SAMOAN DISTURBANCES

Taranaki Daily News, 18 January 1930, Page 11

SAMOAN DISTURBANCES

STORY OF EYE-WITNESS

ALLEGED DELIBERATE SNIPING. POLICE ACTION CONDEMNED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Westport, Jan. 17. From Suva Mr. H. E. Holland has received a cablegram in which the sender, Frederick Polley, formerly of New Zealand, declares that he was in Apia when the shooting affray took place on December 28, and saw the incident at close range. His statement is to the effect that the police fired on the mass of people almost simultaneously with the attempted arrests, and that stones were not thrown until a number of Samoans had been shot down. Three riflemen were then sniping from the courthouse verandah. ■ '■ ./ . • - ■■■■

He saw the police run down an alleyway with emptied revolvers. Constable Abraham had reloaded and started firing, again when he was. etruck with The machine gun was firing down Ife If.i. Road, wounding and killing the bearers of Tamasese. This gun Was then turned on the native village, where there were women and children who were not in any way interfering. Two boys and two young men were killed and seven wounded., Tamasese had run from the rear pro,-, cession with upraised hands and was ap; pealing to the Samoans to keep the peace and to the police to stop , firing when he was shot down. He was. also, declaring that the two men would be, handed oyer., He .seemed to be deliberately sniped by a rifleman. The two wanted men had been walking the streets of Apia daily, and the. Mau leaders say that absolutely no notice was given of . the intended' arrests. The whole of the white population wa3 terrorised into silence, but both the white • residents and visitors from overseas unani.mously desired to punish those who were' responsible for the tragedy. The accounts of the incident diich' have been published in New Zealand are almost wholly untrue, and the sender of the cablegram says he is prepared to swear on oath the facts which he has stated. • PRIME MINISTER’S COMMENT. INQUIRY SHOULD BE AWAITED. ——— Wellington, Last Night. •When the cable received by Mr. H. E. Holland from Frederick Polley regarding the Apia riot was • referred ?o the Prime Minister this afternoon Sir Joseph Ward indicated that its contents were completely at variance with the official reports he had received. The official reports. indicated definitely that the first party of, four police who were detailed to arrest certain men wanted on warrant for assaulting, the police (and not for non-payment of taxes) were entirely -unarmed with either batons or revolvers. The supporting party of three, was. armed with revolvers, • aS 1 was also the main covering party in reserve at the police station which dame'into’ action only when the first party was mauled. “The reports are quite clear that there was no shooting whatever before the lives of the police were in imminent danger, and that the police acted with the greatest forbearance and restraint,” Sir Joseph added. ‘The crisis was precipitated by the Mau’s action in deliberately flaunting in front of the administration offices the men wanted on warrant after a specific warning had been issued to the Mau the previous day that these men should not be paraded through the town. The issue plainly was whether or not law should prevail. ‘High Chief Tamasese, who according to the Press reports was against the parading of these men, was nevertheless a party to the step that was taken, and though he was amongst the rioters it was impossible to say until the conclusion of the inquest whether he was or was not endeavouring to restrain his followers. It was understood the inquest had been postponed for the production of Mau evidence, and the public should await the result of the inquiry before accepting as authoritative any version of the facts. In the meantime the official reports were as stated.

With reference to the allegation that machine gun fire was directed against the natives Sir Joseph emphasised that the official reports were distinctly to the effect that this was not the case and that the machine gun fire was never at any time directed against the natives but was used merely for the moral effect. No casualties whatever had been reported as a result of machine gun fire and the reports made no reference to the alleged use of these weapons against women and children, or to any casualties amongst boys. Sir Joseph added that he was referring a copy of Mr. Holland’s message to ..the administrator and that his reply to the very serious allegations would be published immediately they were received.