DEFENCE OF SAMOA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19882, 8 March 1939, Page 11

DEFENCE OF SAMOA

VOLUNTEER FORCE EUROPEANS AT FIRST lit A; (_: I, A TIU N S GAZETTED Provision for the establishment in Western Samoa of a volunteer defence force for the protection of the territory against external agression is made under regulations recently gazetted . The acting-Minister of External Affairs, the Hon. F. Langstone. in an interview, said the new regulations merely extended to Western Samoa the New Zealand Territorial Force organisation, and this was entirely in accordance with the provisions of the mandate. "It is proposed in the first place,” the Minister added, “to restrict membership of the force to Europeans, but if, as is understood to be in the case, Samoans resire to take part in flie defence of the territory, provision may later be made for their inclusion in the force " Tlte regulations state that the Administrator may, at, his discretion, raise and maintain an armed force, to be called the Samoan Local Defence Force, to be used far the internal police and local defence of Samoa. The Administrator shall determine what persons shall be eligible to serve, the terms of enlistment and service uniforms to be worn, the equipment to be used and the rates of pay.