DIDN'T HAPPEN, MR. BARNES

Chronicle (Levin), 17 January 1948, Page 3

DIDN'T HAPPEN, MR. BARNES

WELLINGTON, Jan: 16. "Mr. Barnes' vision of a poiiceman armed with two revolvers' terrorising the waterfront at R'arotonga, has had the same substance" as his oth'er vision of 11 islanders in chains 'at Manihiki. In other words, it is just a vision,"said Mr. A. G. Osborne, Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Prime Minister, when replying to allegations made by Mr. Barnes, national president of the Watersiders; Union, on December 31. "It did not happen. It could not have happened since tlie 'pnly rev.olver ih'the possession of the Rarotongan police had been post'ed to New Zealand for repairs prio-r to the alleged incident," Mr. Osborne said. "A searching inquiry revealed that the incident alleged by Mr. Barnes was on the hearsay. authority of unnamed members of the crew of the Maui Pomare and did not happen. At jUO time before, during or since the visit of the Maui Pomare, was any member of the police force at Rarotonga armed with a revolver or any weapon lethal or otherwise. " An official message from the Administration said: "No member of the police was at any time armed or fired, brandished or in any way threatened the people with revolvers or any other weapon on any occasion. " The pistol which was at present at he.adquarters of Island Territories, Wellington, was normally used by the police for such | things as the shooting of horses wxtn j broken legs and the disposal of diseased animals. Mr. Barnes had furthei endeavoured to distort the facts of tha taking into custody of two islanders who had gone out to the Maui Pomare by canoe, said Mr. Osborne. The facts were that the canoe owner had sig'ned a statement to the effect that his canoe had been stolen. This was the -canoe whicli took j the two men to the ship. Accordingly, on their return, they wore arrested and | charged with the theft of the canoe. | However, the canoj bwner had subse- , quently ehanged his storv and said he had given permission for the canoe to be used. The theft charge was accordingly withdrawn and the men released. Keferring to Mr. Baraes'' -call for an inquiry, Mr. Osborne said the Gook Islanders had never b.een better off than under the present Government aua knew they had notliing to gain from the elements thac were stirring up discord and illfeeling based o'n fabrica- , tions.