HAND OF FRIENDSHIP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 239, 8 October 1932, Page 12

HAND OF FRIENDSHIP.

DOMINION AND SAMOA.

"ALLIES—NOT ENEMIES."

MR. SCHRAMM'S APPEAL.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

An appeal to the Government to take every means of promoting peace, harmony and good will in Western Samoa was made .In the. House yesterday by Mr. F. W. Schramm (Labour, Auckland East) during the financial debate.

"Both Reform and United parties have been responsible for the administration of Samoa, and I say that the administration stands as a blot on New Zealand to-day, notwithstanding the report of the Administrator of the Territory that all is going well,'' said Mr. Schramm. "All is not well in that land to-day. There are some 40,000 or 50,000 people in Western Samoa, and 90 per cent aro dissatisfied witli the administration of the New Zealand Government." .

According to the latest report from the Administrator there had been a marked improvement in the political situation, but it had to be remembered that there were exiles from the Territory who had been deported on account of acts which did not meet with the approval of the then Administrator, and who were wondering whether they would be allowed to return to their native land and live there in peace and freedom. The term of banishment of the Hon. 0. F. Nelson expired this year, and Mr. Schramm asked the Prime Minister whether the Government would guarantee to Mr. Nelson and the others desiring o return to Samoa peace and freedom in their native country? It was up' to the Government to do that.

Mr. R. A. Wright (Coalition Reform, Wellington Suburbs); If they behave themselves. t

Mr. Schramm: Mr. Nelson was never brought before any court for trial, and was never charged with any offence. I would like you to tell me one act that was done that would bring Mr. Nelson within the four corners of the criminal law. There was no evidence to make a prima-facie case, and -he was never charged with any criminal offence. A Medical Administrator. The appointment of military men to the position of Administrator had been a mistake, and successive Governments might well have followed the British precedent and appointed medical men. A military man might be a splendid gentleman—notwithstanding that he was a military man—but with medical men in charge the natives would have someone to whom they could take all their troubles.- He suggested that future appointments should be made from the ranks of. medical meo.

Under' New Zealand's administration the Samoans had not been allowed to carry on in their own way, and everything possible was done by the New Zealand > Administration- to put the Samoan people against the Dominion. Instead of having a happy contented people willing to work in with New Zealand, there was a people dissatisfied with an administration which they had to suffer but could not respect. . "Bury the Past.", ■1 want to see tYf, Government extend the hand of friendship to the Samoans who have been exiled," added Mr. Schramm, ''and ask them to return and do their best to. remedy grievances and assist in working for the peace and happiness of the Samoans as well as for the re-establishment of better relationship's with New Zealand." He contrasted the United States' control of Eastern jSamoa, and said New Zealand had denied to the people of Samoa their own constitution and government to which they were entitled in accordance with the League of Nations mandate. He wafited to see the Samoans as allies of 'New Zealand instead of bitter enemies. "Let us; bury the past/ 1 he urged. "You will never have 1 good will, love and affection so: long as the people are kept in submission by bayonets and machine guns. I will do my best to assist the Government to restore happy relations. Lan sure! that as long as the present situation endures, things will go from bad tc? worse."