The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1928. THE RETIREMENT OF SIR GEO. RICHARDSON.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10509, 13 February 1928, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1928. THE RETIREMENT OF SIR GEO. RICHARDSON.

It would seem that it is the intention of the Government that General Sir G-. Richardson .shall not he invited, to occupy the important post of Administrator in -Western Samoa for a further term after his present term expires in May. On the othei hand, it is equally plain that Sn George does not wish to continue in office there, having already, • “much against the grain,” so it is said, held the position over a longer period than he had intended, merely to suit the convenience of the Government. In all the circumstances, the general opinion will, we feel, be that a change in the Administratorship should be advantageous. . Sir George has, unquestionably, done a lot of splendid work on behalf of the Samoan people, but, latterly, his arduous duties have, as is well-known, proved f«i from pleasant, on account of the development of a self-government movement on the part of the Natives, which, seemingly, has had the support of a section of the European residents. It does not now require to be discussed whether or not that unhappy state of might have been prevented if the Administrator had adopted a different line of policy. What would be much more to the point would be the selection of a new Administrator who, whilst having the' ability to uphold the prestige of this Dominion under the mandate, could win back the malcontents and thus Succeed in having the Man, the Natives’ “Parliament,” abolished. It is not improbable that New Zealand rule in Western Samoa has keen, for a start, too elaborate, toe strict and too hasty. Like the Maori, the Samoan has an ingrained hatred of being rushed into, the adoption of new conditions. In these circumstances, what is most needed in Western Samoa is an Administrator who thoroughly appreciates the taihoa ways of the Polynesian peoples. We hold that the Government should not appoint as a successor to .General Richardson another Administrator who is, or lias been, associated, over a lengthy period, with the Defence Forces of this Dominion. It would, we believe, be far better to give the appointment to’ a member of the Native Land Court Bench. Such an appointment, it would seem, should he highly popular amongst thq Samoan people and the result should be that the Natives would the more easily he persuaded to adopt a. policy of development—a policy based on all that has proved worthwhile in connection with .British rule over the Maoris.