“TONGUES TIED”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 138, 1 September 1927, Page 1

“TONGUES TIED”

SAMOA INQUIRY NEWS OF DEVELOPMENTS HON. O. F. NELSON RETURNS “ZAUR tongues are tied—that is the most unfortunate part of the whole business,” said the Hon. O. F. Nelson, of Samoa, on his return to Auckland this morning. Though gratified with the promise of a Royal Commission, Mr. Nelson still protests against the fact that his position, as a witness before the Select Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry, gave him no opportunity to reply publicly to the personal criticism to which he has been subjected by the Government. He considers that, in fairness to all parties, the proceedings should have been open to the Press. Since the committee opened its investigation, said Mr. Nelson, startling developments had occurred in Samoa, but as a matter of course he had put his information before the committee, as evidence, and he was therefore not at liberty to make it public. SESSION CONCLUDES The Select Committee concluded its session, for the present, last Friday, and it is unlikely to resume investigations, as it will virtually be superseded when the Royal Commission is appointed. From Friday until yesterday evening Mr. Nelson waited in Wellington in the hope that details of the commission’s personnel, the scope of its inquiry, and its order of reference, would be announced, but he was disappointed. He now proposes to return to Samoa by the Tofua, leaving Auckland on Saturday week, and pencilled his berth this morning. He may cancel the trip if the expected details concerning the Royal Commission are still withheld, but if it is announced that the commission is to go to Samoa, he will sail by the Tofua in order to be there when it is sitting. WELCOME FOR COMMISSION “The commission,” he declared, “will be welcomed in Samoa. It is what we have been wanting all the time. We want the whole thing sifted thoroughly, with no white-washing of anyone.” . He added that he did not know if Samoa would be represented on the commission, nor what the scope of its inquiry would be. The Citizens’ Committee, naturally, would present its case as strongly as possible. Thousands of witnesses would be ready to give evidence on its behalf, as the inquiry was.what the Samoans had been waiting for. But for their hope and expectation of a just inquiry, followed by better conditions, there would have been more serious trouble long before. Mr. A. G. Smyth, who arrived from Samoa early in July, and has been associated with Mr. Nelson in the presentation of Samoan grievances before the Government, leaves for Sydney on Saturday.