IN SAMOA

Hokitika Guardian, 5 October 1932, Page 8

IN SAMOA

MAU LEADERS. COMPLAIN OF RESTRICTIONS. * AUCKLAND, October 1. . r , The leaders of the tvlau in Western Samoa have again addressed a letter, to the Administrator, Brigadier-General f Hart, on the ;subject of the return or the Hon. 0. F. N'elsojn and Mr E. W. . Gurr, the period, o.f whose deportation expires next December. The signatories of the letter, Fau-muina-Fiame, president, and Mata’utia K. secretary, express dissatisfaction with the Administrator’s rep'.y to their first letter, in which he informed them that the events .to' which they had alluded would be considered and disposed of “at the, proper time and place as, and when they, occur.’’ They complain that “where ; any reply, at all is received to our .peaceful overture?, it is only to remind us of New Zealand’s military strength and our own comparative weakness.” “As we are not prepared. .to surrender our right of free movement, and •free speech on the occasion of Taisi'-s return ,to ,his. native., country, a-nd ye are not willing to. retaliate violently fo . the measures implied in your letter, ’, says the Mau, “we must respectfully _ request Taisi (the Hon. 0. F. N e lson) and Misi Kea (Mr E. W. Gurr) to defer their return to "Samoa. until -we have been freed of the unheard-of restrictions now crushing .u-s, but. which we .will not alloy* to kill o-ur pride of race or our national -spirit. We wish to'remind...you again. that Taisi holds ou • confidence and has full authority fro:;us; to confer With your Government in Wellington whenever the. latter -i* pr« pared to consider our many grievances and proper, status.” ' The -letter was addressed to -the Administrator, but as he had left, for New • Zealand' by the Maui Pomare the day before, if . was handed to the acting■Adminietrator ton September 24.