NO SAMOAN STATUS

Evening Star, Issue 22485, 2 November 1936, Page 11

NO SAMOAN STATUS

MR NELSON INELIGIBLE FOR COUNCIL [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, November 2. The Samoan correspondent of the United Press Association wrote on October . 16:—Since the “goodwill mission ” visited Samoa, Chinese and Melanesion labour has been the subject of negotiations between the New Zealand Government and the Planters’ Association. Mr J. O’Brien, a member of the mission, made the statement that all Chinese labour and Melanesian* were to be repatriated. Representations were made to Mr Savage for the retention of coolies and black boys, and, the Prime Minister has now replied that, mainly on humanitarian grounds, the Government does not propose to repatriate Melanesians to their home country, and the policy in regard to Chinese_ labour will be given careful consideration. The question of Samoan representatives on the Legislative Council, concerning which recommendations were made by the Fono of Faipules, is the subject of a reply by Mr Savage. The Fono recommended Mr O. F. Nelson and the high chiefs Tanjasese Faumuina and Tualatulo to be appointed as the Samoan representatives to the Council. This implied that, the high chief Malietoa should resign his appointment as a member of the Council; Mr Savage said the Government had no intention of amending the legislation this session. Any Samoan or European might apply to the court to change his status to that of a Samoan if he wished, and it would be unreasonable and subversive of the dignity of the Samoan people to amend the law to provide a special dispensation in any particular case, when the law alreadv provided a means for that person to take Samoan status. . ' , ~, , The Prime Minister later, informed the Fono that bv virtue of Mr Nelson s status as a European, he was not eligible for appointment to the Council, and could not therefore be accepted as a nominee. The other three were eligible and acceptable. The Government would greatly regret the omission from the Council of a representative of the extensive and important Mahetoa line.