SAMOAN HIGH CHIEFS

Evening Star, Issue 25565, 18 August 1945, Page 8

SAMOAN HIGH CHIEFS

VISIT TO N.Z. AS GUESTS .. (P.A.) WELLINGTON, August 17. The Government has invited the three High Chiefs who hold the office of Fautua in Western Samoa to visit New Zealand, accompanied by their wives, as the guests of the Government. An announcement to this effect was made to-night by Mr Eraser. The Fautua are the leaders of large groups of families, or clans, known as Aiga in Samoa, and have royal rank among the Samoan people. Their official title signifies- that they arc the advisers of the Administrator in Samoan affairs. They are the Hon. Tamasese (whose wife is a daughter of the late Hon. O. F. Nelson), the Hon. Malietoa, whose father visited New Zealand in order to meet the King (then Duke of York) in 1928, and the Hon. Mata'Afa, who formerly was known by his other titles of Faumuina and Fiame, and was president of the,Mau organisation. The wife of Mata'Afa is an, aunt of the present and a sister of the former Malietoa.

Mr Eraser said he was very pleased indeed that the Government .and people of New Zealand would have this opportunity of welcoming the leaders of the Samoans, and extending hospitality to the representatives of a peoplo whose own hospitality, both to himself as Prime Minister, at the end of last year, and to all visitors to their islands, was so abundantly warmhearted. Mr Eraser added that the v Government would do all in its power to enable the visitors to see the features of life, both Maori and pakeha, in New Zealand that im'i;ht be of interest to them.

The" party will arrive in October, and will stav in the Dominion approximately' one - month.