ADMINISTRATION OF SAMOA IS NOT SATISFACTORY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18187, 21 June 1927, Page 3

ADMINISTRATION OF SAMOA IS NOT SATISFACTORY.

CRITICISM BY LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. Per Tress .Association. GREVMOUTH, June 20. Mr IT. E. Holland, M.P., leader of the Opposition, arrived in Greymouth this evening on his way to Wellington for the opening of Parliament. Speaking with reference to Mr Xo?worthy’s statement made-at Suva affecting Samoa, Mr Holland said the Samoan position was altogether unsatisfactory and would have to be seriously discussed by Parliament! It seemed to him that in our administration wc were copying some of the worst features of the German pre-war control. Parliamentary representation of both the Samoans and the white was rendered farcical, by reason of the fact that in the former case the Faipules were appointed by the Administration and in the latter case the electoral qualification was on property and income basis. Mr Nosworthy had omitted to mention that the leading members of the deputation, referred to by himself as agitators, were members of the Legislative Council, elected by the white population with substantial majorities over the Government candidates, notwithstanding that all the dice were loaded in favour of the latter. Mr Nelson, who was stigmatised by Mr Nosworthy, was the senior Legislative Councillor, and so far as he (Mr Holland) knew was born in Samoa. The making of an Order-in-Council fcipowering the Administrator to orjjer a nathe-born citizen or a naturalised subject to leave Samoa because lie persisted in opposing the Government's policy there was an outrage which could not be permitted to go unchallenged. Mr Nosworthy’s attack on those who sought to make cori-

stitutional changes was strangely similar to some of the attacks on Robert Louis Stevenson when he was engaged in demanding justice for Samoa and the Samoans some forty years ago.