The Evening Star MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1928. SAMOA.

Evening Star, Issue 19795, 20 February 1928, Page 6

The Evening Star MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1928. SAMOA.

A statkmknt of Mr 0. F- Nelson, apparently referring to the Samoan Royal Commissiun’s proceedings which uppea rod in a telegram published by ns last week, must have been not a littlo puzzling to many readers, The statement was; ”1 bad eleven days on the witness stand, and came through this Star Chamber ordeal so well that the Government does not dare to publish my evidence.” The puzzle was bow to reconcile this complaint and boast with the publication of the Commission’s evidence, at extreme length, referred to m the same message. The explanation is simple. The telegram was badly condensed. In the sentence referred to, as the complete text of Mr Nelson’s communication to the Press, since received by us, makes plain, the chairman of the Citizens’ Committee was referring not to the Commission, but to the Parliamentary Joint Cofnmilteo which it supplanted and, in effect, extinguished. None of the evidence heard in Wellington has been published. Mr Nelson occupied the witness stand for two days, or the greater part of two days, before the Commission in Samoa, and the evidence given by him (ills thirty-one pages of its report. A good deal of it, being admissions of the careless and inaccurate way in which criticisms of the Administration, which were read to natives, wore drawn up, did not by any means reflect creditably on Mr Nelson, as was pointed out by the Commission. The complaint of the non-publication of evidence taken by the Parliamentary Committee, which had not the same claim to bo a judicial tribunal, can have no weight in the circumstances. Native evidence which appears with the Commission’s report should make a priceless Held of research in future for those who wish to study the Samoans’ ways and character. The Commission bad to deal, as was. to be expected, with some very naive people. There were the chiefs who strongly disapproved of local banishments, but would banish or approve of the banishment of anyone who was “ up against ” themselves. Religion mixes curiously with disaffection and credulity. Witness the letter of a native, datpd July last, when Air Nelson was on his way to New Zealand. “ Let us praise God for His love if it is the same with you all. A wireless message of life and joy has been received as follows: —Good fortune has favored our movement (Man) on the ‘ Malaga ’ of Taisi (Air Nelson), and advice has been received that very shortly the struggles will be over and the victory in your hands. Tho Man is established; and it is further stated that our Governor is a sergeant, and should be sent home. [That last term surely savors of something beyond native inspiration.] Further, the Alinister who came has apologised three times to Air Nelson, because a court case between Taisi and the Alinister is coming on. Further, it is reported that there will be no further banishments of Samoan chiefs or further imprisonments. The chief thing in the wireless message is that Samoa is to be cut off from the control of New Zealand. Mr Nelson will return with the verdict as to which Government is to have control of our country, but New Zealand is finished with Samoa. This is absolutely true.” Toelupo is a Samoan who has seen much history in the islands. He stated, in evidence, that he had been a faipulo in the first Alalietoa Government, then under tho German Government. He was also adviser to Tamasesc. Since then he has been a faipulo down to the present day. It was he who had a chief part in presenting the emblems of authority to tho New Zealand Government a couple of sessions ago, and, in the opinion of disaffected natives, overdid his part, a charge which the Commission did not uphold. His judgment of his countrymen was that they were not yet sufficiently educated to be ready to take their seats in the Legislative Council. “ Tho way with the Samoans in tho past is that they make their governments and discuss matters, and after a while they break up again and sop-

arate. There is no one who can carry anything on. The stores and companies cannot do anything in business. They have tried to make companies and work up companies, but after a while they break up and fail.” He described the late Secretary for Native Affairs, Mr Griffin, as one who was very well acquainted with Samoan characteristics and customs, and who stood with the Samoans as though he was one of them. In July last Toelupo was one of a gathering of faipules which urged the Administrator to take stronger measures with malcontents. “All the Government activities,” he complained, “are made a matter for joking, including the visits of warships.” “No cause at all,” one of his companions declared, “ can be found for the present trouble except the European agitators. 1 do not blame our brother Samoan chiefs who are in the Mau movement. They are a young generation which has not seen and known of our hard struggles in the past, and wars even.” it is an old story that youth will always gain its experience for itself. Revolutionary movements in China, India, and Egypt would have been much loss violent than they have been but for the young students who have been accustomed to take the most headstrong part in item. It is equally true that tfe system which is best for one generation may not be best suited to another; modifications of it may be required, and may be too slowly made by tiie authority which essays to govern by a benevolent despotism. The position has now been reached in Samoa that the Administration does not dare to assert authority in the face of the defiant attitude caused by the Mau. Two warships have been despatched, therefore, “entirely as a precautionary measure,” to lend the support of their presence to an inadequate police. In the pass to which matters have reached there may well have been no alternative to this course. Someone has to govern. That could not be loit to tbo Man, even if that society tor the expression of discontent were a much less formless organisation than it appears to be. It was pointed out by Sir George Richardson in his evidence that the Administration had no really effective means ol enlorcing law wluln large numbers of natives opposed Government authority. ihe police force in tho territory was not armed. Formerly there had been no necessity to arm it or to use force. It comprised one inspector, three European police, and lorty natives, ibc addition of half a dozen New Zealand policemen, sent to augment it recently, cannot be regarded as any very substantial reinforcement ol its strength. It is profoundly to bo hoped that tho mere presence ol the cruisers will induce disaffected natives to show a different attitude to authority. It will be a pity if tho visit of these warships should be regarded as a joke.