A LAST WORD ON SAMOA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19929, 24 April 1928, Page 10

A LAST WORD ON SAMOA.

About to leave for Geneva, where he will have to give to the Permanent Mandates Commission an account of his stewardship in Samoa, Sir George Richardson has spoken a final word to New Zealand. The feature to be noticed first in his statement is its moderation of tone. Himself made the target of unrestrained attack when placed so that his right of reply was strictly limited, he has not attacked anybody. Here was his opportunity to reply in kind. By abandoning it as he has done, he will have strengthened his position in the opinion of all New Zealanders who approach the Samoan question with open minds. Again, Sir George Richardson has. emphasised a point which illustrates a sharp distinction between the opposing .parties in Samoa —the question of motive. He insisted that whatever has been done by the Administration and the Government has been inspired by the wish to do the best possible for the Samoan people as a whole. This is the chief duty resting on New Zealand as holder of the mandate, on behalf of the Empire. The Samoan race is to be safeguarded in every way possible until its members have been led to the point where they will be capable of handling their own affairs, and shaping their own destiny. It must be a gradual process, and while it is under way the people must be protected against themselves—and against others. Active commercial exploitation of the islands could make them produce much more wealth, could make them actually much wealthier; in the achieving of this the Samoans as a race might easily receive a blow from which they would never recover. The ruling motive of all that has been done has been clearly stated. It is one which can be restated to the Mandates Commission with all confidence. With it established, that body would be prepared to forgive much, though there is every reason to believe it will not find much to forgive when it sifts the real facts—apart from propaganda and innuendo—of tho administration of Samoa under Sir George Richardson.