GOVERNMENT OF SAMOA

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 309, 23 September 1920, Page 6

GOVERNMENT OF SAMOA

A PRESS. CORRESPONDENT'S STATEMENTS DENIED. Mr. G. iiiboliell • (Wellington Soutl brought under tin; jiocums or the Prim Minister yesterday the statement otii Sandes, one of tuo -Press corresponcenl aboard the ILM.S. Renown. that thei was much discontent in Samoa and tna the natives >vere asking to be place under tlio control of Britain, i Mr Massey replied that he had rea i the cablegram in the iiewspapere. Hen 1 bers who went to Samoa Willi tlio lu 1 liamentary party vera there was a certain amount of ditcoi i tent in Samoa. That was only to i expected, and he had' the hest reasoi • for believing that it was bems eucou: ■ a»ed by a wealthy German-American, • man hostile to Britain and especially 1 ' New Zealand. Members would kno ■ who ho meant. (Hear, hoar.) Mr. Mitchell: Why don't you send hii ' but? Deport him! I Mr. Massey: That may come._ I don • want to make anv rash promises, bi t the Government is watching him olo» ■ ]v. As soon as the Samoans know wlu 1 New Zealand is doing lor them the > will be more satisfied. . ' Tlio Hon. E. P. Lee eaid that Mi • Sandes had been in Samoa only,a to ■ hours, and it was quite evident tlw he had come in contact with the di: t gruntled traders. Some or these trai ■ crs were now touring.New Zealand an ' wero spreading all sorts of reports tlio 1 were not correct. There was no di: >' satisfaction so far as the Samoans wei • concerned with the administration, nc 1 bad the Government any knowledge c 5 any petition in that .direction, but thes : traders had a grievance in that Ne J Zealand had decided to establish for til 1 officials and others a public stores * 9 partment. That was at the root | at tli 2 whole trouble. Tho Minister added thn r since liquor had bcenlxtircd at Sarno 0 no ono was taking any interest in liotc 1 accommodation, and the Governme , had taken that m hand in the interest t of tha country. It would also ' lttTe 8 do something in the direction of m ■proving the cold storage. The taader WL evidently* got a hold of Mr. Sande and had given him a distorted accoun f of the position. He had been unwis e enoiißh to cable the statements mad. [. 1c liim without independent inquiry.