Inquiry

Samoan Banana

Ends Abruptly When Mau Complainants Withdraw

Prom Our Own Correspondent.

A . APIA, July 2.

N inquiry being held by the Commis sioner of the High Court (Mr.

McKay) into complaints against the Gov ernment banana scheme and the Produce Inspector, Mr. H. Newton, has ended abruptly, owing to the refusal of the Mau complainants to proceed with the investi gation.

On the third day of the hearing, the Counsel for the Mau complainants moved that the Court employ an interpreter to translate the evidence into Samoan for their benefit. The Commissioner ruled that in a British Court the official lan guage is English, and if the complainants wanted the proceedings translated, they would have to provide their own inter preter. The Counsel for the Mau then replied that under those conditions they were not prepared to continue with the inquiry.

Mr. McKay thereupon declared the in quiry closed, adding that he would report the whole matter to the Acting-Adminis trator.

Evidence given up to the closing of the hearing had not revealed support for the allegations made against Mr. Newton.

Local opinion leans towards the belief that the Mau, realising the case would be lost, seized upon the “interpreter” in cident as a convenient excuse to evade the issue and withdraw.

The majority of banana growers are satisfied with the conduct of the Govern ment scheme. The complaints seem to have been aimed at getting the industry’s control transferred to private enterprise, which would have been against the in terests of both European and native sup pliers.