NO GUNS OR SNIPERS POSTED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 879, 24 January 1930, Page 1

NO GUNS OR SNIPERS POSTED

Direct Denial of Samoan Stories

ADMINISTRATOR ISSUES REPLY Seriatim Answer to Charges Special to THE SUN WELLINGTON, Today. PRECAUTIONS taken by the Western Samoa Administration on “Black Saturday” at Apia were to effect arrest, but no machine-guns, snipers or riflemen were previously posted. This denial is an important statement in the reply of the Administrator, Colonel S. S. Allen, to the allegations of Mr. A. Hall Skelton, solicitor, of Auckland, and his associates. Colonel Allen replies to 23 points.

IN a statement issued for publication by the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, Colonel Allen has replied to the allegations point by point. The text of the various statements recently made at Auckland by Mr. Hall Skelton and his associates regarding the riots in Western Samoa were conveyed to the Administrator. ; His replies are set out as under: Statements by Mr. Skelton and His Associates. —1. The • entire white population agree that the whole thing was prearranged. Machine-guns, snipers and riflemen had been previously posted where it had been decided to halt the procession. Reply by the Administrator. —There was no prearrangement except to effect arrest, and precautions were taken accordingly. No machine-guns, snipers or riflemen were previously posted. I think public opinion supports me. A proposed public meeting of protest dropped, from want of support. 2. No stones were thrown until Samoans had been shot down by revolvers and machine-guns. Reply. —No firing occurred until Sergeant Fell had been knocked senseless and others batoned and stoned. 3. Machine-guns fired into the mass of people. Reply. —One Lewis gun only was fired over the heads of the people and one burst into the ground in front of the Police Station. No one was struck by machine-gun fire. 4. A machine-gun was posted at the Police Barracks, pointed to the spot where the dash occurred. Reply. —One Lewis gun has always been kept at the Police Barracks, and was brought out when the riot began, but was not fired. EVIDENCE NOT AFFECTED 5. The declaration of the Mau as seditious prevented any Mau adherents from giving evidence at the inquest. Reply. —The inquest began on Thursday, January 2, and the Mau was declared seditious on Monday, January 13. The declaration in no way prevented anyone from giving evidence. Slipper appeared for the | relatives of the Samoans, and all witnesses whose names were given by him have been called. Slipper agreed that the evidence was comprehensive. Thirty witnesses were called, of whom 18 were called by Slipper. 6. The police had said that Smj'th and Skelton would be pumped full of lead and had no right to be there. Reply. —The statement is untrue. 7. Smyth and Skelton went with the Mau to Vaimoso after the incident, and were followed to the vicinity of Vaimoso by 25 police with fixed bayonets. Reply. —The police marched only to the end of the beach road (a distance of, say, half a mile from the scene of the clash, and further distant from Vaimoso), and did not follow Smyth and Skelton. 8. Mr. Meredith and Mr. Johnson said that they would attend a public meeting, but became afraid of deportation. Reply. —There was no reason why Messrs. Meuedith and Johnson, or anyone who wished to, should not attend a public meeting. There was no fear or threat of deportation, and

the public meeting dropped through want of support. 9. A machine-gun was tired almost simultaneously with revolver fire. Reply.—No machine-gun was fired until tVe police were driven back to the police station. 10. The bandmaster's instrument was shot to pieces by machine-gun fire. Reply.—The bandmaster's instrument was smashed to pieces by beating Sergeant Fell with it. 11. The police admit they had a Lewis gun and three snipers in position, and another gun at the barracks. Reply. —No guns or riflemen were in position before the riot. The term ‘‘sniper” is entirely incorrect. 12. A leadlight in the Law Court Buildings had been removed for a machine-gun, which was actually fired. Reply. —No leadlight was removed from the court building, and no gun or rifle was fired from there. 13. The Mau police were intended merely to keep their men in order. Reply. —The Mau police were for the protection of their men from arrest, and acted accordingly. 14. Matau threw Sergeant Fell to the ground merely in surprise. Reply. —Sergeant Fell was not thrown to the ground by Matau, but was knocked down by a baton. 15. All Skelton's witnesses (for the Nelson v. “New Zealand Herald” easel except three were sniped, and killed or wounded. ... Reply.—X do not know who Skelton s witnesses are or were. 16. The police quarters were barricaded after the incident, and a fore# was- posted to protect the Administrator, Reply.—This is untrue. 17. Westbrook called at the Central Office to protest and was immediately arrested, but subsequently released without charge. Reply.—The statement is inaccurate. Westbrook was arrested in the street by my order for using language likely to provoke a breach of the peace. He was released without charge on account of his excited state. WARNINGS WERE GIVEN 18. It is abundantly proved that no official warning In writing or otherwise was given the Mau of any intended arrests. Reply. —At the inquest Kruse (an adherent of the Mau) gave evidence that he was warned by Bralsby, the Inspector of Police, and in turn warned Tamasese, that wanted men would be arrested if in the procession. Also, Tuimalealiifano, one of the leading Mau chiefs, in evidence at the inquest, stated that he had warning of the arrest, but nevertheless the wanted men were paraded, and further, that the Mau had given instructions to resist arrest if the police w r ent to Vaimoso to arrest Matau or any one else. 19. The facts are largely admitted by the police. Reply.—The facts as outlined by Mr. Skelton are certainly not admitted by the police. 20. I have no doubt that Tamasese was sniped. Reply. —Tamasese was not sniped. 21. Machine-guns were turned on to Apia native village square, where women and children and young men rushed out in curiosity, meeting a long blast of gun-fire, killing two boys, two young men, and wounding seven others. Reply.—Lewis gun fired no burst into Aoia native village, but one over the village, and one into the ground in front of the police station, to stop an attack from that direction. No women or children were wounded, or at any time in danger from fire, and | the two boys reported killed were full-grown men and one who had reI cently been involved in a stoning attack was shot in Ift Ifi Street. No one was struck by machine-gun fire. 22. The wanted men have been almost dally on the beach, and could have been arrested without disturbance at any time. Reply.—The men have been wanted on criminal charges for some time, but have never appeared in Apia and ! have been kept hidden by the Mau. 23. Inquest was held only on Abraham, and not on Samoans. Reply.—lnquest is being held on Abraham and also on the; Samoans. With reference to the allegation’s made by one Polley, the only answer that it is necessary to make is that from affidavits in the possession of the Administrator it is clear that, | despite his assertions, Polley did not J see the riot at all. Mr. Skelton has. of course, never suggested that he was present at the scene of the disturbi snee.