SAMOAN POLICY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 222, 6 September 1929, Page 5

SAMOAN POLICY

OUTLINED BY PREMIER OPEN DEFIANCE WILL NOT BE COUNTENANCED. GOVERNMENT CONCILIATORY AND SYMPATHETIC, [Per Press Association.! Wellington, Sept. 6. Sir Joseph Ward initiated in the House of Representatives a discussion on the reports on the mandated territory of Western Samoa. He said that everything the Government had done was in accordance with its aim to take no action that was not in the best interests of the Samoans themselves. Unfortunately, there had been an effort made by people outside Samoa to interfere with the administration.

In reply to Mr. H. E. Holland (Lab., Buller) Sir Joseph said he referred to nobody in the House. He added that the Government had no desire to gain anything for itself financially or otherwise from the Samoans, it had no other desire than to carry out faithfully its obligations under the mandate. If the members of the Mau had any just grievance they should know that they would be able to obtain justice from the Government. There was one thing that the Goverhment would never do—it would not be coerced into countenancing open defiance of the law. It wished to be conciliator) and sympathetic, and if the Samoans wanted to obtain any change in the administration or redress in any way they should know that the means to obtain it was not open defiance of the law. He looked forward to the day when we would be able to associate with the Samoans in the administration of their country. The nomination of Samoan representatives should be in the hands of the Governor-General and the natives. Representatives would be given every consideration. Nothing but mistrust and misunderstanding of our intentions could stand between us and ths Mau and there was no justification for such misunderstanding. The Government was engaged in reducing the expenditure of the territory and bringing income and expenditure closet together. The ultimate aim was a selfsupporting territory. The New Zealand Government did not intend to continue contributing an annual gift of money from the taxpayers in the Dominion equal to an amount of onefifth of the male expenditure of the Samoan territory.

Sir Joseph Ward asked members to remember the responsibility they incurred by their remarks in Parliament. All should bear in mind that what might be reasonable and iust when said of New Zealand politics looked very different when read by Samoans 1700 miles away. The remarks of members might he read in another language by peonle resentful of New Zealand’s administration and suspicious of her intentions. MR. COATES APPROVES. The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates said he concurred in the policy that had been outlined by Sir Joseph Ward. He disagreed with the publication of the report on the personnel in Samoa. He believed that it had never been intended that such a report should be printed. It was definitely unfair that a committee should report on individuals without those individuals having had an opportunity of appearing before the tribunal to be heard as to whether their administration was faulty or not. The Government, under the circumstances, would have been well advised to have sent the report back to the Administration, who should have been given an opportunity to safeguard the interests of the individuals being unfairly compromised. He had nothing but admiration for the committee Who had submitted the report but he did not think they would have phrased the report in such a way had they known that it would be published without further action. He agreed that the Prime Minister’s policy towards Samoa was the only dignified course possible. The House adjourned at 1 p.m.