The pālagi are coming

Invincible Strangers 52 Chapter 23.1

Allen, anxious to be in control of the story, calling it a ‘riot’. Saying this, in his first cable to Wellington, an hour after the killings, guaranteed that New Zealand would for generations see Aso Pogisā as a law and order affray, in which white police controlled a native rampage. Allen’s account said between 1500 and 2000 people, armed with sticks, clubs or knives, had marched into Āpia: ‘When the riot started, as far as I can learn, Tamasese and Tuimaleali’ifano did nothing to prevent the attack on the police and the former at any rate may have taken some active part in it.’ He contradicted himself, saying during an ‘attack on the police station’ Tuimaleli’ifano was trying to stop people entering the intersection, and was wounded: ‘his injury is of a minor nature.’ Allen was vague about Tupua Tamasese in further reports. There was little doubt as to how he had met his fate; many people saw it. Allen said only that ‘his case was hopeless from the first….’ The ‘small number of casualties’ in comparison with the crowd size, indicated restraint by police ‘who behaved with the utmost moderation in a critical position.’ Waterson deserved the ‘greatest credit for the coolness and judgement displayed in handling his force, and for dispersing the crowd with so few persons killed.’ It would have ‘been easy, and quite justifiable, to have inflicted much greater casualties if shooting had been indiscriminately resorted to.’

Mau members near jungle. National Library of NZ