SAMOA AGAIN.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 226, 24 September 1927, Page 15

SAMOA AGAIN.

RULED OUT OF ORDER. DEPORTATION OF EUROPEANS. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. While he did not wish to discuss Samoan questions included in the Royal Commission's order of reference, Mr. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, utilised the External Affairs Department's Estimates in the House to-night to inquire of the Government its reasons for excluding from the inquiry the deportation of Europeans. It was quite clear, he suggested, that the Administrator issued illegal notices to certain people, though he had no power in the matter. It was deplorable that the Royal Commission should not have been allowed to deal with this important matter. The Hon. W. Nosworthy, Minister of External Affairs, replied that there was no necessity to include deportations in the commission's inquiry, because it had been dealt with by Act of Parliament, fully discussed before it was passed. The commission was only set up some time later at the Administrator's request in view of unfair statements circulated regarding his work. The commission had scope enough to cover everything going on in Samoa. If it was necessary to banish Europeans, there was an Act of Parliament which governed the procedure. Members could accept his assurance that the commission would act fairly, and that no advantage would be taken of anyone, and nothing done until the commission had reported. Mr. J. A. Lee: Nothing done to Europeans ? Mr. Noßworthy: Nothing draitic will be done unless the necessity arises. I am hopeful the necessity will not arise; in any case, until the Royal Commission has reported to the Government. The Minister of Agriculture raised a point of order that the discussion was irrelevant to the Estimates. This view was taken by the chairman of committees, who said the only items under the heading of administration medical, educational and wireless services.