GENEROUS SPIRIT PROMISED

Evening Star, Issue 20089, 1 February 1929, Page 8

GENEROUS SPIRIT PROMISED

PREMIER'S STATEMENT ON SAMOA NO NEGOTIATION WITH SUBVERSIVE MOVEMENT tSp?cuL to the ‘ Stab.’] WELLINGTON, February 1. The Premier made the following statement on Samoa at ithc conclusion of a Cabinet meeting to-day:— “The Government lias considered very carefully the situation in Western Samoa, and it lias thought it advisable at this juncture to make a public statement of its views. In the first place, tiie Government wishes to make it plain that it cannot tolerate or negotiate 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 are members of the Man 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 in a generous spirit. “The Government earnestly trusts that wise counsels will prevail, and that all who have the true interests of Western Samoa at heart will assist in pointing out to the Mau the path of wisdom and honour, and the disastrous consequences to Samoa of a continuation of the Mail's present attitude.”