SURRENDER OF SAMOA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 10 September 1925, Page 10

SURRENDER OF SAMOA.

ELEVENTH ANNIVERSAI!Y

CELEBRATION AT APIA. The eleventh anniversary of the surrender of Samoa to the New Zealand forces was celebrated at Apia on August 3D, 'when a great gathering o: islanders and Europeans assembled to hear and address bv the Administrator, General Sir George Ri.hardson, and to participate in the festivities. Aucklanders who returned by the To.ua speak enthusiastica.lv of the proceedings In previous years the annual ceehiations have Keen missed by the Tofua, but oil this occasion her call coincided with the event, and her passengers availed themselves fully of the unique opportunity. The ceremony opened On a leligious note with the singing of a hymn, but the most striking feature was th e address of Sir George Richardson, who spoke for forty minutes in the native tongue. As he lias been in residence on the island for only two years, and his duties have been particularly onerous and conscientiously carried out, the fart that h e had sufficiently mastered the language to give this impressive speech was not lost on the islanders, who showed their appreciation ard love for him in marked fashion. .Typical of the Administrator’s work and method is the establishment among voting islanders of an organisation reminiscent of the Bov Scout movement. The yomg members retain their national costume, hut wear coloured caps bearing a five-pointed silver star, each point of which stands for a precept, “Associated with God,’’ “King,” “Country,” “Kindness” and “Cleanliness.” The first point demanded of a young member is, “Be true to God”: the second, “Love the King”; the third, “Live and work to improve the country”: the fourth. “Bg good and kind to others”; and the fifth. “Educate your mind to take care of vour body.”