GIVING WEST SAMOA SELFGOVERNMENT

Chronicle (Levin), 6 December 1947, Page 5

GIVING WEST SAMOA SELFGOVERNMENT

Reeeived Fridav, 7.0 p.ni. LAKE SUCCESS, Dec. 4. Sir Carl Berendsen told the Trusteeship Council today that his Govermuent had gone aliead with its policy for granting sell'-government to the peoples of West Samoa because otherwise the objectives wliereon all were agreed eould not be effected for 2 to 3 years if the nqrmal procedure were followed. If the (knnicil approved the United Nations mission's report now tlie General Assembly eould not -consider it until the 1948 session and the New Zealand Parliament-, which met from late J'une until early November, eould not take action before 1949. ATr. Liif C'hieh (China) said the New Zealand Government was justified m anticipating United Nations' action and taking legislative steps in general eonformity with the mission's recommendations. He intimduced a draft resolution stating that the Trusteeship Council considered the people of AVesi Siimoa should be granted "an increasing measure of self-government " ana for the present the degree of selfgovernment' should conform to the misSion 's recommendations. Atr. Awni Khalidv (Iraq) suggested that the Chinese resolution should be amended to say the people of West Samoa should be accorded self-govern-ment rather than increasing measure oi self-government. Dr. Luis Padilla Nervo (Alexieo) said the council should examine the mission's report in more detail before taking up the Chinese resolution. M. Pierre Rvekmans (Belgium) saw a danger in provi'ding that self-govern-ment should be granted ' ' as soon as possible" to the people of West Bamoa who might interpret this as meanihg "immediately. ' ' Bir Carl Berendsen said he eould not accept the wording "as soon as possible" because it eould be interpreted as singling out this one administe.ring authority which was actually in the fofefront on this matter. Alr. \V. D. Forsyth (Australia) and 8ir Alan Burns (Britain) supported >Sir Carl. Alr. Liu Chieh then said he would- accept the New Zealand amendment stating: "The Trusteeship Council resolves that in its $iew the people of AYesi •Samoa should l>e accorded at, tlie present time such a measure of setfgovernment as is indicated liy the nns- ■ sion's report and further expresses the hope that the AVest Samoan people will be encouraged and assisted to assume still greater responsibilities in selfgoi'ernment, ieading ultimately and as soon as possible to full self-government Ln accordance with the people 's expressed desires, the administering authority 's de'clared policy and the trusteeship system'S objectives."