NELSON REFUSED BAIL

Taranaki Daily News, 6 March 1934, Page 7

NELSON REFUSED BAIL

GUILTY ON THREE CHARGES INTERIM JUDGMENT GIVEN i CLEARLY ADVISER OF MAU’ FINAL DECISION TO-MORROW By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Apia, March 3. In his interim judgment the Chief Judge at the conclusion of the trial of O. F. Nelson said the procedure had been unusual on account of the politics involved. He proposed to comment on that point in his final judgment on Wednesday. He convicted Nelson on the second, third and sixth of the eight charges before the Court. The judge quoted extensive extracts from the evidence of Mau witnesses besides documentary matter, and said that the clearest evidence established that Nelson was the Mau adviser and the Apia agent and correspondent of the Guardian newspaper, published by Nelson with Mau money.

The authorship of the reports, letters, messages and instructions seized was undoubtedly Nelson’s, though he pleaded innocent of guilty intention, particularly regarding his presence at the unlawful assemblies of a seditious organisation held in September. “On account of the serious nature of the charges and the disclosures further bail will be refused,” said the judge. Nelson was transferred to the Valmea prison. Faumuina exhorted many Mau onlookers to keep the peace and disperse from the vicinity of the court.