DEFIANCE OF LAW

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 55, 8 March 1929, Page 11

DEFIANCE OF LAW

ATTITUDE OF THE MAU

PRIME MINISTER'S ADVICE

Discussing llio general policy of the Government in Western Samoa, the Prime MinisLcr (the Eight Ilou. Sir J. G. Ward) said to-day that he line! forwarded a letter to Auckland acknowledging the receipt of resolutions passed at a meeting of Auckland citizens in comiectiou with the situation in the mandated territory-

"Tho Government," ho said, quoting the letter, "are not only willing to arrive at a full and just settlement of the diiliculties in the territory, but are most anxious to do so. As I have already stated publicly, however, we feel it impossible to take any effective steps whiln those Samoans who belong to the Mau are openly defying the law. But all that is. necessary for the Mau to obtain a sympathetic hearing and generous consideration of any representations is to abandon their defiance of the law, which no Government can disregard."

Sir Joseph said that notwithstanding th ionciliatory nature of the communication he had had from Auckland and the friendly sentiments expressed in it towards himself and the present Government, some of the observations made by tho speakers at the meeting, as reported in the Press, were not likely to have a helpful effect in the territory. At the present moment the obvious course for all well-disposed persons to adopt was to advise the Samoans how the dissention might bo brought lionounibly to an end —that waa, by adopting the simple course of ceasing to defy the law and thus giving the Administrator and the Government tho opportunity they desired for a full discussion and a generous settlement.