STORY OF THE VOYAGE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2243, 1 September 1914, Page 6

STORY OF THE VOYAGE.

ISLAND MUST BE HELD. ITS STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE. The successful occupation of Samoa has in some degree removed the neceßcity for secrecy regarding the movements of the first section of the New Zealand Force. The troopships carrying the Force left Wellington Harbour on the morning of August 14, and an account of the subsequent movements of the Force was given last evening by the Minister of Defence. _ Continuing the former precautions, Mr. Allen said it was inadvisable to indicate the number or class of the warships which participated in the operations. Leaving Wellington in the early hours of August 14, the two transports immediately proceeded north to a rendezvous near where they were joined by an escort of Warships. The flotilla proceeded direct to_ Noumea, the capital of the French colony of New Caledonia. The _ Expedition went from Noumea to Suva, and finally to Apia. Very little information regarding these successive • movements has reached the Government, and Mr. Allen' was not ablo to define the various stages by' exact dates. According to the advice received by His Excellency the Governor, Apia was surrendered at 10 a.m. on August 29 (Western time). As time in Samoa is 23i hours later than New Zealand time, the surrender ocourred, according to the New Zealand time, at 10.30 a.m. on Sunday. Mr. Allen remarked that the ultimate disposition of the Island was a matter for deoision by the 'Imperial Authorities, but New Zealand might have • something to say about it. "Now our duty is to hold Samoa for the Imperial Government. It is ■ impossible to say how long the New Zealand Force will he required to stay there." ' : "We Have Done Our Duty." In an earlier interview, Mr. Allen said:, "Our men went away on ah Imperial mission at-the request of the Imperial Government. The mission was regarded as of considerable importance, more particularly' because of the fact, that there is a wireless installation on the island, the possession of which would be of considerable' value. We were going to carry out what We were told to do—to seize Samoa and'the wireless station—and we'were propared to do it." Tho Minister went on to say to Press representatives: "I am very grateful ■to you and your newspapers for the loyal way in which you carried out our desires in regard to this Expeditionary Force. I am quite aware that you might have put things into your papers which ought to have been withheld in tho interests of the Empire and. the members of,the Force —especially the mon. Our object in keeping tho' matter secret>was. the. success of the Expeditionary Force, and inordor to avoid any danger or loss of life. If information had been circulated, the chances aro that the Expeditionary Force would not have been 60 successful. The newspapers are carrying out an Imperial mission in-refraining from publishing things that they know something about. I know that the Prime Minister has had to call on the Press tosuppress information which was in its possession and .that it oheerfully responded." • -11 ■ 'The public, he went on to say, ought to back the Government up in preserving silence and secrecy when silence and secrecy were desirable and necessary in the interests or the Empire and the lives of: the men who'were being lent from New Zealand on such an important mission. The Prime Minister would give out information as soon as it was received, provided it was safe to do so. The Prime Minister's Views. "It must be very satisfactory to all the people of New Zealand," said the Prime Minister yesterday evening, "that we have been able to take possession of the island with so very little trouble. Apart.altogether from the area, which is approximately 1000 square _ miles, and the fertility of the island, Samoa is of very great strategical importance to both New Zealand and Australia. There is already a very powerful wireless station some distance inland from Apia, probably the most powerful in the Pacific, and wo have reason to believe that it is still intact.. Though we have secured it much more easily than, we expected, we have to hold Samoa," Mr. Massey added. "A strong force will be required to garrison the island for some considerable time to come." > AUSTRALIA'S APPLAUSE. MESSAGE FROM GOVERNOR-GENERAL'. ; A further reason for gratification is that not only was the New Zealand force the first contingent of British troops to proceed overseas to its allotted task, but it is also the' first to secure German territory for the Imperial Grown. The following message was received yesterday by the Governor from the Governor-General of Australia; — • ■ ■ "I desire, on behalf of myself and my Government,' to congratulate Your Excellency and your Government on the achievement of the New Zealand troops in so quickly and successfully occupying Samoa." ; The. following reply was dispatched by the Earl of Liverpool yesterday evening:— ' "On behalf of myself and my Government, I desire to thank Your Excellency and your Government for your most cordial message ' of Ihearty congratulation."