THE DETHRONING OF JUSTCE

Hokitika Guardian, 20 July 1927, Page 4

THE DETHRONING OF JUSTCE

(Exchange.; Things have come to a pretty pass in this country when a citizen living under British i'aw can be threatened with deportation without trial il he criticises the Administration. Mr Nelson, chairman of a citizens’ committee in Apia, and one of the three independent members of the Legislative t‘ouii 7 oil of Samoa, is at present in New Zealand with this outrageous threat hanging over his head. Other members of the committee who remain in Samoa also have this threat made to them, while two native chiefs have been deported and one sent to gaol, ail without trial of any sort. No charges have been formulated against any of these individuals, the whole tiling resting on a vague assertion ol the Administiation that their actions are subversive ol the interests of the Samoan native. The whole thing is ail outrage of British justice. The standards of fascism and Bolshevism are the only ones with which we are acquainted that tolerate ( such actions. The tiling is so astounding in a British community and under British laws that we can well conceive I that incest people do not lolly grasp the ilagrancy of the outrage which the Administrator, and behind him the Nov Zealand Government, have perpetraLed. We do not for a moment believe that, the I’arliament of this country will permit its authority to be so flagrantly abused. Let us make it quite ci’oar that we are neither supporting nor cltsaproving the actions of this committee which has taken upon itsoll to criticise the methods of the mandatory power and its servants. The.ee are outside the present question. Our protest is levelled solely at an abuse of authority that must be inconceivable to anyone brought up to respect British traditions ~t justice. Tlu> New Zealand Parliaim si will do well to appoint a Commission to go into ibis matter without delay. Our reputation abroad is at stake.