THE DEPORTATIONS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 93, 30 January 1928, Page 4

THE DEPORTATIONS.

MR HOLLAND'S CONTENTIONS. ANOTHER REPLY TO PREMIER. - (Per Press Association.) WESTPORT, This Day. Mr H. E. Holland (Leader of the • Opposition), referring to Mr Coates's last statement regarding Samoa, said! he took the strongest exception to the Prime Minister's characterisation of his public utterances on Samoa as inflammatory. He was convinced the majority of the public disapproved the rule id justice which was being applied to> Samoa, and he would be failing in his dutv as Leader .of the Opposition _ if. he disregarded public opinion on so important a subject or neglected to raise a warning voice against a policy which was so clearly leading toward disaster. When the Government's policy was challenged, the Minister, having noeffective reply to the Opposition's charge, fell baek on the ancient Conservative tactics, and described theattitude of their opponents as inflammatory. It was only a short step to the next inevitable charge that those; • who did not agree with the Government's policy were guilty of disloyalty. Each succeeding phase of New Zealand's administration of Samoa seemedi.. marked with an increasing aocumula.tion of folly, for it should be apparent to everyone that the Samoans cannot be<> ibiudgeoned into servility. Mr Coates's. latest move in sending an expeditionary force of six constables, heralded with a~flourish of trumpets and a proclamation; as to their respective sizes, if it doesnot set the Samoans rocking with laughter, might be accepted by them: ; as another "Big stick" threat. It was. as if Mr Coates, having discovered a house on fire, set CAi.t. to extinguish they flames by pouring pecroi upon them. Referring to the Royal (Commission'sreport, Mr Holland said, surely as the printed form of the reporti was rur«--nished to the Press nearly two ago, there is no reason why it should not have been furnished to members of" Parliament at the time. Certainly" something was to be said for the delayr in printing the evidence, but even f that should have been ready in less than two months' time. He was still waiting to hear an explanation that Mr Coates and the Administration hadh to offer in connection with the Foster—case.