SAMOAN AFFAIRS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3397, 23 April 1919, Page 19

SAMOAN AFFAIRS.

A PETITION WITHDRAWN. AUCKLAND, April 21. In the Samoa Times of Ajpril 5 Colonel Tate, Acting Administrator, publishes an official statement. It states that on January 27" he attended a native gathering at Muhtitiu, at which a petition was presented asking, firstly, that Colonel Logan be removed as Administrator, for reasons connected with the introduction of influenza into . Samoa; secondly, that a census be taken of orphans and provision made for them; thirdly, a request that Samoa should be turned over to the United States; but if this were not granted, and if the Powers decided on British administration that Samoa should he administered by the Colonial Office, and on no account by the Government of New Zealand. About. 127 chiefs from various parts of Western Samoa attended the gathering. The petition was presented by Toleafoa, and while presenting it he desired to amend one paragraph so as to delete a request for American rule. The petition was amended accordingly. ''On February 11," Colonel Tate continued, "my native advisers, representing the native people, and Toleafoa, representing the petition, appeared beforo me and requested that the whole petition fc-nould be withdi-awn. arid that the incident should be closed I agreed to accept the withdrawal of the petition and to regard theineident as closed so far as the Samoans were concerned, but intimated that so r ar as the white people were concerned the incident would not necessarily be closed, as the Government of -New Zealand would not readily forgive any person who had committed wrong concerning the introduction of influenza into Samoa. The present position is that there is now no petition, the petition formerly existing having been completely withdrawn. " I may say that consideration had been given to the question of orphans before the petition was presented, and that as to the introduction of the influenza epidemic, I have no doubt the Government of New Zealand will see that any responsibilities are placed upon the proper shoulders.