SAMOAN TROUBLE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 5 July 1927, Page 9

SAMOAN TROUBLE

LATE EDITION

MINISTER’S IMPRESSIONS

MEETS CITIZENS’ COMMITTEE

ISSUES FINAL WARNING

BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL TO THE STAR

WELLINGTON, July 5

Tii© Minister of External Affairs* biie Hon. W Nosworthy, and the Undersecretary of the Department, 'Mr J. D. Gray returned from Samoa via Sydney'to-day. , The Minister indicated that he had a complete statement prepared regarding the trouble in Samoa, which would be released after Cabinet consideration. Meanwhile an indication of the Minister’s impressions of the position are to be gained from the lengthy report of his address to the Citizens’ Committee after he had investigated the trouble for a week. This has arrived from Fiji. It shows that the Hon. Nosworthy received the Citizens' Committee, while 1000 Samoans supporting them were lined up outside the meeting place. History, declared the Minister, had a, strange way of repeating itself. Practically the same committee had addressed eight pages of foolscap to the German Parliament in 1910, declaring that the German administration was oppressive and retarded the advancement and happiness of the colony. For 11 years the same committee had refused to meet the then Minister of External Affairs, hut had allegation© in a- petition, every one of which had been disproved. . “Every record of Samoa tells the same sorry tale of European intrigue and of unfortunate Samoan native© paving the penalty when, the day of reckoning arrived. I 'give you my word that f do not propose that history should repeat itself. The Minister had noted that ©mall section© of the natives declined to join in the King’s_ Birthday celebration'©, which he attributed to European interference. He strongly condemned such conduct, and assured the Citizen©’ Committee that he would take drastic steps to stop it. “I regard these efforts to disunite and upset a fine race like the Samoans as nothing less than criminal and deserving to be dealt with as a crime,” he declared. “When the well-being of the physical body is threatened with a sore, the surgeon’s knife is used to excise the trouble, and I firmly believe that everv right-thinking European in this community and in New Zealand will not hesitate to support me in any steps I deem necessary to take, to remove what might easily become a festering wound on the body politic of Samoa. I will not hesitate to a.sk Parliament fop the widest powers to deal with the agitators in this territory who attempt to disaffect tbe native people fon their own ends.” The Minister refused to meet the Samoan© associated with the Citizens’ Committee as accredited representatives of their .people, and he concluded the warning that he was giving the committee _ a first and last chance to undo the intrigue which had gone on with the natives. After that time had elapsed he would act with the backing of the New Zealand Government.