SAMOA BILL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 27 July 1927, Page 2

SAMOA BILL

FOUGHT BY OPPOSITION I'.ONO DKB A'Hi I-.N itOUSIi SEL..W,T OOMAiI'PT'RE SET Hi' (By Telegraph) (From "The Mail's" Parliamentary Reporter). WELLINGTON. 2Glh duly. The commit lee stage of the Samoa Amendment Bill was undertaken to-day. The Prime Minister moved that urgency be accorded ihe measure. Mr H. H. Holland: "Whai is the reason for urgency?'' The Prime Minister: "The Govern men!, desire to get the Bill through all

Mr Holland: "Will the Prime Mini lor fell 11H Ihe reason?"

■'lt is obvious," replied Mr Coates. "We do not waul any more lime taken up by this measure."

Mr Holland : ".Is it because you have found that all the ucl.s done have, been illegal up to the present '.'"

Mr Cuales: "We have not found thai ; it is simply because we desire the legislation on 'tin- Statute book, and that Parliament may have an opportunity of discussing whether Hie Government should use the powers or not." The Opposition called for a division on Ihe motion that urgency be accorded the legislation. The motion was carried bv 4S\otes to 12.

TERRORISTIC LEGISLATION Mr Holland said he protested against rushing the Bill through. The reason was because it has been found that all the threats lo deport Europeans were illegal and he challenged the Prime Minister to deny that. Why did General Richardson say in his latest message that, there was a lack of power to punish Europeans when on 2Ulh June an Order-in-Council was passed giving the power to deport Europeans. An answer should be. given to that question. The legislation was terroristic and that was all it could be called.

Mr V. H. Potter (Roskillj appealed to the Government not to put the deportation legislation on the Statute book. Mr G. W. Forbes (Hurunui) said he considered the Chief Judge should be associated with the Administrator in determining whether a person should be deported. That would assure that cases would be dealt with without any suspicion of personal feeling entering into the matter. People summoned before the Administrator should be allowed to have counsel, with them. The Judge of the Native Land Court or a judge of Ihe Supreme Court might very well be sent down to assist in hearing those cases where people v:crt' being called upon to show cause why they should not be deported. Opposition to deportation without trial was voiced by Mr W. I.). Lysnar (Gisborne). In a British country could a, person lie dealt with without trial? If the Government wanted to make trouble it was going the right way about it. He was not aware, of anything to suggest thai (here was going lo be a revolution in Samoa.

NO FREEDOM OP CONSCIENCE Clause 501 of the .Mandate ensured freedom of conscience to Sanioaiis. but there was no sr.eh freedom under the Bill. He appealed to the Prime Minister not lo force Ihe Bill Llirough. Mr J. A. Lee (Auckland East) suggested that the Minister of External Affairs was acting in a, way So as to assist the business of Burns, Philp and Company. What other meaning could be taken out of bis statement published in the press on Monday.

The Hon. W. N'osworthy: "Oh, you read anything into it."

Mir Lee said that when in Samoa .Mr N'osworthy was biased and prejudiced and was not. old to give the Citizens Committee a fair hearing. Mr J. McComhs (Lvllelton) said that in Samoa the Government was setting up an Administration such as thai which existed in Italy. It was a disgrace to continue indentured labour in Samoa. The little kingdom of Tonga had abolished this system.

.Members of the Opposition continued to take every opportunity to speak and a stonewall seemed tu have developed. On the one hand there was the Government declaring the measure must go through all stages and on the other hand Cue Opposition minority fighting it to the last. PROVISION FOR TPJAL

The Prime Minister said that power existed to deport natives though be thought it would not be necessary to deport them, hut to simply lake them from one village to another.

Mr Lysnar: "That's just as bad." Mr Coates said that possibly natives might he removed from one island to another. The Ordinances also referred to Europeans who had been residents of Samoa, for a certain period. The Government felt, that they" should be able to exercise jurisdiction so that each case could he dealt with on its merits since the Order-in-Council. It wasi now desired to ask Parliament direct for power to make deportations and the GovernorGeneral in Council would have the final sav.

In respect lo all recommendations the Government would give an assurance that those concerned in such recommendations might be represented bv legal counsel.

Mr Holland: "The Administrator says there is no power to deport Europeans."

The Prime Minister saiil he was speaking of what he had been assured by legal advisers. A plea that, Ihe Government should provide for trial for accused persons was made -by Mr Lysiinr. Mr Coates: "There is a (rial." Mr Lysnar said he could see nothing in the Bill that provided for a trial. If that provision were put in he would give the Pill his assistance. The Prime Minister gave assurances that the Bill did not seek In validate any Order-in-Council.

WELLINGTON", This Lay. The Bill was finally passed at day light this morning.