SAMOAN NATIVES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 177, 22 April 1919, Page 4

SAMOAN NATIVES

ALARMED BY THE EPIDEMIC

A PETITION THAT WAS WITHDRAWN By Tclenraiih—Press Association. Auckland, April 21. In the "Samoa Times" of April a Colonel Tate, Acting-Administrator, publishes itli olUcial statement. 110 stated taat od .lanuury 27 he attended a native gathering at .Uulimin, at which u petition was presented askiug: First, that Colonel Logan should be removed trum the position of Administrator for reasons connected with tho introduction .of iniluenza into Samoa; secondly, that a census should be taken of orpnans, and provision made for them; thirdly, that Samoa should be turned over to the United States, but, if thip wero not grautod, and if tho Powers decided on British administration, thut Samoa should lie administered by tile Colonial Office, and on lio.account t»y tho Uuvermaont of New Zealand, About 127 chief 6 from various parts of .Western Samoa wore present. The petition was presented by 'ioleafoa, and while 1 presenting it he desired to amend one paragraph so as to delete tho request for American rule. The petitua was Amended accordingly.

"On February 11," Colonel Tate con. tinucs, "my native advisers, representing tho native people, and Toleafoa, ro-. presenting the petitioners, appeared betore tile and requested that the wholo petition should be withdrawn, and that the incident should be closed. 1 agreed to accept the withdrawal of tho petition, and to regard the incident as closed, so far as the Samoans were concerned, but 1 intimated that, so far as tlia whito people were concerned, the incident would not necessarily be closed a 6 the Government of New Zealand would not readily forgive any person who had committed wrong concerning the introduction of influenza into Samoa. The present position is that there is now no petition, the potition formerly existing having been completely withdrawn. 1 may say that consideration had been given to the question of orphans before the petition was presented, nnd thai as to the introduction of tho influenza epidemic I have no doubt the Government of New Zealand will see that any responsibilities are placed upon tho proper shoulders.''