32 SAMOANS LEAVE MAU

Taranaki Daily News, 30 January 1930, Page 11

32 SAMOANS LEAVE MAU

NATIVE DIES FBOU WOUNDS. - By Telegraph.—Press Association. . (Special to Press Assn. —By Radio.) Rec. 5.5 p.m. .Apia, Jan. 29. Thirty-two . Samoans, after spending a fortnight in the. bush, interviewed the Administrator and informed him of their intention to abandon the Mau. With the Administrator’s permission they subsequently returned to their homes. Faasaleleaga, a Sayaii Samoan, who resisted arrest by the police, died of his wounds yesterday. Ari inquest will be held.

’ANSWER TO ADMINISTRATION. MAU’S DESERTION OF VILLAGES. (By AVlrc —Special to News.) Auckland, Last Night. Writing under the date of January 14 the Herald’s correspondent in Apia says, the beadquarters of the Mau organisation at Vaimoso and Lepea, upon the outskirts of Apia, until a few days ago were crowded with native warriors from the outlying districts of Upolu and from Savaii. The villages were gay with feasting and sports for the younger men, while frequent kava calls and the droning of talking men proclaimed the interminable. fonos which engaged the elder sections. The Administrator’s proclamations, posted on January 6, changed the scene practically overnight. All. through the night'of January 7 overladen motor-lor-ries and long native sea-going boats (fautasi) departed east and west with singing Samoaiis,. while hundreds took the trail on foot. On Wednesday tlie Mau office, an old band rotunda,, was. closed and riiinus its purple flag. The villages, except for some women and children, were completely deserted. Such, was the Mau’s answer to the administration. For the remainder of the week considerable preliminary work was done by the police force, under . Inspector Braisby, and certain information was gained as to the destination' of the Mau leaders. The strength of the. force■. was too small to attempt anything definite with certainty of success. . On Sunday, January T2, 11.M.5. Dunedin tied up in Apia Harbour, at 2 p.m. and the work of completing an organised movement was promptly proceeded- with. On Mdnday morning stores and equipment were smartly landed and dispatched with .strong parties to un-named destina--tions.

It must" be understood tha't civil authority is still'iu control -of the situation; mhrtial law not having been proclaimed. The operation now in hand is merely the reinforcing of the -polirie-i in their efforts to-enforce the laws of the territory. Throughout the civilian/population there is a general,feeling of relief, even among those > who disapprove' of* the measures adopted, that at jeast aiii effort is being made to, end the dead-lock which has for too long been strangling the community. •"' • ?'! *