POLICE AT TRENTHAM TO BE DISBANDED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 927, 21 March 1930, Page 1

POLICE AT TRENTHAM TO BE DISBANDED

HON. J. G. COBBE’S SUCCESS Press Association WELLINGTON, Thursday. The following statement with referI ence to the situation in Western I Samoa was issued by the Prime Min- [ ister tonight: I On his return from Western Samoa i the Hon. J. G. Cobbe had a lengthy J discussion on the situation with me at ' Rotorua, and subsequently the ques I tion Was discussed at a meeting of the j Cabinet today. Mr. Cobbe explained that the leaders of the Mau movement j who have for the past two or three years refused to meet the Administra- | tor in conference assembled at Vaimoso and met the Administrator, Mr. y. S. Allen, the Minister of Defence. 1 Mr. Cobbe. and Commodore Blake on March J, an,d four following days. The tinal result of the conference is that a majority of the mefnbers of the Mau have returned to their villages. The men wanted for various offences came in a body and surrendered them- : j selves to the police for trial. It is likely that on an early date con- : venient to all parties the Administrator and a number of representative 1 chiefs w ill meet in fono for a dis- . cussion of matters of importance to . • Samoa. i\ IMPROVED SITUATION ’ ; Tn view of the improved situation. | the Government has decided that ii will be unnecessary for the forct of | military police now at Trentham to proceed to the territory, and they are L accordingly being disbanded forth- * wit h. ; The Government and the Adminis--1 trator intend to exert every effort to ensure that the present promising *» condition of affairs is fully maintained, [ and nothing will be wanting on their ! part to meet any legitimate com- ‘ plaints by the Samoans. It is to be hoped that misleading propaganda carried on from New Zea- * land, which has done so much both to - promote and to continue discord in i Samoa, will now’ cease. Tt would be a * crime if the prospect of permanent i peace in that country were shattered ! by the w’ork of a few outsiders.