CONDITIONS IN SAMOA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16866, 1 February 1929, Page 11

CONDITIONS IN SAMOA

GOVERNMENT’S ATTITUDE WARNING TO MALCONTENTS (Special (o the Herald.) WELLINGTON, this day. Tho Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, made the following statement on Samoa at the conclusion of a Cabinet meeting to-day; “The Government has considered very carefully the situation in Western Samoa. It is thought advisable at this juncture to make a public, .statement of its views. “In the first place, the Government wishes to make it plain that it cannot tolerate or negotiate with any movement that is openly subversive of good government in the territory. The Samoans must understand that, any failure to obey the law will be punished, and that the Government must act; rigorously Mi this direction should future events unhappily render it uecessarv.

“flis Excellency the Administrator and the New Zealand Government arc, however, anxious to bring to and end dissent-ion in the territory, and immediately those Samoans who are members of the Man have the good sense to cease their altitude of passive resistance, and to abandon their refusal to pay taxes, His Excellency and the Government, will ho prepared to consider any representations in a generous spirit. Tho- -Government earnestly trusts that wise counsels will prevail and that all who have the true interests of Western Samoa at heart will assist! in pointing out to the Mau tho path of wisdom and of honor, and the disastrous consequences to Samoa of in continuation of their present attitude.”