THE FUTURE OF SAMOA.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16158, 12 March 1918, Page 6

THE FUTURE OF SAMOA.

ATTITUDE OF LABOUR. DISCUSSION AT CITY COUNCIL MEETING. Tho retention or otherwise of Samoa by Great Britain was the subject of a remarkable debate in the City Council Chamber last evening, when a circular letter was received by the- Christchurch City Council from the Auckland City Council requesting the Council's hearty co-operation in seeking the retention of Samoa in British hands after the war, ami enclosing a resolution to that clfect. Cr. Flesher moved that the resolution be endorsed. Cr. Climie seconded the motion. Cr. Howard moved as an amendment : - - '• I'liat, in tiie opinion of this Council, the question of Mmoa. should bo rciei led to the Peace Conference to deal with."

>peaking in support of his amendment, Cr. Howaru asked the Council I to seriously consider this proposal coming from the Auckland City Council. Ht> was not going to suggest it, but Auckland being so near the motion lent itself to the idea of selfinterest. Ho had been in Samoa, anil knew it fairly well, and he declared that it was worth not one New Zealander's life, let alone the fact that it might mean tho (sacrifice of ten thousand or twenty thousand men to retain it. lie did not stand alone in his attitudo on this question. He referred them to what innny of them termed a great man, the Prime Minister of England, who before a Labour deputation said this matter should be referred to the Peace Conference. He would like to refer to tho ehango of opinion whon what was known as the Paris Conference was held. It \us suggested that an economic boycott of cur enemies should be set up, but Labour throughout tho world disagreed With that. Labour was opposed to anything being taken by force. "Wo [know by past history," said Cr. Howard, "that if we hold Samoa it .noans the continuance of conscription in ;his country; that if wo hold it it .xeins future war. Don't let us do anything at this time to handicap our children, and force our children and our children's children to be cannon fodder." Continuing, ho stated that declarations had been made on both sides against annexations. "When you read of the differences betweon the fighting nations they are so small that wo should not do anything to provent the Peace Conference being held." Those with boys reaching military age shortly should seriously consider the matter. His wife and he had longed for male children, but ho felt thankful since this war started that they had no boys to give. Personally, he had nothing to lose —he had no money to lose, he had no boys to lose, he was speaking on behalf of others. Samoa was not worth a boy's life. Cr. Loasby interjected a remark which did not reach the Press table.

Or. Howard: Havo you boys ? Cr. Loasby: Yes, at tho war. Cr. Howard: You are only speaking for the Council. I am speaking for thousands of people. Don't interfere with the Peace Conference- This is an inspired resolution being sent through the country so that our representatives can go to England and say they have the people_ behind thorn in demanding tho retention of Samoa. They have not the backing of Labour. Wo say tho whole of Samoa is not worth one New Zoalander's life, ejtl'er from tho economic point of view or any other. If you pass this resolution you are doing something which will hold back the fighting nations from arriving at peace. Do you wish to soy this: That you don't want tho war to end. It has to end some day, why not decide to end it now? My resolution does not imply peace at any price. It is that you will allow our reoresentatives to go Homo with a free Rand. Cr. Wells seconded the amendment. Sho said that if we persisted in our attitude in regard to Samoa we might even find ourselves embroiled with Great Britain. Moreover, such a question as this could not bo decided by the Christchurch City Council. Thoy were not representing tho people of Christchurch. Tho peoplo could not give Mi* Massey and Sir Joseph Ward a mandate cxcept by a _ referendumThe question should bo discussed from the North Cane to the Bluff. Samoa had not been a sore spot in the past; wo lived in neacc with it. Moreover, Samoa should be for the Samoans. Cr. Hayward, though considering the question a little outside the_ Council's province, could see no harm in endorsing tho resolution. If he believed it would cost ono life or even the smallest of pain he would not support it, but he was of tho opinion that tho placing of Samoa under British rule would save many lives. (Hear, hear.) Tlic Mayor (Mr H. Holland) considered it would be absolute suicide to allow our enomy, who stuck at notmng, to re-occupy the South Pacific Islanas. It would mean that they would jo utilised as aviation stations and submarine bases and everything inhuman. What would be tho result on this country F We did not want those creatures as neighbours. He felt confident that in carrying tho motion the Council would bo expressing the wishes of tho majority of the peoplo of Christchurch. Cr. Hunter supported the amendment. He did not agree that the Mayor was endorsing the wishes of who majority of the citizens. Ho believed there would bo a regrouping of tho Powers shortly. There was a greater probability of the European Powers having to combino -in fighting tho Asiatic than anything olse happening. How could we say to Germany and tho Central Powers that they must not hang on to tho territory they had conquered if wc proposed to hang on to the territory wo had conquered? The amendment proposed to leave the matter in tho hands of the Peace Conferenco.

Cr. Sullivan said the resolution went further than merely proposing to take the island from Germany; it proposed to keep is in British hands. .J'hat might prove embarrassing to the Poaco Conference. It was quite on Che cards in the final washing-up for a proposal to be made handing tho island to America. He believed Cr. Howard had spoken good common sense. Surely fcho Mayor or other members of the Council "would not bo prepared to j.rolong the war for fivo minutes for the sake of Samoa? If at the Conferenco it was decided to retain Samoa in British hands, well and good. If the Council carried the resolution they .voi'n b" doing an unpatriotic action by embarrassing the British Government. Cr. Taylor said he did not think the question "was one of commercial gain. Tie asked Cr. Howard would he bp willing for the Peace Conference to leave this island in tho hands of Gerniany. . Cr. Howard: Yes. if they dccidcd upon it. Cr. Taylor said the people of Australia and New Zealand felt certain thatBritish statesmen at Home failed to appreciate the position of the people in the southern seas. Past events had proved that. If Samoa remained Jn the possession of Germany what better place for a huge wireless station or a submarine base? Couid we trust those people as we had in the past:' Experience taught us that we could not. He did not' think anv Britisher in the southern seas would care twopence if the United States took over control of Samoa. Wc had got over such petty

issues as that. Ho did not thinV Lloyd George and his confreres appreciated the position. lie hoped that some of the old Coloni.nl Office blunders would not be repeated at the conclusion of the war. Cr. l'.ll considered the Council would bo expressing the sentiments of the citizens in endorsing the resolution. He reterrcd to German unscrupulousness. Cr. Howard: We are unanimous on that point. I think. Cr. 1> lo.ilinr, in reply, said tl'o passing of the motion throughout New Zealand would strengthen the Prime Minister in his conviction that Samoa should not revert to German rule. The principle of '"no annexation"' did not involve no territorial changes whatever, but such changes as must mako for the peace of the world. , -Vs the result of further remarks of Cr. Mesher, Cr. Sullivan ironically suggested that the only thing, apparently, was to wipe the Germans off the face of the earth altogether, and to this Cr. Flesher assented. Cr. "Wells. Shame! Cr. Flesher: Cr. Wells says "Shame!" I wonder what her lot would bo if wo had German rule in New Zealand? The amendment was declared lost on the voices, and the motion was carried by 11 votes to 4. the voting on a division being as follows:— For—The Mayor, and Crs. Taylor, Havward. Ell, Loasby. Peek. Nicholls, Beanland, C'limie, McKellar, and Flesher. Against—Crs. Sullivan, Wells, Howard, and Hunter. It was decided to forward copies of the resolution to the Primo Minister and Sir Joseph Ward.

ISLANDS OF THE PACIFIC DANGER OF GOING RACK TO GERMANY. When opening the Marfan A. and P. Show last week, Mr. E. Newman, M.P. for Rangitikei, referred (says the "Standard ') to tbo coming War Conference, and what it portended so far as tho Dominion was concerned. In his opinion, tlib Primo Minister and Sir Joseph Ward must remain, at Homo until peace was doclarcd, or, at all events, until the fate of tho Gorman colonies was settled. Jt was imperative that the Germans must not bo established in the Pacific Ocean again, and he thought that every public body in New Zealand should pass a motion such, as was passed by the Wellington Harbour Board lately, viz."The Board ■desires to most strongly urge upon tho Dominion representatives to the Imperial Conference in London that no settlement will be acceptable to the loyal population of New Zealand which leaves possible the reoccupation by Gerany of the Pacific Islands." Mr Newman wont on to refer to the need of certain islands in the Pacific, namely, Nauru and Ocean, which contained vast deposits of phosphate roclr, worth millions of pounds sterling To meot increased taxation, we must increa*j production, and to attain that w / ar , nie , rs m , ust have cheap fortilisere. He had already placed his views before tho Prune Minister 0 n tho subject, and Mr ,USfc received a telegram from Mi Massey, which he read as follows:— W r l ec ? lvcd in re B a rd to the subrj,°ii whl f h '/?, u reminded me recently. I shall not fail, if I visit London in cfiSZ** 0 ? j the m eet iog of the War Cabinet, to endeavour to securo the conwi a P ho A phat ? '"stand for New Zealand and thus Jielp to conserve the supplies so necessary for our own agricultural purposes. "The war," said Mr Newman, "mlI cost us 100 millions. The island of ml "benefit? fh PUS pa ? tbat debt he ,rorU ' tm ~ h '

A CHIEF'S OPINION". SUVA (Fiji). March 1. I would rather die," said FUma Fauniunia, while on a visit to Suva recently, "than see Samoa go back to German rule." Faumunia is a Samoan chief, at present engaged as an Inspector of Plantations in Samoa, and speaks English tolerably well. "Under the Germans," he said, "we were discouraged in every way. * Wo were not allowed to have motor-boats, for instance, and, where so much derends on water traffic, this was a hardship. Needless to t>ay, we were denied motor-oars even where we had the wherewithal to purchase them. AVo had no commercial freedom and littlo civil freedom. If it is left to the Samoans to decide who shall rule ua we shall undoubtedly choose our jwn present rulers. AVo all want ihe British." Faumunia preferred not to exprsss an opinion as to whether it should t.e New Zealand or not.