on the natives, particularly in the matter of public health, and indicted Messrs. . Nelson, Gurr and Smythe as the source and origin of the trouble, expressing confidence, that, left to themselves, the Samoans would gradually of their o.wn accord realise the position and co-operate with tile Administration as in the past. “It cannot be made too clear,” said Mr. Coatee, “that this step is not in any way a punishment for a crime or an offence. It is not in the strict sense of the term a judicial act —it is an executive act, taken not as a penalty but as a preventive measure to facilitate the "ood government of the territory.” o SCENE OF THE DISTURBANCE. DISPOSITION OF WHITE POLICE. The scene of the disturbance at Apia was described last evening by Sir George Richardson, the former Administrator of the Mandated Territory of Western Samoa, who is now resident in Auckland.

The telephone wires which are reported to have been wrecked run from Apia as far as Mulifanua, on the west of Upolu Island, eaid Sir George. The wires also connect Apia with the wirelees station and various Government plantations. The severing of the wires would mean that Apia would have no telephonic communication with the outer districts. The police station is in the middle of the town and close to the waterfront. The whole of the disturbance would be enacted along the front of the beach. The beach road mentioned in the messages is about half a mile long and skirts the waterfront. The wharf is situated about the centre of the waterfront. It was there that the New Zealand troops landed in 1914. Sir George added that the police force at present consists of about 30 white officers from New Zealand and about the same number of natives, all under the control of an inspector. Afr. A. L. Braisby. In the days of Sir Georges regime there were only two white policemen, the others being natives. Sir George, considered the present force to be moderately strong, although he pointed out that not all the members of the force were at Apia, but were distributed around Hie. islands. The white policemen were sent from New Zealand and were organised on a military basis, but after..{i year the force was enrolled, jin a cjyjlybas.