TO FREE SAMOA

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 859, 31 December 1929, Page 1

TO FREE SAMOA

Labour Promise Alleged SAMOAN CHIEF’S SPEECH Mau Followers Aghast (From A Correspondent.) MUCH interest and some little concern has been aroused in Samoa by a speech delivered by High Chief Faumuina on his return to Samoa from a recent visit to New Zealand.

“Steamer Day” on November 15, had an additional interest in that High Chiefs Faumuina and Tuimalealiilano returned from a stay of several weeks in Auckland. It was only to be expected that the Press, both here and in New Zealand, should make the most of so unusual an event, and that the highly picturesque appearance of •Faumui.” as he is widely (known in Samoa, should have made a deep impression on people who were not quite sure, perhaps, where Samoa was. No one who had seen him could deny that Faumuina is a man not easily overlooked. He is the one chief in sjamoa who has both unusual stature and a prepossessing personality; nor is he lacking in those qualities which charm the stranger and command the admiration of friends. Even his political "enemies” are ready to acknowledge this superiority. It was, however, something of a shock to local residents that, in the course of a farewell speech made front the Tofua prior to his departure from Auckland, the High Chief stated that the Samoans would continue to “follow out the precepts of the Prince of Peace, enduring such further persecutions and hardships as might be imposed upon them by a discredited Administration.”

This may be admirable oratory, but it savours somewhat of Christian massacres and persecutions in Armenia and conveys the entirely erroneous impression that there are still landing-parties of marines and ferocious military police terrorising the peaceful Samoans. Everybody in Samoa knows that, whatever conditions may have existed several years ago, nothing resembling military oppression notv obtains here. On the contrary. It is the Mau which carries weapons, obstructs public highways, and adopts an aggressive attitude. Presumably, it is this which constitutes the Samoan idea of “following out the precepts of the Prince of Peace!”

In stating that one of the deported Europeans had “prayed God that he might be spared to witness the emancipation of Samoa from the oppression by a military despotism,” High Chief Faumuina must have been so moved by the power of his own eloquence that he forgot the occasions on which he has marched into the main street of Apia at. the head of Mau natives in column-of-fours, with bands playing, drums beating, and clubs swinging in unison, while a dozen or so unarmed European police looked on helplessly. It would be interesting to know by what process of reasoning such demonstrations can be looked on a 3 manifestations of the muchvaunted policy of peaceful and passive resistance. Faumuina may not have been guilty of any violent act himself, and he has certainly restrained his followers on more than one occasion when bloodshed seemed imminent, but w'e all know what would follow if the Mau faction began to kill Europeans. MISLEADING THE SAMOANS Following the reception accorded Faumuina and Tuimalealiifano on their arrival at Apia, native festivities extending over a period of two days attracted several thousands of Mau followers and interested outsiders to Vaimoso village. Visitors from the Tofua attended at Faumuina's own invitation, on Friday, November 15, and expressed themselves as being delighted with the hospitality extended to them, and with the picturesque Pageant they were privileged to witness. Not being concerned with the Political situation in any way, these People must have found it difficult to credit the conflicting rumours they had heard about the defiant Mau. In the capacity of sight-seers they w’ere more fortunate by far than the average tourist who “does” the Islands. masterly oration At Auckland-’most of them had seen the high chiefs Yarewelled bv a crowd °t sympathisers and had, as one paper P'tt It, been “held spellbound by Faumuina's most wonderful and masterly oration.” Not being able to understand a word of it, they could only feel thrilled by' the unusual and spectacular nature of proceedings generally. A similar "wonderful and masterly oration” was delivered at VaiPtoso on Saturday, November IG, when faumuina’s fellow-passengers had taken their cameras and souvenirs hack to the Tofua, and were awaiting the steamer’s departure. I ntortanately, it was impossible to ?btain a detailed and complete report th either English or Samoan on the ?Pot. as the only persons interested ■a obtaining such a record would not have been welcome visitors on such an occasion. It was therefore necessary to have the speech dictated from htemory within 20 minutes of its delivery, and then translated into English.

Extreme care was taken to ensure ihat no real mistakes were made, and 'his report has purposely been delayed to permit of corroborative evidence being obtained from other quarters. The following is the conlext of Faumuina’s address:

“Samoa, after all w r e have heard about New Zealand, there is nothing In it. They do not know more than w e do. It is like a deep blue sea ***h no fish in it. So, therefore, Samoa, do not be discouraged. The

Mau has won, and everything is ended. Do not have any suspicions whatever among you. I swear before God that you have won. This is y-Our victory.” (The speaker held up his hand while say-ing this.) “I’m telling you all that Mr. Holland told me to tell y-ou, so it does not matter if there is a spy listening. He can go and repeat it. The petition that we have sent over by the last Tofua to the King is what y-ou are going to wait for, and I know it won’t be long before w-e get the results. It is just the thing they are waiting for, so they can take the mandate away from New Zealand, and you will be free to run your own Government. So be Arm, and do what you can for your own Government.” (This refers to the Mau “Government.”) “You all know how true Mr. Hoi land has been to us since we started

the Mau. This is exactly yvhat he said: ‘I will fix up everything between Samoa and New Zealand first, and then it will be left to Samoa to choose another nation to look after your country before any other nations can get you.’ “The cause of our delay in winning is our own fault. It has been through other Samoans yvho do not agree with us. If only the Samoans yvere all together in one, everything would have been ended. Do not worry about the court case.” (That, is. the Nelson v. “N.Z. Herald” libel case, which has been set doyvn for hearing in February of the New Year.) “Maybe we will be notified that we have yvon it before it gets to the fixed date. "The trip will be made by four Samoans Afamasaga, Ainu’u, Asiata and one who is not known yet. Just let them go. They have thouglit more of money-getting than of their oyvn country. I assure you that they will all be put in gaol in New Zealand. “About these Europeans that are now working in the Government; they are all bad people.” [We have excised a portion of the speech here, as it contained references to reputable citizens which might be construed as libellous.- —Ed., The Sun.]

Faumuina concluded by strongly' advising the Mau to carry on their “Government” in the way it was doing, and stated that the time had come .to show up everything. To many readers it will seem incredible that such a speech should have been made in a public place before an audience of several thousand Samoans, but the fact that European supporters of the Mau are aghast to think that High Chief Faumuina should have so far forgotten himself is in itself sufficient indication that the summary given is accurate. Such an utterance, speaks volumes in support of the' contention that many Samoans who have supported the Mau movement since its genesis have been encouraged to remain faithful to the cause by extravagant and misleading statements on the part of their leaders. No one would believe for a moment that so experienced and astute a politician as Mr. Holland could be guilty of so far committing himself as to talk such utter balderdash as High Chief Faumuina has attributed to him. Yet, these incredible statements have been retailed to a believing audience of Samoans as truth, and will by nowhave been disseminated through every village in the group. Could any but a backward, child-like people accept such illogical and fantastic utterances in good faith? If the foregoing oration is a sample of the encouraging speeches which the accredited leaders of the Mau have been making to rouse the flagging patience of their less enthusiastic followers throughout the past two years, no more need be said. THE DEAD NATIVES burial at vaimoso Private advice has been received that the eight Samoans w-ho died *:i the riot at Apia will be buried at lav moso, Tamasese’s village, near Ap.a,