Samoan Commission's Report Tabled

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6664, 18 July 1928, Page 7

Samoan Commission's Report Tabled

PARLIAMENT SETTLES DOWN TO REAL WORK OF SESSION

Several Bills Read a First Time I • ; . 1' . ■ Yesterday Parliament began the real work of session. The House of Representatives disposed of the Address-in-Reply last Friday, and His Excellency, the Governor-General, has announced he will be pleased to accept its presentation tomorrow morningat 11 1 o’clock. Several Bills were read a first time. Then the House turnedto the'report on Samoa,, which was-tabled by the Hon. W. Nosworthy. A long debate opened and occupied the House for the rest of the day. At 11.35 p.m. a motion that the report lie on the table was put and agreed to on voiced. The House rose at 11.40 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. to-day.

TRAVERSING GROUND AGAIN IN SAMOAN REPORT DEBATE. . ' Per Press - Association. WELLINGTON, Last Night. The House of Representatives met at 2.30 to-dtly.. A largo number pf. petitions were presented praying for the abolition of the eash-on-delivery system. Notice of intention to set up various sessional committees were given by Ministers. i•

The Speaker , announced that His Excellency the Governor-General would be pleased to receive the Address to be presented by tho House at 11 a.m. on Thursday next. ' • Tho Minister of Lands, the ‘Hon. A. D. McLeod, to Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon) said that his Department was endeavouring to arrange payments ot font by Grow tenants over, as wide a period as possible. This was being done with a yiow- tq relieve the Department of having to force congested periods, as well, as a measure of relief to settlers. He ,would consider to-what extent payment, of -rent could be made in March and September instead of January and July.as at present.. - Replying to the Leader of the Opposition,- Mr. H. E. .. Holland,- the Prime Minister said that ho -was not among any catechism issued to the natives of Samoa regarding the League of Nations by the late Administrator. So far as he had seen the references to the catechism in newspapers did not correctly reflect the viewpoint of the Government. He, however, would make further inquiry-and ho -would probably make a statement to the House. The following Bills were introduced and read a first-time. On the motion of Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central): Wellington City and Suburban Water Supply Amend. Bill and tho Eight to Work Bill.

T»uk Bead First Time. The, following BUls wore introduced by the Governor-General’s message; Education Reserves Consolidation ' Bill. ‘ * The Minister of Lands ’stated that the Bill made no alteration in the existing law. y : ■ 1 Tho New Zealand Institute of Suc-

veyors’ BUI. The Minister of' Lands said it was intended to bring dbwn a Consolidating Bill dealing with the law relating to surveying, but' that was not possible this session. This Bill was therefore introduced to effect‘some purely technical amendments which were considered necessary. Several members asked that full facilities be given to certain surveyors to register as they had been inadvertantly shut oiit by our conditions. The Minister promised to send the Bill to the Lands Committee; . 1 The Examination and Registration of Surveyors Bill, The Leasing of Crown Lands in the Hamnet Area Bill. i The Minister of:Lands saidj the Bill was intended to give tenants a better tenure. The Orchards and Garden Diseases BUI. The Registration of Statutory Charges on Land BUI. The Justices of the Peace BUL •

The Minister of Justice said the Bill was purely a consolidating measure. The Menial Defectives BUI. Mr. T. K. Sidey, (Dunedin South) congratulated the Government on the Introduction .of this Bill if it was laid down upon the lines of the Governor’s speech. Mr. P. Fraser hoped the Minister was walking warily for there were in these days some queer theories on the subject of eugenics.. The Minister of Health, the Hon. J. A. Young, said he felt sure the Bill was a step forward in social reform. They wore moving along sound lines guided by the best experience of the world. The sterilisation of certain defectives would not be compulsory, but could bo done on a voluntary basis. The Municipal Corporations Bill. The Minister of Justice said the Bill contained 55 clauses which covered a number of subjects which had been discussed by tho Municipal Conference. All tho Bills were read a first time. Samoan Report Tabled. The report of the Samoan Royal Commission was tabled by the Hon’. W. Nosworthy, who reminded the House that last year the Leader of the Opposition had declared in tho House that he would stand by tho Royal CommieBion’s report in so far, as it referred to the evidence put before the Commission.

The Leader of the Opposition bad gone up and down the country criticising the Government very severely. Mr. Holland interjected; ’Plenty more to come." Mr. Nosworthy said the Government had plenty of material with which to defend itself. The Labour Opposition had made political capital out of the Samoan question. Statements issued by the Leader of the Opposition had been fully answered. The report _of tho Commission upheld tho Administration at ovory point . Messrs Smythe and Gurr had confessed themselves reckless and mischief-making men, It was unfortunate that inside and outside the House Samoan. affairs should have been misrepresented as they were and cabled away to other, countries. Not one of the allegations made had been sustained by facts., It was a sad episode in the history of theDominion. The Privy Council had shut out Mr. 0. F. Nelson’s appeal after hearing his counsel, and Mr. Nosworthy held that the Privy Council was more competent to deal with the question of deportations and rights of people under the British flag than tho Leader of tho Opposition. , Mr. Nosworthy know that the Leader of the Opposition would attempt to erect a smoko screen, but facta ,wero stubborn things and tho facts wore in favour of the Mandatory, Ministerial Egotism. Mr. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, commenced to reply by congratulating the Minister on his egitism in suggesting that because the Opposition had attacked tho Reform Government it had attacked- the' British Empire or the British Government. Tho speaker then went on to refer) to proceedings at the celebration of the King’s birthday in Samoa ,which ho declared was a boycott of those who did not share the political views of the Government, and when those who were boycotted held their own ceremony they were accused of disloyalty. He mentioned that Government officials were accused of manufacturing liquor all over Samoa. Banishment was carried out un evidence so narrowed down that accused persons could not 1 put forward a defence. He then proceeded to criticise the Royal Commission for not finding whether or not traders wore accumulating undue profits on the purchase of copra from the natives. He wanted a full statement regarding the repara-' tions’ estates. The Minister owed it to tho House that such a statement Should be made every year. The House should know whether or not there was a loss and he wondered whether that statement had not been laid before the House because tho late Administrator had dipped into funds whenever money was required for the administration of Samoa.

Outside Commission's Scope. Mr. E. P. Leo (Oamaru) said it was not the duty; of the Royal Commission to decide whether there should or should not be prohibition of liquor in Samoa. That was a matter of policy and did not come within the scope of their inquiry. But the Commission could have inquired into the charges which the Leader of the Opposition had referred to against officials had those charges been brought before it. Why then had not Mr. Nelsbn bring these charges before the Commission and have them invesigatod. The report of the Commission made it clear that anything that was done by the Administrator in the way of buying copra was done out of the reparation estates funds and did not come out of the Samoan funds at all. Therefore if there was loss on the preliminary .shipment the Samoans had no grievance because the money lost was New Zealand hot Samoan, and any statement to the contrary was made with a view to misleadii. fa the Samoans. Inaccurate and Unreliable, As to extravagance of the Administration the Commission found that the proofs of extravagance brought forward were so inaccurate and unreliable that it was difficult to see how they could have been made. The speaker quoted at length from the evidence given before the Royal Commission and the report of that Commission to show that reckless and ■misleading statements had been made against the Administration, but no at l tempt made to justify them before the actual Commission ,which showed that there was no foundation to them in fact. ; . ’■ Sir John Luke said he could not conceive anyone opposing the Administration of New Zealand in Samoa. The League of Nations had considered New

Zealand the best country to take charge of Samoa and looking at the treatment of the Maoris he thought the third trust was justified. The Leader of tho Opposition had opposed that policy from the beginning, But every one should unite to help the Government to carry out what was a very difficult task, Without desiring to criticise past Administrators ho felt bound to say now in favour of Sir G. Richardson, who was a humane man and who would not be guilty of a high-handed proceeding ‘unless he was amply justified in doing so, that if he took strong measures in tho crisis he must have been warranted in doing so. Tho Opposition should have joined hands with the Government in seeing that the natives got a fair deal for the copra they grew and what the late Administrator did in that connection was worthy of every commendation. , New Zealand or America! Ig New Zealand had not accepted tho mandate over Samoa that mandate would have gone to America. But it was too valuable to us to make that desirable. Samoa was of vital importance to us and wo could not afford to let it go. We therefore should unite to make its administration run Smoothly. , ‘ ; Ho had nothing to say against the present Administrator, but thought the Government should have availed themselves of the opportunity to appoint an Administrator from tho civil, population. That course would have allayed much of the present opposition. The Prime Minister intimated he was agreeable to continue the discussion at 730 when tho debate will be earned on l)y Mr. E. J. Howard (Christchurch Sputh). ' A Bad Tangle. When the House met at 7.30 the debate on the Samoan report was continued’ by Mr. Howard, who said that Samoan affairs had got into a bad tangle, which became worse tho more wo tried to unravel them. Neither copra nor prohibition was the root cause oi the trouble. It was our duty to find out what was the root cause of tho trouble. ~ He then proceeded to trace tho history of the Samoan Group and its partition by the groat Powers which resulted in Germany‘obtaining possession of the portion now mandate' to New Zealand. As part of thoir administration the Germans made an ordinance .which took away from Samoans rights and liberties for which) they fought. That ordinance was subsequently adopted by Colonel Tate and endorsed by tho New Zealand Parliament in the Samoa Act. In 1920 tho Samoans began to express a desire to come under tho Colonial Office, because they were more or less dissatisfied with New Zealand’s.rule. But when Sir G, flichardson was sent to Snmdavas Administration) everyone felt the man had been found who would clear up -the mess into which Samoan affairs had’ drifted., Throe white men were at the same time elected to tho Legislative Council who became tEo Opposition in Parliament, and they sought to have the objectionable ordinance modified. Subsequent events generating discontent were traced until .the Hon. W. Nosworthy went down to Samoa and throw a tin of petrfl on the smouldering fire. What tho Samoans wanted was a measure of self-government, a right to manage their own affairs in much the same Way as the Tongans have, and surely no member of the House would say they were pot entitled to have that right. They fought for it, they won it, and by every right known to man they should have it.

Ho did not blame Sir G. Richardson so much, because ho inherited a great deal of the trouble. But there would be no peace in Samoa until the objectionable ordinance was repealed and its stain upon our Statute Book completely wiped,out. . Irresponsible—and' Dangerous. The Prime Minister, commenting on the speeches of Mr. Holland, said that the Leader of the Opposition had a heavy, responsibility because much of what he says is taken seriously, not only in Samoa, but other part of world. He wished to say that his responsibility was such that if bloodshed took place in Samoa the blamo for that must to some extent rest upon him. Irresponsible statements were very dangerous for they were often believed by 1 people who might be seriously misled to advocate self-government in Samoa. This was to ask for an impossibility. Self-government had given its lead to civil war among the natives with all its'disastrous results. • So far the Leader of the Opposition had made no move toward peace and if he (Mr. Holland) wanted the verdiet of the country ho (Mr. Coates) would be. very pleased to see the election fought on 'the question of New Zealand's administration of Samoa. Mr. Holland had agreed to abide by the decision of the Royal Commission. That/Commission was composed of two gentlemen who were not only highly competent but were above suspicion in every other respect. Mr. Holland had found fault with the decisions of the Commission, and said it was negative. ' The speaker proceeded to quote from the Commission’s reportMn which definite statements were made with regard to prohibition, copra, official extravagance, banishments, the Man, Appointment of faipules, and medical administration. “Oh, That Mine Enemy. . .” #' Continuing, Mr. Coates said Mr. Howard was in the habit of quoting the report when it suited him, but when it d|jj not suit him ho would slide off on to spmethine else. ~ v“I think the'/only thing I can do is to get out a pamphlet in opposition to him." Mr. Holland: “Oh, that mine enemy would write a book." Mr. Coates: “I am not an enemy of the honorable gentleman. As a matter of fact 1 am very well disposed to him,

because to undoubtedly is tto finest asset I have in this country. Tho Leader of the Nationalist Party can make what he likes of that.” Concluding, Mr. Coates said that no man had better knowledge of Samoan affairs than Sir George Eichardson. He left office because his time was up and he wished to retire. But he left a fine, record behind him, for the administration of Samoa was quoted all over t!he world amonf tho mandated Sterritories. Great strides had been made, but political intrigue had been promoted by men whose interests were not with the Samoans. right for a Principle. Mr. J. A. Leo (Auckland East) said ne did not care what any judge reported. Ho was not going to agree to have the right of trial by jury being taken away from any njan. The Labour Party was determined to fight for this principle, and they did not care whether a judge. recommended it and a . Government supported it. Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne) congratulated the Prime Minister upon changing the Minister in charge of External Affairs (Hon. W. Nosworthy) and the Administrator, because in his ", opinion much of the trouble had been caused by. those two gentlemen . ,/ Ho did not entirely agree with tho Act of last year because it did not take a sufficiently broad view of the situation in tho Islands. Now, however, a change in the administration was made he was prepared to accept the position. , Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Avon), contended that the Leader of tho Opposition had said ho would accept tho decision of tho ■ Edyal Commission if it was in harmony

with the tividenco. ‘‘That was a perfectly reasonable Qualification because any judge or judges appointed might easily bo - fallible and make mistakes.” What New Zealand should have done when it accepted the mandate was to have borrowed a.man from the Colonial Office with all its generations of exps- - rieneo behind him. Or we might have sent Sir Maui Pomare or .Sir ApiranS - • Ngata, men accustomed to deal with the native race. Had that been done ho was confident the mistakes we had made . would not have occurred. Prom Time Immemorial Mr, J. Mason (Napier) ridiculed the Labour members’ demand for trial by jury in cases of banishment, a custom ' which had. prevailed in Samoa from time immemorial. Mr. P. N. Bertram (Grey Lynn) suggested that the . Reform Party was ■ adopting, tho Samoan question as a ‘ possible battle cry for ' the general election. Ho urged that the Samoans should have an opportunity for free development with protection from exploit- ■'; ution. , • Mr. C.- El MclHllan (Tauranga)., said that tho weakness of the Labour criticism was that it was only general. It failed to show where tho Commission's report was , not in harmony with; the .. evidence. The Hon.'E. A. Wright, Minister of Education, declared''that the Comrais- .' \sion’s report fully ,vindicated' Now 'Zealand ’s administration. He considered :that the Labour Party’s attitude was a , di/ect incitement' jtp the Samoans to make: mischief. The' only; persons whp: : tried to capital "from. ' ; Samoa were the Labourites which defended Mr. Nelson who had; been shown to be an exploiter, of Samoan labour.- ■ TheHori.W.-Npsworthy, replying , quoted from the Royal: Commission ’a report to show that not one allegation of the .Citizens’ Committee regarding ■' Samoan finances had been supported by the evidence.- There was no excuse for misleading the natives. The ' Samoans; were a . childlike .people whq wore dragged into trouble likely ,to lead to bloodshed. New Zealancf ■-wiis in Samoa to govern in the Samoans’ interests. . v House Adjourns... • ' At 11.35 n motion that the report lie bn; the table was put and agreed to on .voices. . / . ! ... The following Bills were'introduced by the Governor’s message and read a first-time:—-. Rabbit Nuisance (consolidating) Bill. Property Law Amendment Bill. Christ College Land Vesting Bill. The House rose at 11.40 till 2.30 tomorrow. ,