SAMOAN CHIEF

Hokitika Guardian, 28 December 1928, Page 2

SAMOAN CHIEF

IN MT. EDEN GAOL. TASIE-SK.SE ABB IVES BY TOM'A. AUC'S LAND. Dec. 2G. The prominent Samoan < liicL Lea leii Tsininsc.se. acknowledged leader o the Man. arrived from Samoa by tin 'lol'n-i. to serve sentence of six moni.i im-irisonment in Mt. Eden Gaol I resisting arrest. Police boarded i! v vi.sei soon aider her arrival, and eon veyed Tninnse.se lo llie gaol. Tamnsase is a very young chief, an apparently the senioiuv has fallen velightly on his shoulders. Mis face ;

wreathed in smiles as he walked dev the gangway, and his manner was a 1 most jovial as . lie pass, d by to tii police van. He raised bis hat t" M (>. F; Nelson, who was among the on lookers. No words were exchanged ho tween the two,

C Tamasese was arrested under drnmnvic circumstances early on the morning of November 27th. The police had been scar dug for him for. days in the hush, wh-re he had taken refuge. Me was finally captured and handcuffed, however and has given no further trouble. The arrest, w.-e; brought about by the failure ol Tamasese to obey-an order of the High Court to pay taxes. For this offence ho was sentenced to, six weeks’ imprisonment. this term being made cumulative with the six months. There was evidence of bad feeling among the Man element for a few days following the. arrest. One military policeman received a bad cut on ibe lip- from a stone. Tin re was rumours that an attempt would he made to release Tamasese from gaol, but this did

not eventuate. On ilie voyage to Auckland Tamas'-se was in charge ol Mr C. A. Borendseu. secretary of the External Aflairs Department, who declined to make any statement concerning the affair. H is understood that when the Toiua called in at Suva the local police would take no responsibility for Tamasese, and ho remained aboard the ship. Judge W. IT. Woodward. Chid Judge of Samoa, who sentenced Tamasese, also arrived by the i’ofuu. He stated that Tamasese was not a political prisoner; lie was charged with a breach of the law and was sentenced for that. Explaining why Tamasese

was being brought to Auckland to Serve his sentence, Judge Woodward saidythat when prisoners were sentenced to six months’ imprisonment m more in Samoa, they could be taker to Auckland to;.serve the sentence. 'Tamasese was not the first Samoan prisoner who lin'd undergone this procedure.