HIGH CHIEFS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 237, 6 October 1945, Page 6

HIGH CHIEFS

ARRIVAL FROM SAMOA

GUESTS OF GOVERNMENT

Picturesque figures in their traditional lava lavas, three paramount high chiefs of Samoa, who are the guests of the New Zealand Government, arrived at Auckland this morning by the Matua. They are the Hon. Malietoa Tanumafili 11., the Hon. Mata'afa Faumuina Fiaame and the Hon. Tapua Tamasese, and are accompanied by tnelr wives.

All three are fautuas, official advisers to the Administrator of Western Samoa, and have visited New Zealand on previous occasions. The youngest of the three, Malietoa, who is a great-grandson of the last' king of Samoa, was educated at St. Stephen's and Wesley Colleges. Mata'afa and Tamasese are imposing figures, botn well over six feet in height. Tamasese is a brother of the late Tamasese Leafoli, who was killed in me riots which occurred in Samoa in 1929.

The party was met on arrival by the Mayor, Mr. Allum, the town clerk, Mr. T. W. M. Ashby, Mr. A. L. Lewis, of the Department of Island Territories, and representatives of the London Missionary Society, the Catholic Church and the New Zealand Samoa Society.

The Hon. Malietoa said that with the departure from Samoa of large numbers of American troops, conditions had changed greatly. The Americans had spent a great deal of money in the territory and had been very popular. It would now be possible for the native people to return to their old customs, but it would be some time before conditions were normal. The departure from Western' Samoa of the retiring Administrator, Mr. A. C. Turnbull, would be widely regretted. He had held the post as acting Administrator and Administrator since 1930 and had been very popular.

The party will spend three days in Auckland, leaving for Wellington on Monday night. This morning the chiefs and theft- wives visited the War Memorial Museum and the Public Hospital and this afternoon they will pay a visit to the Auckland Zoological Park and be driven around the suburbs. This evening they will attend a reception to be given by the New Zealand Samoa Society at the Manchester Unity Hall, Victoria Street.

To-morrow evening the Hon. and Mrs. Malietoa and the Hon. and Mrs. Mata'afa will attend a special islands service at the Beresford Street Congregational Church.