A. —4B

1926. NEW ZEALAND

MANDATED TERRITORY OF WESTERN SAMOA. ADDRESS BY THE FONO OF FAIPULE TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL AND THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT.

Laid on the Table of the House of Representatives by Mr. Speaker.

Sie, — Office of the Minister of External Affairs, Wellington, 10th June, 1926. I have the honour to forward to you, for the information of members of Parliament, an address, in both the Samoan and English texts, which was prepared by the Fono of Faipule of the Mandated Territory of Western Samoa, and communicated to me through the Administrator of Samoa on the 16th November, 1925. I have, &c., W. Nosworthy, Minister of External Affairs. The Hon. the Speaker, House of Representatives, Wellington. To the Honourable Members of the Houses of Parliament of New Zealand : Greetings ! We have prepared this letter in order to convey our loyalty to, and our esteem and appreciation of, His Excellency the Governor-General and the New Zealand Government, and also to express our gratitude for giving some of us the opportunity of visiting your beautiful country. That visit was an education to us : we have seen with our eyes the progress of New Zealand ; we have learned something of the principles underlying that progress. Since our return to Samoa we have undertaken some things learned in New Zealand for the guidance of our people. We remember with pleasure our meeting with our Maori brethren. We wish to express our esteem for our Administrator, who has done so much for the progress of Samoa, for the uplifting of the race, and for the setting before us of an ideal—the realization of which is the incentive to continued effort. He has shown us by precept and example that our destiny is in our own hands. He has helped us where land was needed, and has taught us how to use that land. He has shown us how to improve our villages and our homes and thus benefit our health. He has introduced a broader outlook in education. He has strengthened our patriotism and love of country ; and, while helping us to be rid of many fa'asamoa customs which retarded our progress, he has respected those fa'asamoa customs which are good. He has, by the establishment of the Fetu o Samoa, shown his wise insight into human nature, and has placed in our hands a method by which our welfare may be attained. He has, by his leadership, kept us. steadily on the road to progress. We still need his guidance, and we gratefully appreciate His Excellency the Governor-General's gracious act in granting us our desire by permitting our beloved Administrator to stay with us for another term ; and our great hope and desire is that he may continue to stay with us, because it is not a matter of conjecture that if he does the status of Samoa will be raised for its lasting good. For, as Paul said (II Cor., ii, 16), " The savour of life unto life." The prosperity of New Zealand will be as the prosperity of Samoa and its people. Our prayers go with our Administrator and Lady Richardson and son on their journey to your beautiful country. May blessings be on them and grant a safe return to our own beloved land. May blessings be on His Excellency the Governor-General of New Zealand and the New Zealand Government. God save the King ! Toelupe. Taimalelagi. Fonoti S. Aiono. Tuilaepa. Salanoa. Maltjpo. Te'o. Tainau. Leilua. Asi Mama. Yaai. Ama. Sala. Lemalu. Logo. Su'a. Sagapolu. Suisala. Sua L. Nanai. Unasa. Malaitai. M#taafa Tolova'a. Seiuli. Tapusoa. Seinafo. Fono of Faipule, Western Samoa.