DISSENT IN SAMOA

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 24 January 1928, Page 5

DISSENT IN SAMOA

DOMINION POLICY ‘ ADMINISTRATION VINDICATED, EXECUTIVE NOT PUNITIVE. PRIME MINISTER’S STATEMENT. (BY TELEGRAPH TRESS ASSOCIATION. I WELLINGTON, Jan. 23. The Prime Minister issued the fol lowing statement, to-day: “There seems to be some misaapprehension throughout the country as to the reasons underlying the Government’s action -in approving of the deportation from Samoa, of Messrs. Nelson, Gurr and Smyth, and I leel it desirable to state plainly the considerations which have, in the opinion of the Government, rendered necessary the course that has been taken.

“In the first place I think -it is -not generally recognised in New Zealand that our administration of Samoa has .or many months past been very largely ineffective in Samoa. To-day the native people are seriously disunited. A large section of them is in a state of passive resistance to co-nstituded authority, and, so far as they are concerned the King’s writ is not- running. They are refusing to obey the orders and summonses of the court, even though serious indictable and criminal offences are involved, they are reiusing to pay their taxes, they are failing to search for beetles or to account for those collected, they are neglecting their plantations, they are. keeping their children from the . Government -.chords, and, perhaps the most serious of all, they are rejecting medical help :nd neglecting sanitary precautions. “It is impossible to ignore- the- serious position that exists to-day and has existed for some months past, and it is not too much to say that sufficient mischief lias already been done to prejudice the prosperity of Samoa and the Samoans for many years to come. The failure of the natives to collect beetles, or example, must have an exceedingly detrimental effect on the production of j copra, on which the prosperity of the i islands so largely depends. During | the last financial year no less than j >,308,531 beetles, larvae and eggs were I collected and destroyed, and the po- j tential menace of this neglect to a tree that is vital even to the existence of I ,he Samoans, is a very read danger. | EFFECTS ON TRADE. “I't does not appear to be generally, ippieciated, also, that we in New Zea- j .'and had to take authority in the ! Finance Act last session a sum up to | £30,000 to meet the anticipated deficit! in the Samoan finances directly due to the activities of the Mau and j the loss to Samoa will undoubtedly be: considerably increased in the future! owing to the decline -in both the import and export trade which must necessarily follow the disruption of the normal life of the country. It must not be forgotten, also, that the amount wo vill be called upon to advance to meet these deficits will be in adclit -on to the sum of £2O,CCK) which we regularly , ote to- supplement the Samoa revenues.

“The effect of the Man activities upon our health administration Inns been most- marked, and - most deplorable,” proceeds Mr Coates. After quoting evidence from the medical authorities that an increase in infant mortality is likely, the Prime Minister says: ‘.‘.lf the medical department does not hold the confidence of the natives mr effort in the campaign of jpreventive medicine against disease is to a large extent nullified. With a due sense of responsibil tv I say that as a direct result of the Man influences which has so largely destroyed the confidence of the natives in our health administration, many innocent lives must be lost in Samoa.” Alter contrasting the present position with that before activities of the Man commenced, and. stressing the indication of the administrnt on by the Royal Commission, the Prime Minister proceeds: “The two chief causes of white disontent in Samoa since the institution of mandate administration under New Zealand are, beyond the region of doubt European discontent with our policy cf prohibiting liquor, which was the root cause of the agitation and native unrest in 1920 to 1922, and to- a certain extent of the more recent disorders. Undoubtedly the menace to the business and wealth oi the traders, o. whom, Mr Nelson is the largest and most influential, of the administrat oil’s experimental native copra-selling policy was largely responsible for the present movement.”

A SACRED TRUST

“Happily I am no longer called upon to prove the facts of this sorry business. They have been investigated hv a commission of whose integrity and impartiality there can be no possible doubt, and to which the Samoan Guardian, the newspaper promoted and issued in Samoa by the European leaders of the Mau movement bore testimony.”

After reiterating that New Zealand’s mandate to govern Samoa is a sacred trust to do so oil behalf of peoples who are not yet able to- stand by themselves in' the strenuous conditions of the modern world, Air Coates says: ‘During the past six months the administration and the Government of New Zealand have shown limitless oatience in most difficult circumstances md have carried toleration to such an extent that it. might even be said that our administration of the country has heen ineffective during that time.”

‘‘Seeing that the Royal Commission indicated the administration in every essential particular, we have determined,” says the Prime ‘Minister, “that the time has arrived when authority must lie enforced! The question that then arose ior decision was as to the method to he adopted to reintroduce a settled condition of law and order on the islands.’

After explaining that deportat on is not a judical but an executive action, not a punishment but a preventative measure, and that it is entirely constitutional, Air Coates says: “There were three possible co-unses of action Firstly, to allow the administration oi samoa. to .remain ineffective, which was, of course, unthinkable; secondly, to inflict grave hardship on large numbers of probably innocent natives by the application of force, but this we iis.-arded ; or thirdly, by removing those who were, in our opinion, primarily responsible, and thus prevent any extension of the mischief and so enable the administration to put in hand those conciliatory methods which ve believe will ultimately prove successful. This was the course we adopted and we already have good reason

to believe that the object we all desire will be achieved peacefully and gradually in this way. *

OPINIONS OF CRITICS

“In the circumstances 1 have found it hard to understand the sol.citude that nas been shown for Mr Nelson and his European colleagues by the reader of the Lacour Party and by a section or oar own Press and puolic. uo the health, welfare and prosperity of the feamoan people, tiie In es even count for nothing with these critics f Are they prepared to sacrifice all these in their devotion to what they conceive to be Abstract principles of justice which are entirety inapplicable to the c.rcamstances of this case 't

■ ‘ The critics have ignored the weight of opinion of the most highly qualified colonial statesmen in the world, whose experience and judgment teach that .t is impossible to deal promptly and effectively in a purely native territory with a trouble which may involve live and death .ssues according to t the standards and principles which are .aid down for the Government o: democratic and educated communities. I say without hesitation that if we are to be forced 1 t-;> apply exactly the same methods and Government to a territory .inhabited in the words of the treaty liy a people ‘not yet able to stand by themselves,’ as we apply to our own educated democracy, -Sew Zealand will either have to abandon the mandate or resign herself to face the constant danger of disorder and disruption in Samoa owing to the very serious situation vvhc-h has been created, and to the general lack of knowledge of the great dangers involved.” After referring to a somewhat similar disturbance in American Samoa in ,920, when a revolution of aiqtives was fomented by European malcontents, the Prime Minister concluded: “We have decided, after the most careful consideration and the most lengthy inquiry to take a stronger course. We have felt it advisable to prefer the interests of the large number- of natives to the interests of a handful 'of Europeans, and we are satisfied that the course we have adopted was correct and that it will he justified by the event.” . REFUSE TO PAY FINES. TAXES OUTSTANDING. (BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) AUCKLAND, Jan. 23. The Hon. O'. F. Nelson and Mr. A. G Smyth. who recently left Samoa under an order of deportation, arrived ■>t Auckland from Suva to-day. Mr. Nelson said he had nothing to sav at present, as he was going to Wellington, to confer with his legal adviser. “We have been peace-makers all ’’onsr,” sad Mr. Nelson. “Now it ifor General Richardson to keep order ‘f he can.”

Mr Nelson indicated that he was going to Europe, while Mr Smyth will take up a business appointment at Suva.

Mr Smyth said the Samoan natives bad declared a bovcott not only of New Zealand goods, but of all imported moods except soap, sugar, kerosene and matches, wh'ch were regarded as necessaries. The natives, he said, had not paid last year’s taxes and were reusing t i pay fines.