TRIAL IN SAMOA.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20233, 17 February 1934, Page 30 (Supplement)

TRIAL IN SAMOA.

Police Chief’s Allegations Against Nelson. (Special to Press Association.— By Radio.) APIA, February 15. The Nelson case was continued to-day, when Inspector Braisby was reexamined by the Crown Prosecutor. Witness stated that members of the Mau and the malaga parties who were arrested in November had usurped the duties of the native officials appointed to supervise the cleaning of villages, roads and plantations. The Mau policy had always been to profess a desire to keep the peace. Witness maintained that Nelson had been set up as Mau leader and had acted as such. He had never repudiated it. Rumours were harmful to the native mind, but it had been persistently rumoured during Nelson’s absence that he was returning each month with victory. Witness believed that Nelson was the only person capable of drafting the Three-Power Petition. No Samoan could have written the letters to the Administrator in the recent negotiations. ' Supporting the contention that “ Guardian ” reports were often untrue and misleading, Inspector Braisby read an article attributed to Mr Hall Skelton, which he said was deceptive, untruthful and lying. He said that three snipers were posted on the Court House roof in December, 1929, and that the shooting was prearranged. Skelton was stated to have seen bullets ricochet off the road. Witness was beside Skelton then on board a ship, where it was impossible to see anything of the sort. He believed that Skelton deliberately had mis-stated the case, as when giving evidence at inquests he did not make the foregoing statements. That and similar reports had done incalculable harm overseas. Witness read further articles written by Nelson, which, he alleged, had a harmful effect on the native mind. Mr M’Carthy, Crown Prosecutor, stated that he would produce evidence that the deportation of Nelson was similar to those made in respect of persons in Cyprus and British Africa.