A.—4 b.

The Chairman; In Ordinance No. 2, Mr. Slipper, that refers to store licenses under the proviso of Part IV. It is quite clear, I suppose, that 0. F. Nelson and Co., Ltd., hold a license for the store and a trading and a business license ? Mr. Slipper : I think so. How can it be suggested that these men require a license ? Mr. Meredith : It is under section 3 of Ordinance No. 2, 1924. The Chairman : That is the one under section 3 : that section relates to a store license. Mr. Meredith : The position is this, sir : As the original Ordinance sta.ted, one license was taken out by the merchant, which gave no particular licenses for the individuals trading in the various districts. To obviate that this amendment was made, so that the man actually conducting the business had to have a special form of license called a " store license," for which no further fee is payable. The proceeding is that Nelson would get his main business license, store license, and would have a special license for every approved man in actual charge of each station. The Chairman.] I am not sure about that. Look at the provision relating to store and copra house tax —section 34. As the store means any building, room, or premises in which goods are sold, it is clear enough. Under section 36 a store-tax is not payable. It is therefore clear that no person is required to hold a store license if he has a business license under Part IV. Nelsons were not bound to take out a store license if they had a business license. The subsection provides, " Notwithstanding clause 36 of the principal Ordinance, nothing in this clause shall affect the liability of any person to pay store-tax." That means in case the Ordinance requires the issue of a store license. Surely, presuming that the store license was issued in the present case, it cannot be cancelled because of the defaults of this man. Mr. Meredith : I should like to have an opportunity of examining that section before I reply. The Chairman : It is a matter of importance. It is quite clear that there is a mistaken procedure in connection with these men, and there does not seem to have been given to these men a fair opportunity to explain their position. Mr. Slipper: My case is that this man had no opportunity of explaining himself. Mr. Meredith (to witness).] Are you a member of the Mau ? —Yes. And when did you first belong to it ? —When I signed a subscription list that was handed round. Do you remember a meeting that was held in Apia ? —I was never there. Do you remember when it was held ? —Yes. How long after that did you subscribe to the Mau ? —I cannot tell the right date : about two or three months. And when you subscribed to the Mau were you at this station of Nelson's ? —Yes. Did you attend a meeting of the Mau at Falealili ?—No. Did you not go to a meeting of the Mau at Falealili and try and persuade the Natives to join the Mau ? —No, I did not attend any meeting of the Mau. You say that positively ? —Yes. Did you provide fa'amafti at one of these meetings ?—-No. Were you sent away from the village by Colonel Logan ? —Never. Did you have any trouble with Colonel Logan ?—Never. Were you ever living in Tutuila ? —Yes, that is my birthplace. Did not Colonel Logan send you back to Tutuila ? —No. Had you been living somewhere else and gone back to Tutuila I—After the German station was closed where I lived at Sapunoa I went back to Tutuila to see my people. I came back again of my accord. Were you collecting money for the Mau ?—No. They handed me some money, but I told them that I had nothing to do with it, and to go to Apia. They came to me for a cheque, and I told them I had enough money to buy copra and did not want any more. You received no money in subscriptions ?—No, not one penny. Mr. Slipper.] It has been suggested to you that you conducted meetings of the Mau, and that you provided fa'amafu at a meeting, and that you were sent away by Colonel Logan. Have you ever heard of these charges in your life before ?—lt is all new to me. Have you ever been asked about them before ? Have you ever been told about them ?—No. These documents before the Court regarding the cancellation of your license : did you know anything about these two documents before you came here to-day ?—-I never had a chance to know. Ale Lui sworn and examined. Mr. Slipper.] You are a full-blooded Samoan '! —Yes. You have previously been trading for Nelson and Co. ? —Yes. At Fusi, Safata ?—Yes. Is that in Upolu or Savai'i I—Upolu.1—Upolu. Nelson and Co. informed you that your trading license had been cancelled ?—I received a letter from His Excellency the Administrator. That is the order cancelling your alleged license I—That1 —That is the order which I received. Did you have any notification before that from the Collector of Customs ? —I did not receive a single letter from the Collector of Customs. Tell us your story why you think your license was cancelled : what did it start with ?—His Excellency was on a malaya round Upolu, and he sent a message that he wished to speak to me. How did he send for you I—A1 —A Faipule policeman brought a letter to me stating that I was to appear before His Excellency at 5 p.m.

86