MILITANT MAU

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20254, 24 July 1937, Page 7

MILITANT MAU

FRICTION IN SAMOA. EUROPEANS MOLESTED. WHITE RESIDENTS PERTURBED. United Press Assn.— Elec. Tel. Copyright. • APIA, July 22. The Mau police were again active on Tuesday. Mr W. E. Clarke, department manager of Morris Hedstrom, Limited, when cycling home at 8.30 p.m., was stopped at the village of Vaimoso by the Mau police and ordered to dismount and walk. When Mr Clarke did not comply he was struck a blow on one ear, which knocked him down. On rising in a dazed condition he was struck on the face, this blow causing some of his •teein to penetrate his upper lip. He reported the matter to the police and six persons were arrested. The arrested men appeared before Chief Judge Morling to-day. One of them, Ueni, pleaded guilty to the charge of assaulting Mr Clarke and was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment. The other five were released. Controlling Traffic. Other cases were those of two cyclists—a man and a woman—who were held up and told to walk while passing through the village. These Incidents were reported. Rumours tint motor-cars and lorries will also be stopped and diverted to another route are prevailing, but so far no cases have been reported. When a native procession In connection with the Tamasese mat ceremony tujned Into Vaea Street this afternoon seven or eight Samoans, armed with axes, knives and shotguns, proceeded ahead, compelling the drivers of all the vehicles to halt on the side of the street. Native drivers obeyed, but a white lady, Mrs Braisby, wife of the Inspector of police, who was leaving Morris Hedstrom's grocery department, drove to the centre of the road, where she met the advance party of the procession, and •was called upon to stop her car. She did not do so, and the Samoans seized the vehicle. The Samoans compelled Mrs Braisby to declutch and pushed her car backward. The precession then moved on, while the advance guard remained in a threatening manner, lined up on either side of the car, the hood of which was pierced with a knife in two places. Europeans Wondering. After the procession had passed the Samoans still surrounded the car, calling to their chiefs to ask whether they should do anything tQ Mrs Braisby. One or two of the minor chiefs replied In the affirmative, but the chief, who apparently was senior to the others, replied in the negative. This action averted further unpleasantness. The feelings of Europeans are indicated by the remarks of one resident, who said: “We are wondering what will happen next, and when the New Zealand Government will wake up to the true situation In Samoa.”