SAMOAN CRISIS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 23 July 1927, Page 5

SAMOAN CRISIS

WHAT IS THE CAUSE? ANOTHER DEBATE IN HOUSE MEMBERS’ KEEN INTEREST. PRIME MINISTER EXPLAINS. BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL TO THE STAR. WELLINGTON, July 22. The frequent interruptions when the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, was explaining the Samoan Bill to the House on the second reading, showed the keen interest that was being taken in the matter on all sides. Mr. Coates endeavoured to keep to what he declared was the clear issue Who- is to -govern Samoa ? There was a fjjfejlade of questions after Mr. Coates ljuJßßreferred at length to what had !t»done in Improving the medical, educational, reading -and other facilities. New Zealand hud spent her own money without stint and without advertising the fact. There had been a 50 ]>er cent- reduction in infant mortality within three years. Mr. W. S. Glenn (late junior Government- Whip): “All part of your job; you can’t mention that.” Air. Coates: “I beg your pardon.”

Air. Glenn : “All part of your job.” Air. Coates went on to refer to the medical work and training of nurses. Air. W. A- Parry (Aiick-lnad Central) : “'What has that to do- with the Bill?”

Air. Coates -said that it went to- show what New Zealand’is activities had been.

Air. AY. J. Jordan (Afanukn.u) interjected that the Prime Minister was showing only the good work.

The Prime Minister isaid that the thing to -be done was to discover whether the action of -any .section of the community was threatening that good work. Tributes had been paid b\ New Zealand’s work in Samoa.

Air. J. McCombs (Lyttelton) : “Do they believe in deportations?” Air- Coates: “They have borne testimony to what has been done.”

Air. D. 'Sullivan (Avon) asked -how the present record of progress compared with what wa.s done under the previous administration. “Oh, shut up!” came in a stage whisper from the Ministerial benches. The Prime Alinister finally endeavoured to show what was -at the bottom of ithe agitation. The Administrator's. attitude; in making ordinances on native- copra and helping the Samoans to- profitably market theii produce might be, he suggested, ai the bottom of the trouble. The matter had gone too far and the Government would go straight ahead. They would give the people opposed to the Government- -of Samoa- as fair a trial ns possible, but- it was for them to get on side. It was proposed to give in the Act a power which nobody in New Zealand should have, but it may Ik justified by the situation. Air. AY. P- L-ysnar (Gisborne) : “Why not waif until the petition is heard ?”

Air. Coates: “AA'e cannot wait. We have made up our minds what is to he done. It is obvious that there cannot be two or three administrators in Samoa. There is some passive resistance in many villages. It/is serious and must be dealt with.” The Prime Alinister -referred to prohibition, which drew a retort from Air. H. E. Holland (Leader of the Opposition): “That is clouding the issue.” Air. Coates : “Aly friend knows perfectly well that prohibition is at the back of lit. and I tell him that so far as the Government is concerned, prohibition in Samoa has come fo stay. The Prime Alinister added that the efforts of the Administrator in helping the natives to market their copra must come into, conflict with, the trailers “and that is at the back of it as well.”

Mr. H. E. Holland (Loader of the Opposition) declared that throughout the civilised world the name of New Zealand was a by-word because of this legislation. He hail never hoard a more tame .statement from the Prime Minister, who had side-stepped ever? demand tin know what was the subject of the administration's complaint. It came down to the point that if anyone criticised the administration be could be banished. This was an outrage, and no power under the mandate could justify it. The League ol Nations would not justify the Administrator being judge, jury and executor. It was said that the situation was grave, and that ivius a fact, because there had been a score of banishments during the last four years. The consequence was that thousands ol Samoans stood in hostility to New Zealand’s a.‘ 1 miniistratioii.

The Hon. IV. Nosworthy, Minister of External Affairs: “That is contrary to fact.”

Mil. NOS WORTH Y ON THE CAUSES OF AGITATION. “There are two or three points behind this trouble,” declared Mr. Nosworthy, Minister of External Affairs, who, during alio course of lii.s speech, gave what lie called the political pedigrees of the Citizens’ Committee. Continuing bis information regarding the reasons for the agitation, he remarked: “One cause is the liquoi trade which is a .settled matter so l'ni as the Government is concerned, but is not a settled matter to those who want the restrictions removed. ’The second cause is the copra trade. The present Administrator has enabled the natives to make such headway in the disposal of their copra that i.t is only a matter of consideration of this policy when it must eimi.mvt© the white cruder from the copra business ol Samoa.” Finally be quoted telegrams received from, the Administrator to show that since he (the Minister) had Issued a. final warning to the Citizens Committee the Administrator wa.s not satisfied that the coiuninttee had ceased ats activities .in regard to the native people. The Administrator had further cabled : “Have every reason to believe that the European committee ha-s asked the Samoans under their influence to resist the Government a übho lines and not to clean their villages oil to pay taxes. I have received a telegram 'from Alaitwafa, a Faipule lor the Aleiipuita district, <as under: ‘Wish to inform you tin it the people ol Aleipata, who are members of the Mail movement, say that they have been instructed by their leader not to attend your reception, that is, your malaya now pending, and not to obey Government" officials, nor clean villages or plantations, nor search for beetle-., nor pay Government taxes, etc., but appoint a committee of their own pulenuu (village mayor) and run their own .show. This information was confirmed front other districts.” By bar the most deliberate flouting of the warning had, said Air. Nosworthy, occurred in the newspaper

promoted by the committee, which 'published an article purporting to he the comimittee’s Samoan .supporters’ farewell address to Mr. Nek-on, and stating: “We put our trust in heaven until our chairman, Mr. Nelson, receives the kava (title) now given to the governor of this territory.” This was 'a direct incitement to the native people to depose the New Zealand Administrator and to place Mr. Nelson in his stead.