SAMOAN POLICY

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 27, 1 February 1929, Page 8

SAMOAN POLICY

GOVERNMENT'S VIEWS

"NATIVES MUST OBEY LAW"

ANXIETY FOR PEACE

While anxious to bring to an end the present dissension in Samoa, the Government is determined to maintain a iirm hand in dealing with offenders against law and order. An announcement to this effect was made by tlio Prime Minister (the Et. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward) to-day after Cabinet had deliberated for some hours upon the present situation in the mandated territory. "The Government," said the Prime Minister, "have considered very carefully the situation in Western Samoa, and they have thought it advisable at this juncture to make a public statement of their views. "In the first place, the Government wish to make it plain that they cannot tolerate or negotiato with any movement that is openly subversive of good government in the Territory. The Samoans must understand that any failure to obey the law will be punished and that the Government must act rigorously in this direction should future events unhappily render it necessary. "His Excellency the Administrator and the New Zealand Government are, however, anxious to bring to an end the dissension in the Territory, and immediately those Samoans who arc members of the Mau have the good sense to cease their attitude of passive resistance and to abandon their refusal to' pay taxes, His Excellency and the Government will be prepared to consider any representations iit a generous spirit. "The Government "earnestly trust that wise counsels will prevail and that all who have the true interests of AVestcru Samoa at heart will assist in pointing out to tho Mau the path of wisdom and of honour and tho disastrous consequences to Samoa of a continuation of their present attitude."