Samoa Commission Not Dealing With “Village Trivialities”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 175, 14 October 1927, Page 1

Samoa Commission Not Dealing With “Village Trivialities”

UNIMPORTANT EVIDENCE

AFTER hearing the statements of more native witnesses, the Chairman of'the Samoa Commission, Sir Charles Skerrett, said that the class of evidence being given was unworthy of consideration by the tribunal.

Special to Press Association.—Bp

Wireless

Reed. 9.5 a.m. APIA, Thursday. tpWO native witnesses, giving evl- •*- dence almost wholly on trivial: points, occupied the Commission throughout Wednesday afternoon. Sir Charles Skerrett, addressing Mr. Slipper, counsel for the Citizens’ Committee, said: “I think it is my duty to say that the class of complaint now being given is unworthy of consideration by this tribunal.” A sitting in Chambers followed, after which the chairman of the Commission intimated that the class o[ evidence being given now was the same as had been testified by representative witnesses of 31 districts. He (the chairman) was sure it was never -intended that the Commission should occupy itself with village trivialities, and he said the Administration had intimated that it would call

all the Faipules against whom charges were made. Any others desired for examination by the Citizens’ Committee would be subpoenaed by the Commission. Counsel was then given till next morning to decide on his acquiescence or otherwise in the arrangement. Earlier, the Hon. O. F. Nelson, in reply to a question by Judgo McCormick, said he supposed that the reason why 70 or more Samoans hact remained in Apia for several weeks, thus disobeying the Administrator's orders to return to their homes, was "because they objected to being ordered abont like children. 1 ’ The Chairman: That, Mr. Nelson, is rather typical of some of your observations. In the presence of Samoans it is an incendiary way of talking.— A. and N.Z.