SAMOA.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IX, Issue 83, 22 March 1919, Page 5

SAMOA.

NEW ZEALAND’S MANDATORY. MR. MASSEY'S REPLY TO WELLINGTON PRESS C RITIUISMS. (Received 22, J 0.50 a.m.) London. March 21. Official. - It is considered a matter of suipnse that the Wellington Post, as quoted in the London Times, on 18th. Marcli. from its Wellington correpondent. should so grossly’ and mischievously misrepresent the actual position regarding the British and New Zealand claims respectively, regarding Samoa. The Post’s statement that Mr. Massey’s claim is based on a parochial and antilinpcrial absurdity” is extravagantly incorrect. The claim to Samoa as entrusted to and advocated by Mi. Massey, is not bast'd on the fact that New Zealand troops took possession of the former German territory at all. That was merely an incidental, ami Mr. Massey, when presenting the case to the Allied Council cited and acknowledged the aid given by the navy of our Allies. The possession of Samoa was taken at the request ci' the Imperial Government for the Empire, aiming particularly at. the element of a German naval base in the South Pacific. Mr Massey would be perfectly satisfied to see Samoa become a British possession, but the policy of the Great Allied Powers is against anything in the form of annexation. The policy of Britain is exactly the policy advocated by Mr. Massey, and that is nothing more or less than that Samoa should be placed under the control of New Zealand as a Mandatory State, and that the New Zealand administration of laws should aperate in new territory with certain safeguards regarding the natives. Mr, .Massey's claim, as representing Britain’s policy, is neither parochial nor anti-imperial, nor is it opposed to Japan. It ought to b;> mentioned that Air. Massey has hail and is having serious difficulties ro contend with. These difficulties will be increased if New Zealanders take up the attitude of the Wellington Post and the London Times corres pendent. Both Al. Clemenceau and Air. Lloyd George, who heard all tile claims respecting the disposal of enemy territory warmly congratulated Mr. Massey on his powerful but thoroughly’ fair presentation of the Samoan ease before the Council of the Allied .Powers.