MISLED SAMOANS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10563, 17 April 1928, Page 5

MISLED SAMOANS.

' ES-ADJIINISTIIATOIi SPEAKo ; out. WHITE DEPORTEES STILL INFLUENCE NATIVES. MAU : DEVELOPED INTO -REVOLUTIONARY SOCIETY. LOYAL VILLAGERS INTIMIDATED. (Press Association.i AUCKLAND, April 10. “Any New Zealand Government officer who goes to Samoa and endeavors to fearlessly and courage- ' ously discharge his trust and do Ids part to carry out the mandate in the interests of the native rdco sooner or later becomes an object of censure and misconception on the part of the small non-native section of .the community in Apia, some of whprn live in the past and yearn for a return of the good' old days .when. Apia was known as the hell of the Pacific, when' the natives were, comparatively , speaking, a non-progressive, diseased, and uncared-for people. 5 ’ Such was the statement of MajorGeneral Sir George Richardson to a Star reporter to-day, when lie returned on the Tofua from Suva, having completed his live years’ term as Administrator of the mandated territory of Western Samoa. Sir George stated that he would leave New Zealand next week en route for Geneva, where he' will • appear before the Mandates Committee of the League of Nations. “Please make it quite clear that I could give a very lull statement concerning tli© whole position, but 1 do , not .wish to do so until I have seen the Prime Minister and the Governmeat,” added Sir George. / Questioned, concerning the new 'Administrator, Colonel Alien, Sir George said that in his opinion the riglif.choiee of appointment had been made. Colonel Allen was a fine man in every may, and . should do well. “Of course, the trouble in Samoa lias been fully dealt with in the report of the Royal Commission, which sat last year,”, he said. “You ask me why the trouble did not come to an end when the Royal Commission was oyer, and when the report had been given to th© ivorld. Some 300 native chiefs and orators were - heard by the commission, and the truth was published. I can say that the chief conspirators or leaders of this movement led the natives to believe that th© Royal Commission was not the end of the matter. They led the natives to believe that they were going to take the matter further, ufield.’f “Geneva?” interjected the interviewer. V • “I do not say,” returned Sir

Gnorge, “but they led the natives to think that they had great power and could reverse the decision- oi : the Royal Commission.” “It must, oh course, be understood that the natives cannot reason as we do, and a small coterie of chiefs is receiving to-day instructions from some of these leaders. They are carrying on the movement which they call the Mau, which has really developed into a revolutionary society to subvert the influence of the Government.. I say that it is practically criminal to influence the natives in that way.” '.'Sir George added that the troufcile was being made worse by the letters of instruction which these leaders were sending. Some of these leaders, who had misled the natives, had been sent away for their country’s good. They had contributed money and had prevailed upon some of the natives to give money, and had induced the native chiefs to use their influence in carrying on the use of intimidation with a view to making their people join the movement. The intimidation took the form of threats of banishment to Other villages. “X have a number of complaints from loyal villagers, complaints in writing, in support of ■ 'f y that statement,” said Sir George. A THE COPRA PRICE GRIEVANCE. Sir George Richardson, in the course of an interview, said: — “Samoa has experienced a comparatively good year, hut the copra production was 2,000 toiis short, due to lack of effort on the part of the natives. The market price, of course, was £22 2s 6d for the whole year, the average price paid to the natives being £lQ;6s lid per ton. For the. same period the natives of American Samoa received £lB per ton, and this year they are receiving £l9. That is a great bone of contention and the cause of disaffection on the part of the Samoans, who ever since I went there have urged me to help them get the game consideration as their brothers who live under another flag. PROHIBITION ESSENTIAL IN SAMOA. “I am disinclined to speak ■ about the liquor question,” said Sir George. “If I were in New Zealand I should probably vote against prohibition, but m Samoa it - is the bounden duty ot the Government to keep liquor. away from the natives. “Let it be clearly understood, ’ said Sir George, “there never was any desire to change the flag which flies over Samoa. That is no desire on the part of the natives. lam sorry there (should have been any suggestion concerning the flag, and a desire foi change, because that story was- invented by conspirators on Apia beach who buttonholed the tourists, and gave them i well, dope, I call it. and that’s about the' word to describe it.” Sir George will confer with -'Lieut. Col. s. S. Allen, his successor, in Waikato to-morrow, and will repoi u to the Government in Wellington on Wednesday. ■