A FOOLISH DECISION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20965, 3 March 1930, Page 6

A FOOLISH DECISION.

A direct challenge to the Government is conveyed in the decision of the Executive Council of the New Zealand Seamen’s Union not to man any ships to carry to Samoa the members of the military 'police force which has now been organised. No Government that was worthy of the name would allow itself to be deflected from its course by any • defiance of 'its authority so flagrant as well as so foolish as this. It is to be admitted that there are differences of opinion respecting the policy that is being adopted by the Administration in Samoa, though clearly it is the policy that is approved by the League of Nations, the source from which the Government derives its mandate to administer the affairs of the territory. If it is held by the majority of people in New Zealand that it is an erroneous policy that is being pursued, the obvious thing to do is to turn the Government out and replace it by another Government that will administer the mandate according to its conception of what is desirable. Whatever Government is in office, however, its authority must be respected. Otherwise there can only be confusion and chaos. This seems so plain that it should not be necessary to emphasise it. Even the Leader of the Labour Party, who has identified himself as closely as he can—and much more closely, we should think, than most of his followers will regard as called for and prudent —with the cause of the disaffected Samoans, should recognise the supreme impropriety and unwisdom of the resolution of the Seamen’s Union. For, in later years, Mr Holland has consistently agreed that it is upon constitutional means that the Socialists of the Dominion must rely if they are to achieve their aims. A refusal, however, to man the ships that are to transport to Samoa ; the force that is considered by the Administration to be necessary for the maintenance of peace and order involves the rejection of constitutional methods. If it were conceivable that it would have the effect of preventing' the transference of the military police to the group it would mean that the hands of the Administration were so tied that it would be impotent to prosecute its policy. The Government could never submit to be coerced in this way, and, of course, even if the seamen were disposed to obey the ridiculous behest of their union, the transport of the military police to Samoa would not be prevented. The mere fact that the Seamen’s Union has seen fit to arrive

at a decision so egregious as that which is reported suggests that there are influences at worlr within its executive that are of a sinister and malicious character. It is particularly unfortunate that the time selected by the Administrator, in association with the Minister of Defence of the Dominion, for a conference with the representatives of the Mau should be that selected for the publication of a resolution such as that passed by the Seamen’s -Union, since the Mau may assign to it an importance which is not really merited and be unduly encouraged by it in the resistance its members have offered to the Administration.