Gizo Resistance To Poll

Tax Fades Out

From Our Own Correspondent.

TULAGI, April 1.

AN attempted passive resistance to the native poll tax in the Gizo District has collapsed. Forty natives chose im prisonment rather than pay. About 600 natives (one or two Europeans also being present) represented their case to the Dis trict Officer.

By then, however, there were deflections from the movement, and the requests were very much modified. The requests will be conveyed to higher authority, but in the meantime the Administration in sists on payment of the taxes. The Gov ernment headman at Simbo has been sus pended as a result of this movement, and he may have to stand trial.

The “conspiracy” was remarkably well organised, and only just fell short of im mediate success: the final outcome is un certain. The factors which will decide against the natives’ case are the high price paid in the district for trochus shell and the fact that they made no attempt to cook copra.