NATIVE RISING.

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 17898, 19 December 1929, Page 6

NATIVE RISING.

TROUBLE IN NIGERIA. DUE TO UNFOUNDED RUMOURS. . 18 WOMEN CASUALTIES. (OfTlc)al Wireless.! (Received December 19, 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, December 18. ■ Questioned In the House of Commons regarding the native unrest in South-eastern Nigeria, Dr. Shiels (Under-Secretary for the Colonies) said that according to scanty information received, the cause of the disturbances was the assessment, which involved country women in certain districts. This gave rise to a wholly unfounded rumour that it was intended to impose direct taxation on women, and the recent lowering of the prices paid by merchants for native produce was a further contributing factor. On December 11 large crowds assembled, and, despite assurances that there was no intention of taxing women, proceeded to loot and destroy property at various places in the neighbourhood of Aba and Opobo. _ , Additional police were brought m to deal with the situation, and later these were reinforced by detachments of the Royal West Frontier Force. The situation on the 18th instant was, he reported, such that it had been necessary to introduce additional troops and police to quell the rioters at Opobo, where it had been necessary for the police to fire, causing 18 casualties, which he regretted to say, were all women. It, was not stated how many were fatal. . The districts in question were a lon o way from headquarters, and inc people were still largely in a primitive condition. It would probably be some time before the situation became quite last night, the Governor reported that the situation round Aba was now satisfactory, and every effort was being made to avoid further bloodshed.