SAMOAN SITUATION

Taranaki Daily News, 24 August 1933, Page 7

SAMOAN SITUATION

OBJECTION TO HON. NELSON ADMINISTRATOR’S DECISION. INTENT TO USE NAVY DENIED. (By Radio.) Apia, Aug. 22. A meeting between the Administrator (Brigadier-General A. H. Hart) and the Mau leaders has been held practically each week since early June until August 18. At each meeting the Mau requested that the Hon. O. Nelson be allowed to attend, which the Administrator refused. At a meeting on August 12 the Administratoi- told them that it was useless to make this request each time. Unless they were prepared to meet him without Mr. Nelson the meeting for August 18 would be the last. The same request was made on August 18 and further meetings have been discontinued by the Administrator when he said that they would revert to the original position and that the law must be observed.

A report has been circulated that the Administrator threatened to make use of naval men from H.M.S. Veronica to enforce the law. Such a report was incorrect. The Mau secretary subsequently saw the Administrator and admitted that a rumour to that effect circulated after the meeting was incorrect and that no such statement had been made by the Administrator.