IMPARTIAL INQUIRY

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 21, 25 July 1927, Page 10

IMPARTIAL INQUIRY

INTERVIEW WITH PRIME MINISTER

CITIZENS' COMMITTEE'S

CASE

The Hon. O. F. Nelson lias handed to " The.Post" for publication the text o£ the address ■which, he read to the Prime Minister (Right Hon. J. G. Coates) at the interview which took place on Thursday last between Messrs. Nelson and Smyth, of the Samoan Citizens' Committee, and the Prime Minister and other members of the Government. Following tho interview, wireless messages were dispatched to Samoa and replies were received, as appear below. Mr. Nelson's address was as follows:—

"Sir, —I took the liberty to ask for this interview, feeling confident that, despite all that has happened, you would hear us with an open mind. In answer to all the charges which Lave been levelled against the Citizens' Committee, of which Mr. Smyth and I are members, we have asked for a trial by an independent tribunal or investigation by the highest impartial authorities. The six European members of the Citizens' Committee were elected to the committee by the European residents, and wo have only followed that policy which was decided on at public meetings. Wo do not wish to deny the responsibility for our actions, but if these actions are considered to have caused disaffection then tho large majority' of the European community who elected us must have been disaffected from the outset and equally responsible with tho members of the Citizens' Committee. This is also true of the Samoan members of the committee and the very large majority of the Samoan people who support them. The happenings of to-day must prove this statement.

"Beading the reports in the local Press of the debates in the House of two days ago, we cannot help but note that the New Zealand G-rivernment, instead of giving us that fpir trial, which we ask for, are determined not only to support the aggressive policy of the Administrator but would have these conditions confirmed in the Statute Book.

"We cannot help but fool that the tension which has been created by the controversy has been allowed to influeuce the New Zealand Government more .than a careful and impartial study of the case on its merits. Is it reasonto suggest that men like Mr. Meredith, Mr. Smyth, and myself who have larger stakes in the country than any other citizen, would deliberately incite trouble which may cause us the loss of all the fruits of our labours just because we had a personal grudge against the Administrator, or sorno other ulterior motive! Is it reasonably likely that we whose commercial interests in the territory depend on tho making of native copra would ask the natives not to destroy the beetles which are a menace to the copra industry, the very mainstay of the country just because we want our right to drink liquor reStored! It is just, that because the people of Samoa show their confidence in. me by electing me to tho Legislative Council and to tho chairmanship of tho Citizens' Committee, to say that I wish .to' upset the Administration of Samoa and form one of my own? How can these charges be .consistent with the speech of the present Administrator, Sir George Richardson, at a public reception to me as late aa tho 28th September last, in which, aaong many bther complimentary remains, he adbatted my services to him auti his administration in the following •words: .'When,l have left Samoa and with my wife and family reflect back on the time spent in Samoa, Mr. Nelson will be one of the individuals who will stand out conspicuously as one who has played, and is playing, an important part in promoting the welfare of this country, j . . Mr. Nelson, as a colleague, has toy wholehearted sympathy and friendship. . . . Mr. Nelson has earned the public appreciation and public approval which he is receiving this evening. I wish that the confidence you now display in him will continue his career.'

[The Minister of External Affairs Jays:—The Administrator, Sir George •Richardson, in his personal correspondence with Wellington on 23rd September »926, said. "lam glad Mr. Nelson had k good time. I gavv him introductions £o friends which I could not have done but for the fact that I -wished him to see that I and all of us do our part «ud we act and talk in the open and not from concealed positions. We have hothing to hide." And in a letter da+ d 32nd October 1926, "Mr. Nelson returned and the citizens gave him a welcome and got me to address them and I (laid all I could to promote good feel-

■ "Mr. "Williams and Mr. Westbrook Were shown the confidence of the public in the first elections of 1924. On 30th November last they entered the polls with myself to pursue the present policy, and we received 70 per cent, of the votes cast, which meant that we must have received a large block of rotes from the Civil servants in addition to the non-official section. Mr.' Gurr, another member of the Citizens' Committee, and the editor of the "Samoa Guardian," was charged in the House by the Minister of External Affairs with having been deported from American Samoa for malfeasance. His idefonee was received by radio as follows:—'Deny Mr. Nosworthy's statement that Mr. Gurr caused war in 1898. ;(There was no ' amoan War in 1898) SAlao deny that he was forced to leave German te.ritory and deported from Samoa. Mr. Gurr's relajtions -with Dr. Solf, first German Governor and American Governor were always of the best. He was a strong supporter of the naval administration ?n American Samoa. Mr. Gurr admits appointments as Chief Judge and Secretary of Native Affairs in American £amoa. He was dismissed for political Seasons, his nationality (British) being Shief cause.' < fa

. fA ™ ? ost representative was shown £r official report headed "Government House, Nnval Station, Tutuila, American Samoa, Ist October 1926. From.Governor and Naval Comin*-riant of American Samoa, to: Secretary of the iNavjr, Washington, U.S.A." from which the following is an extract. "4th August 1900 :E. "W. Gurr, of Apia, was appointed by the Commandjsnt as secretary to the r'ommandant, po also act as Judge and legal advisor. > • • Ho was dismissed iii 1908 for jmalfeasance in office."] "Then, Sir, there are the Samoan jm embers of the Citizens' Committee Jirho are chiefs of high rank among the Natives. If native customs were obfcerved these chiefs are representatives j>£ their people by their ranks and position, yet the Minister refused to hear fcheni as such. Is it reasonable to assume that a chief of Paumuina's intelligence, prestige, and type, who was &cout in tho Feta movement inby General Eichardson, would Iw £ t0 P°litical intrigue? Chief Afamasaga, despite all that has fceen said aga,nst him, is a man whoso hbiMy and rank has been recognised by general Richardson in visiting him socially on more than one occasion. These

two chiefs have such faith in their cause that they calmly submitted to banishment to Apolima. When tho Samoans rose in protest against this arbitrary punishment, they alone were responsible for the maintenance of peace and the avoidance of physical disturbance,

[The Minister of External Affairs said: The record of Afamas^ga, now known as Lago Lago, was given by the Minister of External Affairs in the House on Friday as follows:—

Lago Lago: Formerly known as Afamasaga; Samoan of chiefly rank; lived mostiy in vicinity of Apia,- is "Europoanised" native with s?ood knowledge of English and civilised ways; was convicted and fined for manufacturing alcoholic liquor and selling it to his own people; was convicted and imprisoned for embezzling £700 of his own district Church moneys; 'now being- asked to account for several tho~-ands of pounds belonging to a Native trading concern which ho promoted and which failed; ex-Faipule who was dismissed from office, deprived of title at request of his family for degrading same, and ordered floin Apia back to district village; again ordered from Apia to Apolima ■ 'llage; 1 .other-in-law of S. H. Meredith, of .European committee; leader of Samoan members of committee; a prohibited immigrant to American Samoa."]

"Alipia, the chief spokesman of Aana by rank and title, protested openly in a_speeeh to General Richardson' against his native policy while I was absent from the territory last year. His people, who look upon him as their leader, have been dissatisfied with conditions for some time, and the influence of the

Citizens' Committee has caused them to seek redress in a constitutional manner. He has now been deprived of his title and banished from his village and district for twelve months. He resigned a Government position to join the Citizens' Committee,. Tofaeon'o, highest chief of Vnimaunga, did the same, as they both felt, and still feel, they arc doing that which is not only tho best for their people, but which they know their peoplo approve of. Tuisilu, a leading chief of Alcipata, has agreed to suffer imprisonment sooner than forego his rights as a free citizen to move about Samoa as he deems lit. Ainu'u was a clerk in tho Native Department, and latterly offered the post of Pulenu'u for the village of Apia, which he declined until he and his people have received redress by the removal of conditions imposed on them contrary to their sense of freedom and justice. Other chiefs of rank have submitted to arbitrary punishment, and othors will follow in. their wake, aa they all are conlLdont that when the New Zealand Government makes an impartial investigation they, and thoir peoplo will receive .that justice for which British Administration is world famous. Is it possible .that, the Samoans, who are a highly-intelligent and culturod people, would, go tof-this extent just by the influenco of a few Europeans? It would be unreasonable to say it. "Sir, the troubles in Samoa emanate from deep-rooted grievances, which tho peoplo affirm are well founded. Setting up a small body of nominated Faipules to speak on behalf of tho people at a timo like this will only make the trouble more acute. The two Fautnas have sent the Committeo messages and letters of their support. One of them stated he was misled into signing the last_ message of confidence in the Administrator. Moro than one Faipule voluntarily visited me before the last Fono to say they were wholly in sympathy with the Citizens' Committee.

"To allege that tho Citizens' Committee has fomented the trouble without any definite charges will not find the solution which is urgently prayed for by all those who have the bona iido interests of the Territory and its peoples at heart. Arbitrary laws and punishments will not kill the national spirit of a proud race such as tho Samoan. Neither will the solid faith of the European residents in ultimate British justice be shaken by intimidation and deportation. k

"Sir, we are not anti-British. "Wo are very pro-British. Wo wish to do all we can to support Now Zealand Administration, and look forward to the time when an impartial investigation will prove our professions of loyalty to British Government and British institutions.

"In conclusion, may we ask that the native petition now before Parliament be put through while we are here, and before the Government Bill on Samoa is next brought in."