SAMOAN TROUBLE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 15 March 1928, Page 5

SAMOAN TROUBLE.

MR HOLLAND’S STATEMENT CRITICISED. [BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDIN, March 14. In an interview to-day Mr G. Forbes Nationalist leader said that he Lad n<> hesitation in saying that he was at one with the efforts to restore constitutional authority in Samoa, after which it would be possible to discuss the rights and wrongs of th e situation. Mr Holland’s statement had been a disturbing factor| When the Government wa s in a difficult position and mishandling might bring a disaster it behoved a public man who could not say anything to improve the situation to refrain from speech. He believed a man with experience of the Maori race should administrate the territory.

WAITING FOR NEWS. - MR COATES RETICIENT. WELLINGTON,. March 14. Regarding Samoa, the Ft. Hon .1. G. Coates siated to-day that he had no announcement to make at preseat. He preferred to await the arrival of th e information he expected to receive by H.M.S. Dunedin arriving from Samoa on Friday. ADMINISTRATOR AND MAIJ INTERNEES. SIR. GEORGE RICHARDSON’S APPEAL. “Think these matters over and give me your answer as soon as possible. Your future depends upon yourselves. No' Governor could have shown greater kindness and patience than I have done, and I now want to see whether you will appreciate l what I have done for you.” In these words the Administrator of Samoa (Sir George Richardson) concluded his recent appeal to the Man internees assembled at Mill i nun to accept a pardon, to cut the painter with their disruptive organisation, return to their own districts, and to keep the law. An extended summary of the Administrator’s remarks is' appended. “It is with great sorrow that I see you in your present condition, and I come to you as a friend to help you, and I wish you to carefully listen to my words of advice,” said the Administrator. “You are in your present difficulty because you have accepted bad advice and been induced for many months to keep away from me. I have been astonished at your conduct, which has not been according to Samoan custom. A PARDON OFFERED, * “I have many times asked yon to see me and act in a constitutional manner, but others have kept you from hearing my voice and learning the truth. I have been, and am now, anxious to pardon you if you will do what is right and act in a proper way by putting your matters before me. You all know me, and many of you have .received personal favours from me. “My orders from the New Zealand Government are to work and serve the Sampan people ; and by the kindness of New Zealand 1 have been able to do many things for you. You all know that the Government has given you money, land, established schools, hospitals, water .supplies; and trained your boys for doctors, established medical stations with nurses- all over Samoa —and done hundreds of other things to. improve this country and to help the Samoan people. Yet I hear that 'some of you abuse the Government, and you are not grateful. “Some of you have special reason to be grateful, and in your hearts you know this movement is wrong. I do not ask you for gratitude; but I do expect you to show respect and to obey the law. AN UNLAWFUL ACT. “You have done many wrong things, but one act you have committed is a very serious one in the eyes of the law; viz, setting up a body of police in Apia to interfere with the liberties of others—to prevent them buying from stores, and even preventing persons from buying their daily bread. No Government would tolerate this, and a,s this was a challenge to the small and unarmed police of this territory, it was necessary for me to bring a force here —not to fight—'liot to do anyone bodily harm; but to preserve law and order. The danger of a Man police in uniform was foreseen bv me before Mr. Nelson left the territory, and the Government Inspector of Police (Mr. Braisby) called upon Mr. Nelson and asked him not to issue the uniform that his firm had made for this purpose. Mr. Nelson, said .that he realised that if these uniforms were issued it would create trouble and would he wrong, and that he had given instructions for them not to be issued.

Nevertheless, they were issued before Mr. Nelson left, and you used them as a means of intimidation and interfering with the liberties of others —and so. caused your present, trouble. BUILT ON SAND. “The Mau movement is spoiling Samoa, and the Samoans; it is causing you to neglect your villages and plantations ; the tauleleas and showing disrespect for authority, and the chiefs of Samoa are losing their influence. It has divided the country into two parties, and you are striving by intimidation and faa-Samqan methods to unite it all under a Mau movement —which will he like a house built on sand! You do not understand how you have been

misled, and are working against your own interests.

NOT FROM ABO VE

“The Mau movement is not the work of God—it commenced with the formation of a- small European committees in October, 192 b, for the purpose of getting the natives to support'certain objects. “Since that time you have been taught to establish a committee in Apia, where you talk and spread stories—not of wisdom, but of dissensions. You neglect your districts, and do not use the powers given you to givern vour districts and make them better, but prefer to waste time over matters that are not for the good of Samoa.

“You have collected money from your people, but it has not been used like the Government money, to help the country—for roads’ hospitals’- schools, etc. You have been told untruths, and have spread them around Samoa, and so disturbed the minds of your people. NO GROUND T-'OR GRIEVANCE. “You say you are waiting for an answer from New Zealand to those matters dealt- with by the Royal Commission. I have already published the report of that commission in ‘The Savali.’ The points dealt with were chiefly expenditure of Government money, liquor for Europeans, copra, fine mats, faipules; and medical matters were fully gone into and satisfactorily explained. It was found that you were apparently asking for some things you already had got—and in all these matters there is no ground for grievance. I always am prepared to carry out your wishes expressed through your own. District Councils, in which you all have a voice.”

“I hope from to-day you. will listen t<> torutli anti confer -with me. Go- back and glove m your own districts and keep the law —because law-breakers will be punished. ; “Your criticism- of the New Zealand Government is entirely wrong. The Government has- acted differently from former Governments, in not. promptly punishing original offenders. It has shown patience and kindness, and delayed many months to allow matters to be fully inquired into. Former Governments would have punished offenders at once and not permitted this movement to grow. , The only fault that you can attribute to New Zealand is its delay—kindness and patience. PUNISHMENT WITHHELD. “Now I insist on Apia being keptclear of Mau organisations and ask you to go to your districts and govern yourselves. Hold a r fono in each district with all your people, and if necessary a big fono in each large political district (Aana. Atua, etc.) and invite me to be present and talk to? your people. Then have a big fono with me in Apia for all Samoa and become a united people again. You have been sentenced by the Chief Judge, but I -shall withhold the punishment if you will be reasonable and do these things. “If you really have the welfare of Samoa and your people at heart you will obey these instructions. “There is, hoewevec, one condition that I must insist upon: viz., that Paluali district must make an apology to the Government for its insulting conduct.

“Think over these matters and give me your answer as soon as possible. Your future depends. upon yourselves. No Governor could have shown greater kindness and patience that I have done and I now wait- and see whether you will appreciate what I have done for you. ’ ’ .