TROUBLE IN SAMOA AROUSES NOSWORTHY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18186, 20 June 1927, Page 6

TROUBLE IN SAMOA AROUSES NOSWORTHY.

CRIMINAL AGITATION HOTLY CONDEMNED. i tsy Telegraph. —Pr*»« A«sn.—Copyright, i Aus. and N.Z. Cable Association. SUVA, June 19. The lion W. Nosworthy is a through passenger by the Ventura for Sydney, en route to Auckland. Interviewed here, he said that he had met six European delegates from the Citizens’ Committee, six native chiefs and about 1000 natives at Apia. He referred to the petition to the High President of the /German Parliament in Berlin, in 1910, and said it covered almost identical language and the same grounds as the present attack on the administration. The signatures included two of the present delegation. Mr Nosworthy said he had received a petition from the Faipules favouring the present administration, and the good works done, and asking that certain Europeans who were endeavouring to foment dissatisfaction be made to cease. Interference with the King’s Birthday celebrations had been organ ised by agitators. Mr Nosworthy condemned the action and said he was prepared to take drastic steps to stop the agitation. He was satisfied that the present administration was in the best interests of all. The agitation was not prompted by any regard for the real interests of the natives. Any success had been due to misrepresentation. Efforts to disunite and upset a fine race like the Samoans were criminal, and deserved to be treated as a crime. The New Zealand Government accepted the mandate as a sacred trust. The Planters’ Association had assured him that it dissociated itself from the Citizens’ Committee. Mr Nosworthy told Mr Nelson, one of the deputation, that it there was a further agitation the Citizens’ Committee would be held directly responsible. He would give a reasonably fair time for them to undo the trouble. He was not going to have the wool pulled over his eyes. lie was giving the committee the first and last reasonable chance to undo the intrigue. Further action was threatened. Mr Nosworthy later received the following radio message from the Premier of Samoa: “Immigration order, amended to enable Administrator of Samoa, as directed by the Governor, to order any person to leave Samoa if the administration is satisfied the person is disaffected, disloyal or likely to be a source of danger to the peace, order and good government of the territory.” Mr Nosworthy and Mr Gray were entertained at luncheon by the Suva Chamber of Commerce. The guests included the Governor and the Chief Justice.