i—A. 4b.

A—4b.

19-28. NEW ZEALAND.

WEBTE R N SAM O A (REPORT OF ROYAL COMMISSION CONCERNING THE ADMINISTRATION OF).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

COMMISSION.

Charles Fergus,son, Governor-General. To all to whom these presents shall come, and to the Honourable Sir Charles Perrin Skerrett, K.C.M.G., K.C., Chief Justice of New Zealand, and Charles Edward MacCormick, a Judge of the Native Land Court of New Zealand: Greeting. Whereas His Majesty, for and on behalf of the Government of the Dominion of New Zealand, accepted the Mandate of the League of Nations in respect of the Territory of Western Samoa, and undertook to exercise it on behalf of the League of Nations in the terms of the Mandate, a copy whereof is set forth in the First Schedule to the Samoa Act, 1921: And whereas complaints have been made to the Government of New Zealand and to the Parliament of New Zealand concerning the administration of Western Samoa, and objections to the administrative methods adopted in the course of government under the Mandate, certain of such complaints and objections being set forth in papers printed and presented to Parliament as parliamentary paper A.-4b, 1927, and in a petition presented to Parliament during its present session : And whereas Major-General Sir George Spafford Richardson, K.8.E., C.8., C.M.G., the present Administrator of Western Samoa, has requested an impartial inquiry into, and of, the matter of such complaints and objections : Now, therefore, I, Charles Fergusson, Governor-General of the Dominion of New Zealand, in exercise of the powers conferred by the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1908, and of all other powers and authorities enabling me in this behalf, and acting by and with the advice of the Executive Council of that Dominion, do hereby constitute and appoint you The Honourable Sir Charles Perrin Skerrett and Charles Edward MacCormick to be a Commission to inquire into and report upon the following questions 1. Whether, having regard to the duties undertaken by the Government of New Zealand under the said Mandate, there is just or reasonable cause for such complaints or objections. 2. Whether the Administrator or the officials of the Administration have in any manner exceeded their duty in the exercise of the authority entrusted to them respectively, or have failed to exercise their respective functions honestly and justly.