SAMOANS HONOUR QUEEN

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27367, 4 June 1954, Page 11

SAMOANS HONOUR QUEEN

Birthday Celebrated At Apia APIA, June 2. Clad in spotless white tropical uniform, 24 ratings from the survey ship H.M.N.Z.S. Lachlan provided a guard of honour for the Governor-General (Sir Willoughby Norrie) when he arrived from Government . House, Vailima, this morning for Apia’s Queen’s Birthday ceremonial. As Sir Willoughby Norrie and the rest of the Vice-regal party arrived outside the Central Office, thousands of Samoans and Europeans crammed the beautiful tree-lined waterfront and foreshore to watch the ceremony.

Lined up alongside the Lachlan’s guard when the Governor-General arrived was a detachment of returned servicemen wearing full decorations, a guard of 24 Samoan nurses from the Government Hospital, Apia, led by their matron —Matron M. S. Farland, of Auckland—and detachments of boy scouts, sea scouts, Red Cross nurses, arid members of the London Missionary Society, boys’ and girls’ brigades. The white-uniformed and white and green helmeted Samoan Police Band and a Samoan village band provided the music.

Sir Willoughby Norrie said that m Western Samoa, the Queen’s birthday anniversary followed the flag-raising day. He said this was an indication that the Samoans’ love of their country, and their devotion to the Queen, were close together in their thoughts. It showed that the Samoan people were proud to be associated with the Commonwealth peoples.