LOYAL RECEPTION

Southland Times, Issue 22012, 11 May 1933, Page 9

LOYAL RECEPTION

THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL IN SAMOA. GOOD ADVICE TO LEADERS. (By the United Press Association’s Special Representative.) Apia (Samoa), April 20. A cordial reception awaited their Excellencies the Governor-General and Lady Bledisloe when they landed at Apia from H.M.S. Diomede on Wednesday, April 19. The town had been decorated on a lavish scale, several arches having been erected, while streamers of flags and bunting hung from the majority of the buildings. The tropical foliage of Samoa is extremely helpful in achieving decorative effects, and naturally it was freely and artistically used. Illuminations were the order at night, the Clock Tower on the sea front, the arches, and some of the principal buildings being festooned with chains of electric lights. Their Excellencies landed about 10.15 a.m., and were received on the wharf by the Administrator (General Hart) and Mrs Hart. Members of the Legislative Council, public officials, returned soldiers, and representative citizens were present, and a cordial note was struck which was sustained throughout the duration of the visit. Most prominent among the welcoming crowd were the school children, European and Samoan, who made picturesque groups in their respective school uniforms. It was unfortunate that just as their Excellencies landed rain began to fall, and the ceremony was completed to the accompaniment of a tropical downpour. However, rain in Samoa is regarded with calm philosophy. The Europeans guard themselves with umbrellas, and the Samoans do not wear enough to worry over getting wet. Their Excellencies walked along between the lines of the cheering school children, and agreed that the heartiness of the reception compensated for the moistness of the day. King Kava Ceremony.

The principal ceremony of the day was held at Mulinu’u, some little distance from Apia, an important centre for Samoan gatherings. Here there is a handsome fono or meeting house, as well as a number of buildings used by the Administration. Their Excellencies were guests at a king kava ceremony in the fono house. This was an occasion of great importance, as the ceremony is reserved for kings and the representatives of kings. Later there was a Samoan reception and entertainment, contriouted by representatives from villages in Savaii and Upolu, the two islands of Western Samoa under the New Zealand mandate. The dancers and singers appeared in their picturesque native costumes, and for some hours kept their visitors interested and entertained with their peculiar folklore. Dancing and singing appear to be the national sports of the Samoans. They do both well, and never tire in their efforts to entertain their guests and amuse themselves. There was a large attendance of Samoans, and the European population was almost unanimously present. The Governor-General, in an address to the Samoans, thanked them for their hearty and friendly welcome. He said it had long been his desire to visit Samoa to see the results of the work which had been done by the present Administrator and his predecessors, and to have the pleasure of actually meeting and speaking to the chiefs and representative people of Samoa. The prosperity of Samoa and the happiness of its people were as important to the King as were those of any of his more extensive and important Dominions. His Majesty had sent the following special message to the people of Western Samoa :— I am glad to be able to take the opportunity afforded by the visit of the Governor-General of New Zealand to Western Samoa to send to the people of the territory my best wishes for their prosperity and happiness. I have received with satisfaction reports of their continued progress, and desire to assure them of my personal interest in their social and economic welfare. Appeal for Harmony. His Excellency continued that he was glad that the visit had been made in one of the King’s ships because visits of such ships from time to time were the sure proof of the safety of the country. They showed the ability of the British Empire and the League of Nations to protect them, and to preserve them against any repetition of those times of trouble and disturbance which had existed in Samoa for so many years in days gone by. “For any country to be happy and prosperous,” added his Excellency, “it is necessary that its people should be contented and live in harmony one with another. There can be no real happiness, and no real prosperity, where village is contending against village, family against family, chief against chief, and brother against brother. The history of Samoa in the past has often been one of contending factions, which have prevented the steady advancement of the country, and have wasted its strength. I exhort you yourselves, with all the influence that you possess, to do all in your power to restore and maintain complete harmony and mutual trustfulness among your people.” His Excellency said he had heard with great pleasure of the work which the doctors had been doing in their fight against yaws, and he trusted that the disease would be driven out altogether. The hospitals were evidently doing good work—a fact which was made clear by the continuous and rapid increase in the population of Samoa as well as by improving health. Several of their own Samoan pepole had been trained, and were being trained, at Suva as doctors, and were working usefully amongst them. He hoped also to visit some of the schools, and he learned with pleasure the progress the boys and girls were making in their school work. He trusted that religion continued to flourish, and that the various Christian denominations were working in harmony and sympathy to promote the knowledge of the true God. A Land of Plenty. The low prices which prevailed for Samoan products were common to the whole world, and could only be remedied when the statesmen of the great and highly-populated nations came together, and in the interests of humanity at large, made arrangements for the better distribution of the world’s products and a simpler method of exchanging one for the other. This was about to happen during the next few months, and seemed likely to result in a much more cheerful outlook for all those countries whose prosperity depended upon the export to other countries of the produce of the land. Fortunately, Samoans lived in a land of plenty, ■where Nature had provided for all the wants of its inhabitants. His Excellency concluded:— “Finally I wish to give a few words of counsel and advice to those of you who are the principal chiefs and officials of Samoa. To you is committed the Government either of the country or of your districts or villages or families, according to your respective ranks and positions. Be careful always to use your own position and influence for the good of the country. The lesser chiefs and the younger men will often copy your methods and be influenced by your motives and ideals. See therefore that you always set them a good example, so that they in their turn may be worthy to take their place in the life of Samoa, and that they may be good men. At all times be loyal to the Government, help and support the Administrator and officials, and in all things seek the welfare of your country

and its people. Do not let any jealousy or envy or unworthy personal ambition prevent you from taking a useful and honourable part in all the work of the Government, but help your country and your fellow countrymen in every way that you can without thinking of any reward for yourselves, but only of the prosperity and happiness of Samoa. As you now experience the blessings of Christian teaching, so also try to set an example worthy of your religion, which lays down for your guidance rules of honesty and Uprightness which you should steadfastly endeavour to follow.”

His Excellency’s address was interpreted to the Samoans by an interpreter. It was received with every indication of satisfaction, as indeed were all his public utterances during his stay in the Islands.