WARSHIPS AT SAMOA

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 122, 21 February 1928, Page 9

WARSHIPS AT SAMOA

TWO .VIEWS AS TO EFFECT ON NATIVES Dominion Special Service. Auckland, February 20. Arriving at Auckland by the Tofua this afternoon, Mr. E. j. Gurr, the third of the European citizens to be deported from Samoa, stated that the information as to warships having been sent to the mandated territory was news to him. Asked, if he thought there was need for such action. Mr.: Gurr replied: “No, emphatically no.” Asked what effect the arrival of warships would probably have on the natives, he replied; “I should imagine that the natives will be amused more than anything. . They are. used to having battleships in Apia, and I should think that the presence of the two New Zealand ships will have no political effect whatever.’’ Having been delayed in Samoa on account of the trouble there for a year, Mr. A. L. Braisby, inspector in charge of police and prisons in Western Samoa, arrived in Auckland bv the L'ofua to-dav on furlough. Mr. Braisby was formerly attached to the Defence Department in Auckland, and has been in the islands for nine years. Questioned concerning the effect that the dispatch of the Dunedin and the Diomede to Samoa would have on the troubled territory, the visitor, who was unaware of the happening, until the ship touched Auckland, sjid it would put things on a proper footing. His onlv surprise'was that the development had not occurred sooner. THE BOYCOTT HOPES OF SETTLEMENT. Dominion Special Service. Auckland, February 20. Writing from Apia under date February 11, the “New Zealand Herald’s” correspondent says: “The political situation is quiet, although there are signs that the country is getting tired of an impossible situation. The boycott of stores is being worked, but it does not seem to be worrying the people to any great extent, and tricks are played on Mau people. One woman had a parcel taken awav from her, but it only contained rubbish. Another loyal native disputed the right of a Mau man to take a parcel, and the loyal man came out on top. One of the Mau committee went into a store to buy meat and he was refused bv the storekeeper. The Man supporter had to enlist the services of a boy in order to secure what he wanted. The administration made advances to the Mau committee for a conference to settle the differences, and great expectations were held, but at the last minute the discontents refused to come forward. There is still prospect of a meeting and it is believed that the conference will bring matters to a head with . every prospect of settlement. Ihe difficulty has been to bring the parties together. The Mau people at the moment seem to be following the old formula, “don t have anvthing to do with the administration.” If once contact is brought about, well-informed people sa-z that * settlement will soon be reached.”