RULER OF SAMOA.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 69, 22 March 1928, Page 8

RULER OF SAMOA.

COLONEL ALLEN CHOSEN

DISTINGUISHED SOLDIER.

GENERA! RICHARDSON'S

MISSION.

DUTIES END ON MARCH 31

(By Telegrnpli—Press Afuoclatlon.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

Lieutenant -Colonel S. S. Allen, of Morrinsville, has been appointed Administrator of Western Samoa.

Major General Sir George Richardson, whose extended term of office as Administrator of Western Samoa, expired on the 10th of this month, will relinquish his duties on the 31st instant, announced the Prime Minister in a statement today. Ho will return to Wellington early in April for consultation with the Government before proceeding to Geneva to act as one of the representatives of New Zealand before the Permanent Mandates Commission of the League of Nations, which meets on June 6 for the discussion, inter alia, of Samoan questions.

The Government wish to take this opportunity of expressing appreciation of I lie conspicuous ability shown by General Richardson during his administration of the Territory, and of the many outstanding results that he has achieved for the benefit of the Samoan people. The Government regret exceedingly that It should bo neeessnry for the General to retire at this .pmcture, when such a large degree of discontent and disaffection has made itself apparent among the Samoan people, but they have been compelled to yield to General Richardson's representations on the matter, and to tho urge lit necessity that the position of New Zealand should be made plain before the Mandates Commission by the person most competent to do so.

The New Administrator. The Government have appointed as the new Administrator of Western Samoa Lieutenant Colonel 8. S. Allen, of Morrinsville, who will assume office at an early date, as soon as it is possible for him to make the necessary arrangements to proceed to Samoa. In the meantime, tho duties of tlio Administrator will be carried on by the present deputy Administrator, Colonel J. W. Hutchen.

Tho Government feel that the new' Administrator possesses the qualities of personality, tact, patience and firmness that lire required if New Zealand ad-1 ministration of its trusteeship in Western Samoa is to be carried on without recourse to drastic measures. Notable Record of Service. Lieutenant-Colonel" Stephen Shepherd Allen, C.M.0., D.5.0., of Woodhead Hall, Chcadle, Staffordshire, 1 England, is the youngest surviving son of Mr. C. W. •Shepherd Allen, M.H.R. for Te Aroha. Ho was appointed Major in the oth (Hauraki) New Zealand Regiment in 1914, and served with the Auckland Regiment throughout 1915, being gazetted Licutcnnnt-Colofel in 1917. He was twice wounded . and won the D.S.O. distinction in 1919, which was followed in 1919 by tJftXM.G. In 1020 he was mude Brigade Commander of the First New ' Zealand . Infantry, Auckland Lieutenant-Colonel Allen took' a keen interest in politics in the years immediately after the war, and in 1022 he uiiNucctssfully contested the Ohinemuri division against Mr. H. Poland.

Samoa's new administrator received his first commission in the New Zealand territorial forces in 1011, and at the outbreak of tho war was gazetted to the general command with the rank of major. During 1017 he was officer com* nianding the Second Auckland Battalion, mid it was during the first attack by New Zealand troops at Passchendele that he was wounded. It was during this action that he performed the feat of gallantry which won for him the D.S.O.

Lieutenant-Colonel Allen has practised as a solicitor in Morrinsville during the last few years.