NEW ZEALAND IN SAMOA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 106, 7 May 1935, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND IN SAMOA.

By all who claim any knowledge of native affairs, the adversely trenchant criticism by Lord Lugard must be received with due and serious respect. Coining' from him, a man of the highest repute in the management of native people, his suggestions for the betterment of our administration of Sa'moan affairs demand our Government's prompt attention and as effective action. Lord Lugard clearly defines the action needed. Mr. Knowles showed lack of knowledge of Samoan conditions before the commission. Among other things, he stated was that a commission we sent to Samoa had attempted but failed to lind out

what the grievances, and desires of the Samoans were. That, fndeed (so he said), "the Samoa 11s had been unable to explain them." The fact was that this commission was sent to inquire into a long series of definite grievances formulated by the Samoans and their clearly set-out petitions for the relief thereof. A betteiynent of the conditions then complained of was asked for. Those grievances (then inquired into in 1927) still remain unheeded—and the remedies then asked for remain unapplied. Mr. Knowles also stated that New Zealand was prepared to concede certain things (such as an increase of the

local powers of Samoan self-government, etc.), but only "when the time was ripe." In fact many things continuously asked for as matters of elementary justice are stubbornly withheld, and the time for granting the same is long over ripe. GEO. GRAHAM.