“UNCROWNED KING OF SAMOA”

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 111, 1 August 1927, Page 7

“UNCROWNED KING OF SAMOA”

TRIBUTE TO HON. 0. F. NELSON DUNEDIN, Saturday. I The character of the Hon. O. F. Nelson and Mr. Sam- Meredith, of the Samoan Citizens’ Committee, is defended by Major A. W. A. Richardson, who was in charge of the Samoa garrison up to 1920, and, therefore, second in order to the Administrator. In an interview he gave the inside history of the influenza epidemic administration of Colonel Robert Logan, who had caused antagonism with Mr. Nelson and Mr. Meredith and had issued the prohibition proclamation. jYJAJOR RICHARDSON said that Mr. Nelson was the “uncrowned King of Samoa,’ and was rightly revered by the natives. During the influenza epidemic Mr. Nelson had declared “You are welcome to the whole store and everything I possess that will do good for my people." His interests had always been for the people. Mr. Nelson stood for law and order. Major Richardson considered that if the Hon. W. Nosworthy had used tact on his visit, any trouble would have been settled. Something was wrong when Mr. Nelson made complaints. Major Richardson supported Sir Maui Pomare’s declaration that New Zealand had taken the influenza to Samoa, and stated that he has documentary proof that the steamer Talune carried 13 soldiers for Apia who shoul not have been allowed to land. BLOOD RELATIVE “WHO’S WHO IN SAMOA” MR. NOSWORTHY’S CORRECTION (THE SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Saturday. The Hon. W. Nosworthy, Minister of External Affairs, has taken exception to a statement in THE SUN of July 28 respecting the Hon. O. F. Nelson’s relative quoted by Mr. Nosworthy from his “Who’s Who in Samoa.” The blood relative he referred to, Mr. Nosworthy says, is Carl Robert Wetzell, son of Mr. Nelson’s sister. His father, who was Mr. Nelson’s brother-in-law, is dead.