No Yielding in Samoa

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 89, 6 July 1927, Page 8

No Yielding in Samoa

Minister’s Answer to Criticism

(From Our Resident Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Tuesday. ALONG statement was issued to-night by the Hon. W. Nosworthy, Minister of External Affairs and PostmasterGeneral, on the Samoan trouble. A deputation of the Citizens’ Committee and six native chiefs requested him, when in Samoa, that both native and Europeans should equally be elected to the Legislative Council, and that the Council should have authority to deal with all the affairs of the territory, both European and native. It was made plain that the Government would suppoi t the Administrator, Sir George Richardson, to the uttermost limit in any action he deemed necessary in carrying out t.,e work of the administration and maintaining the health, progress and prosperity of the native people and the conditions of trade.

"nPHE committee took objection to ■*" the local ordinance giving the Administrator power to deprive a chief of his title and to banish him from his own district to another district within the territory,” said Mr. Nos worthy. “This punishment was entirely in accordance with Samoan custom and usage, and the necessity for its retention was recognised by the

Germans no less than by ourselves. The course adopted by the Administration had the entire approval of the Fono. “The final complaint of the committee related to the vexed question of prohibition. While this question has a significant bearing on the present, as on all past disturbances in Samoa since 1920, the policy was enforced by the unanimous decision of the National Government at that time, and the present Government has no intention of altering the existing law, which is considered to be essential in the interests of the natives.” EASY TO GET SIGNATURES The committee laid great stress on the fact that it had the support of many of the natives. This was no doubt true, and the reason would be fully understood when he quoted the opinion expressed to him by an experienced and qualified resident of American Samoa, who said: “Samoans are so easily misled that I could go out tomorrow and get 1,000 signatures to a petition on any subject under the sun.” The deputation was told by Mr. Nosworthy that there was absolutely no truth in the statement that he had come to Samoa at the behest of the Government, or because of the representations of Mr. Nelson. The persona,! references in the pamphlet

issued over the name of Mr. F. H. Meredith concerning the visit were therefore an impertinence and an insult. The Minister said he was under no obligation to come to Samoa except in his own time and in his own way. EARLY AGITATION Attention was drawn by the Minister to the remarkable similarity between the present agitation and that against the German administration in 1910. A petition to the President of the German Parliament in Berlin was signed by two of the signatories to the petition presented to the New Zealand Parliament. The unanimous and only request ol the Faipules was that some European merchants in Apia, together with some half-castes who were endeavouring to foment dissatisfaction and to cattse disunion between the Samoan people, should be made to cease their interThe action of the disaffected element in holding a counter demonstration to the King’s Birthday celebrations was severely condemned by Mr. Nosworthy, who went on to say: “I am satisfied from my own investigations and from my own observations, that the steps which have been taken by the Administration are entirely in the best interests of the Samoan people, and that by this means, and by them alone, will they be tatight the principles and arts of government. I am equally satisfied that the attempts which have been made to undermine the faith of certain sections of the natives in their own institutions have not been prompted by any regard for their real interests. Any success which has attended these attempts has been partly due to inducements of a more material nature. SPEAKING PLAINLY “I speak plainly because I regard these efforts to upset and disunite a fine race like the Samoans as nothing less than criminal, and deserving only to. be dealt with as a crime. X will not hesitate to ask Parliament for the wide powers to deal with agitators in the territory who attempt to disaffect the natives for their own ends.” After remarking that he would give attention to the representations regarding the Legislative Council, and asking if the more limited authority of the South-West African Council would suit them better, Mr. Nosworthy said lie would, if it were so desired, submit a detailed reply to each of the separate points which had been raised. The answers would also he submitted to the people and Parliament of New Zealand. He would .jmdertake to do this, although the statements of the deputation were so inaccurate and misleading as to be totally undeserving of much consideration. In conclusion the Minister told the Citizens’ Committee that he would give them a reasonable and fair time to undo the trouble which had been created. After that he would take such action as he thought necessary for the good government of the territory.