Faith in British Justice.

When the Native leaders joined the Mau meetings for the first time they invariably addressed the assembly in these words: "We have not been asked to come. We have been moved by the Holy Spirit. It is the hand of God. The many oppressive measures imposed on our people by the Administration were moving us to the point of revolution. We now see a way to have our grievances considered without resorting to force. We are told of British Justice and constitutional means of obtaining redress. We pray to God these are true."

These laws were in force long before the advent of General Richardson. The Samoans fully recognise their utility. The coconut beetle was introduced by the white man, like many, if not most of the other maladies which the Natives now suffer under and succumb to. The Samoans are naturally a cleanly race, so the cleaning of villages and plantations was a village law with the Samoans long before Captain Cook or even Bougainville visited the islands.

When Sir George Richardson's administration was unable to function, the Mau promptly took up the search for beetles, cleaning of the villages and plantations, and other necessary duties. They did them even better than when General Richardson's officials used to supervise and direct the work.