Chief Justice Has Busy Time in Samoa

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 196, 8 November 1927, Page 16

Chief Justice Has Busy Time in Samoa

SITTING OF COMMISSION

REPORT FOR GOVERNORGENERAL CIR CHARLES SKERRETT, Chief Justice, and Judge McCormick, of the Native Land Court, who returned to New Zealand yesterday by the Niagara, had an exceedingly busy time in Samoa, where they sat as a Royal Commission to hear grievances in New Zealand’s mandated territory. The other members of the party were Mr. W. E. Mason, secretary of the commission: Mr. J. Mitchell, oflicial reporter; Mr. V. R. Meredith, Crown Solicitor, Auckland; Colonel J. W. Hutchen, secretary of the Samoan Administration, and Mr. J. D. Gray., secretary of the Department of External Affairs, Wellington. Nearly 150 witnesses were examined by the commission, which proceeded to Apia by the s.s. Tofua in September, and commenced its sittings at Apia on September 24. The Administration was represented by Mr. Meredith, who had associated with him Mr. McCarthy, Crown Solicitor, Samoa, and Mr. G. Klinkmueller, legal agent. The Citizens’ Committee and the “Mau,” the petitioners, were represented by Mr. F. Baxter and Mr. T. B. Slipper, solicitors. of Apia. The principal European and native witnesses for the petitioners were heard at the sittings at Apia, as were also the Administrator, Sir George Richardson. and the officers of the Administration. The Apia sittings lasted from September 24 until Saturday, October 15, when an adjournment was made to enable the commission to visit the Island of Savai’i and the principal district on the south coast of Upolu. Native evidence was heard at Fagamalo (Savai’i), and at Falealili (Upolu). This malaga was made in the Administration steamer ‘Lady Roberts," which passed close enough to the island of Apolima to enable it to be inspected. The sittings were resumed at Apia on Saturday, the 2?nd inst., and terminated on October 27, the chairman intimated that the commission would in due course present its report to the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, in Wellington. On arrival at Auckland Sir Charles would make no comment cn the visit to Samoa apart from saying that they had had an exceedingly busy time He could give no indication as to when the report of the commission would be available for discussion. Mr. Justice Herdman was one of the first to welcome the Chief Justice ; home. He boarded the Niagara in the stream, and had a long discussion with Sir Charles Skerrett before the liner berthed.