A SCARE RADIO

Evening Star, Issue 19923, 20 July 1928, Page 4

A SCARE RADIO

ECHO OF MAR€H TROUBLE AN OFFICER REPRIMANDED No attempt was made by the Prime Minister to justify the contents of an inflammatory iradio sent from Samoa on March 13, when the Leader of the Opposition (Mr H. E Holland) referred to it in the House this alterneon. Indeed, Mr Coates stated plainly that ho was as annoyed at the publication of the radio as was the Leader of the Opposition, and the Government had cabled the Administrator of Samoa, instructing him to ensure that all messages sent out had foundation in fact. Very plain speaking was indulged in by Mr Holland in bringing the radio under notice. It was a coded wireless message, sent from Samoa to the ‘ Now Zealand Herald,’ and circulated by that paper per medium of the Press Association. One sentence stated that the Natives were becoming increasingly insubordinate, and that w'lute_ women wore no longer immune from interference and insult in broad daylight on the main road and beach. UNDER THE CRUISERS’ GUNS. “ There was never a mors blackgunardly nor a more foul slander perpetrated than that statement,’! asserted Mr Holland,’“and it must have been sent out with the full knowledge of Sir George Richardson. Everyone knows (hat no woman was ever in danger in Samoa. The Samoans arc gentlemen. and a chaste people.” Mr Holland said ho believed General Richardson was responsible for the mass of falsehoods contained in the radio?. The Prime Minister: There were certainly incidents which raised some doubts. Mr Holland said the Prime Minister had belatedly denied the truth of the contents of the radio. _ Another false and stupid statement in it was that the Samoan situation was, in tho general opinion of the people, attributable more to the speeches of the Leader of the Opposition than to the deportations. It was stated that the speeches of the Loader of tho Opposition had been circulated freely in tho Samoan language in tho belief that they had tho backing of a majority of the people of New Zealand. It was also stated that Europeans looked to the public to force Cabinet to give tho Administrator a free hand to use such force as was necessary to break up the Mau, also to bring home to Mr Holland that ho was endangering tho lives of his countrymen by his support of the Mau and their leaders. Mr Holland reminded the House that on February 27, long before this faked cablegram tvas sent out, an Order in Council bad been gazetted authorising the Administrator to censor cablegrams, which must not bo sent out unless certified by the Administrator as correct.

“T am certain that tlio Administrator himself was the designer of tin's message,” said Mr Holland. Everyone had to admit that there was no truth in it. It was a scarcmongering message. The very papers which published it also published a message stating that the Dunedin was leaving Samoa, which was proof enough of the falsity of the previous radio. ANNOYED ABOUT IT, The Prime Minister prefaced his reply by stating that lie bad hoped to have some evidence ready when it was time for him to speak, but if it did not arrive in the House before be sat down ho would give it to the Minister of External Affairs. As far as he could see, tho Leader of the Opposition had .set up bogy after bogy, and then knocked the bogies down. Mr Holland: That radio was no bogy. Mr Coates: The lion, gentleman is becoming very cunning; rather, I should say, adroit. Adroit is the term, though it seems to compliment him. One cannot compare tho Samoan with Hie Maori. The Samoan is not ready for self-government. Mr Holland interjected that ho hod advocated government on the lines followed in Tonga. Mr Coates asked if Mr Holland said Sir George Richardson had sent the radio.

Mr Holland: I say .I’m confident that he sent it. The Prime Minister: “Then I’m going to tell the hon. gentleman that ho did not send it.”

Mr Holland: I say it could not have been sent without the Administrator’s knowledge and consent. ' Mr Coates; “ That cablegram was sent by the representative of a New Zealand newspaper, f asked Sir George Richardson if he had seen it, and he told ms he had not. I had to accept the gentleman’s word, though I was as annoyed _ about it as the Leader of the Opposition.” Steps had been taken to see that no further messages were sent unless _ based on fact. As far as the behaviour of the Samoans was concerned, he had letters which showed that some boys had not -behaved very courteously towards a lady who wished to leave her house. -They refused to get up from the front steps, on which they were sitting. Mr Lee: Do you think that justified the cable? . . Mr Coates; “I’m not justifying tho cable. Personally, I think there was really nothing in the stories of misbehaviour. The bulk of opinion was on

that side. Still the situation was delicate at the time.”

Mr J. A. Leo gave further opportunity for debating the Prime Minister’s explanations by moving an amendment—“ That this House regret* that the Administration should nava permitted the transmission of the radiogram on March 13.” Mr Holland (Leader of the Opposition) inquired if the responsible officer was reprimanded. What effect could the Prime Minister expect upon the Samoan mind if the Hew Zealand Government ' ook no steps to refute a libel on the Samoan people? Mr Coates; Do you expect me to apologise? Mr Holland: No; but the Prime Minister has got fo explain. The amendment was negatived by Id votes to 10.

It was explained b.v the Hon. A\. Nosworthy, when presenting a further report, that the radio was got through by a State officer, who had been reprimanded and censured. The message did not represent the opinion of the Administration.