Poison against New Zealand

Invincible Strangers 56 Chapter 25.2

Six kilometres south of Beach Road, at the jungle’s edge, was the Moamoa home and church of French Marist Catholic Bishop John Darnand. He was in contact with the Mau leaders living in the jungle, where they had no interest in fighting. Tupua Tamasese successor to the title, his younger brother now called Tupua Tamasese Me’ole visited Darnand and told him the Mau wanted to talk. Darnand took the offer to Allen and Blake who assumed it was a surrender. It was not and nothing happened. 

Late in January, Darnand heard that the administration was considering using 800 Mālō for a cross-island sweep. Darnand feared that it would start a civil war. Wellington had misgivings too; Defence Minister John Cobbe, 71, was ordered to Sāmoa. A shopkeeper, turned sheep farmer and politician, Cobbe sat on company and public boards. With his wife Francis he stayed with Allen at Vailima. He watched Allen in conference with matai ‘and later had the satisfaction of seeing a Mau chief call to express his regret at having been associated with the movement.’

Mau prisoners coming ashore. Photo National Library of NZ