SAMOAN AFFAIRS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 23 July 1927, Page 7

SAMOAN AFFAIRS.

BILL DISCUSSED BY THE HOUSE (by telegraph press association.) WELLINGTON, July 22. The Prime Alinister moved in the House of Representatives to-day, the second reading of the Samoa Bill which, lie said, provided for the deportation of Europeans and the banishment of natives who were, in the opinion of the Administrator, dangerous to the peace and good order of the islands. Before these drastic steps could, however, be put into effect, the matter had to be referred to the Governor-General in Council, and if approved would then take effect.

There was power under the mandate to do this. Similar powers had been taken by the United States of America, France/, Germany, Spatn, Australia, India and Egypt, and in these instances there was no right of trial.

Looking at the matter from the Samoan point of view, there was grave danger of a serious position arising. Charges had been made against the Administrator which were untrue and misleading, and they had been circulated to Geneva, where they were calculated to do great harm. New Zealand’s administration had been conducive to great good to the Samoans. New Zealand’s reputation as a wise and just trustee was at stake. This was the responsibility of the Government, who had the welfare of the Samoan people closely at heart. This was admitted by the Citizens’ Committee themselves. They also admitted that under New Zealand administration the Samoans had benefited and made progress. Educational and trading progress were next dealt with. In 1910, said the Premier, deposits in the savings bank were nil. In 1926 they were £45,000. That was a sample of what New Zealand’s administration had done, and he asked the House to say whether they were going to permit that administration to be interrupted bv improper interferences. Air* H. E. Holland asked what were the interferences which the Government feared.

The Prime Alinister said Air. Holland should know what they were, but if he did not there would be other speakers who would explain that. He defended the method of communication between the Samoans and the Administrator bv the Eono of Faipules. This as the method which the Samoans themselves wanted, and that was why the Samoan Act was not being carried out in its entirety. Banishment for offences was an old custom well understood by the natives, and the failure to enforce it would only be regarded by them as a weakness.

Air H. E. Holland (Leader of the Opposition) said the Prime Alinister had made an exceedingly lame explanation of his Bill and a weaker attempt to camouflage his attempt to .opy German methods. He clouded die issue by saying prohibition was at the back of all the agitation, when he knew the Labour Party was as much in favour of prohibition in Samoa as his own party was. Mr Holland declared the Samoans did wish to be represented- on the legislative Council. He had tried to get a statement from the Alinister as to what was the offence those people who were to be deported were gunty of. but he could get no statement. He complained that the Government had given the House no information as to what people were doing to “hinder” the Government or who those people were. It had been said that “German” influence was behind the trouble, but the fact was the German settlers were amongst the strongest- supporters of New Zealand’s administration. The Bill was a repressive measure and must be fought to its last clause.

The Hon. F. J. Rolleston (Alinister of Justice) said Mr. Holland had admitted the position in Samoa was serious, and therefore it was evident that something must be done to fiut it right. What they were doing was perfectly legal and constitutional. Greater powers were conferred on the High Commissioner of the I Wes fern Pacific by the British Government, and that was an answer to the statement that it was German legislation which the Government proposed.

They were administering the country for the Samoans and they were perfectly justified in saying that if a person was not desirable in Samoa lie must move on.

There were two methods of preserving law’ and order, punishment and prevention, and deportation was a preventive and precautionary measure which should he exercised by the executive, and need not be so exercised except on clear and explicit proof. Thus, according to Air. J ustice Isaacs, there was an inherent right in the State to say to any person: “Your presence is undesirable here and you must move on.”

Air. E. J. Howard said Air. Rolleston had told them of powers given to the High Commissioner of the AVestern Pacific, but he had not told the House that those powers were confined to British subjects and did not apply to native people who were not British subjects. It had been said they had reached a crisis in Samoa. Ho asked : “AA r hat is the crisis? and who is creating the crisis?” To these questions tTfey could get no answer, and they could get no information. The debate was carried on by Alessrs. E. Lee (Oamaru), E. P. Lee, G. AW Forbes, H T. Armstrong, AA 7 . D. Lysnor, J. AlcCombs, Al. J. Savage, U. H. Potter, F. N. Bartram, the Hon. D. Buddo, Alessrs. A. Harris, E. J. Howard D Jones (Ellesmere), P. Fraser, and H. E. Holland (Buller). WELLINGTON, July 23. After the telegraph office closed, the debate on the, Samoa Amendment Bill was continued. The Hon.. AA T . Nosworthv, replying to the Leader of the Opposition, said that the statement oi the proportion of notices supporting the Citizens’ Committee made by Air. Nelson was altogether inaccurate. He doubted very much whether Air. Nelson would return to Samoa. The nest had been shaken up, and its members were feeling like scattering. The Government did not want the, bomb to explode- and compel them to go and pick up bits at a later date; they preferred to put the bomb out of the way before it exploded. Air. AA 7 . D. Lysnar violently denounced the powers asked for in the Bill as unreasonably arbitrary. At 2.35 a.m. a division was taken on Mr. McCombs’ amendment, “that the Bill he read this- day six weeks,” which wm.s defeated by 42 votes- to 13. The Prime Minister, in reply, said the Government had definite information that the natives were showing passive resistance to the Administration. and that the position was so serious that the Government felt that they must have- power to deal with the Citizens’ Committee, which, they believed. was the instigator of the trouble. Tihe Bill was the only form

of .power they thought would meet the .situation.

Mr. D l . G. Sullivan: “What i.s the motive behind the Citizens’ Committee in undermining the Administrator’s authority ? ’ ’ The Prime Minister said that he had already started it to be copra and liquor. If the Citizens’ Committee cmild succeed in getting self-determina-tion then they would get free trade in oopra and liquoir, land that would be the end of the Government and order.

iO'n the question that the Bill be read a .second time, a division was called for, when the voting was: For 43, against 13, and the House rose at 3.15 a.in. till 2.30 p.m- on Tuesday.