SAMOAN CHIEFS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 4 December 1924, Page 3

SAMOAN CHIEFS.

VISIT TO DOMINION. GUESTS OF THE GOVERNMENT. (BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, Dee. 3. Auckland. made an immediate impressjoii on eight Samoan fipules, who arrived by the Tofua this morning on a visit to the_ Dominion as the guests of the New Zealand Government. The morning was splendidly clear and bright, and from the bridge deck of the ofua the visitors, who are among the highest chiefs in their land, gazed in ■wonder and evident enjoyment at the wide expanse of the city and the green attractive hills surrounding the gulf. They proved to be courteous, dighified men of pleasing features and nfanner All were dressed in grey cloth lavnlavas a form of skirt, worn in tile i° f the t Fl J i . an sul h, but reaching l:i\ a helo 7 , the kuees ; neat flannel shirts and brown tweed coats. The fipules, who are law-makers, represent the Samoan people at the meeting of the Fono dr native Parliament, and discuss with the Administrator all matters pertaining to the welfare of the natives. They are the wise men of the race. The party is under the care of Mr H. S. Griffin (Secretary for Native Affairs in Samoa). The chiefs were met on the Tofua by Mr D. J. Grey (Secretary for External Affairs), ivlib welcomed the visitors on behalf of the New Zealand Government, and conveyed to them a greeting from the Minister (Sir Franeis Bell). He briefly expressed the pleasure of the people of New Zealand at the opportunity to extend the utmost hospitality to the leaders of the bamoan race, aiid assured them that the programme arranged for their entertainment and instruction was as complete as possible. Tolupe, an able speaker and the chief orator of the party, replied on behalf of his colleagues. He said: “We thank you for having met the vessel on Which we have journeyed to this country. Although we have not yet gone ashore, we have been interested all this morning in looking at the beauty of New Zealand. Great is our thanks for the invitation to visit New Zealand aiid view the .sights. It is the first time we have seen anything like this. You can understand that there are many reasons why we are glad to come. We hope to learn matiy things which will help in the advancement of Samoa. No. doubt we will be many days On this journey, and we will See maily things of which we are now ignorant. ’ ’ “We have come into a new world. We feel as if we had entered the temple of Solomon, ’’ declared Toe Lupe, spokesman fbr the fipules at the civic reception given to the visitors at the Town Hall. A message of welcome from the Government was conveyed to the fipules by Mr J. D. Gray (Under-Secretary for External Affairs)'. Mr 11. Griffin (Secretary for Native Affairs in Samoa) acted as interpreter throughout the proceedings. In tendering Auckland’s welcome to the Samoan chiefs the Mayor (Sir James Gunsoii) said the people of New Zealand, had always taken the, greatest interest in Samoa, and sympathised With the troubles and trials that the Samoans had encountered in years gone by. Toe Lupe returned thanks, expressing great pleasure at the kind Words of the Mayor, and also at the welcome the visitors could read in the faces of those present. He realised that the Mayor’s remarks were based on loVe. Before the Samoans left the Town Hall they had an opportunity of hearing the city organ, the great volume of sound interesting them immensely.