UPLIFT OF SAMOANS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 20129, 24 April 1928, Page 9

UPLIFT OF SAMOANS

GOVERNMENT’S HIGH IDEALS HEALTH CONDITIONS IMPROVE [ Per Press Association J WELLINGTON, April 23. A general statement upon the various phases of the position in Samoa was made by Sir G. Richardson on the eve of his departure for Geneva, where he will represent the New Zealand Government at the sittings of the Alandates Commission of the League. Sir George Richardson declined to enter into any discussion concerning the charges against the Administration. He said that the gross misrepresentations that have been made concerning Samoa were part and parcel of a deliberately and widely organised plan on the part of a small section of the community in Apia to defaine New Zealand. He stressed the high ideals of the New Zealand Government in endeavouring to uplift the natives. Already a good deal had been done with regard to the health of the Samoans, and the population had been increased to 40,000. The ideal of the New Zealand Government was to preserve Samoa entirely and solely for the Samoans. If they allowed the territory to be commercialised no doubt it would progress by leaps and bounds, and would prosper enormously, but what would happen to the indigenous people? Just what has happened in other Pacific islands where there was a large Indian and Chinese population competing with the natives. The Polynesian was not able to stand up against Asiatics. The present discord in Samoa was not due to the Administr tion, which had done much to promote harmony and goodwill amongst the various suctions of the community. No sign of trouble appeared until eighteen months ago when a few persons, including some who had been at the .game before, deliberately incited the natives and had influenced them to join with them, and so made trouble for Samoa. Charges of interference with Samoan customs were absolutely untrue. No changes had been made without the concurrence of the natives or at their request.