TROUBLE IN SAMOA

Hokitika Guardian, 20 June 1927, Page 2

TROUBLE IN SAMOA

NATIVES’ PETITION, (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) SUVA, June 19. Air Nosworthy js a through passenger by the Ventura, for Sydney, en route to Auckland. Interviewed here, he said he had met six European delegates from the Citizens’ Committee, six native chiefs, and about a thousand

natives at Apia. He referred to a petition to the High President of the German Parliament in Berlin in 1910,

and said that it covered almost in identical language, and the same grounds as the present attack on the administration. The signatures included two of the present delegation.

Mr Nosworthy said he had received a petition from the Faipules, favouring the present administration, and good works done, and asking that certain Europeans endeavouring to foment dis-

satisfaction, bo made to cease inter- , ference with the King’s Birthday cele- » brntions, which had been organised by agitators. Mr Nosworthy condemned the action and said that he was prepared to take drastic steps to stop the agitation. He was satisfied that the present administration was in the best interests of all. Ihe agitator - was not prompted by any regard for real interests of natives, and any success had been due to misrepresentation. Efforts to disunite and upset a fine race like the Samoans was criminal, and deserved to he treated as a crime. The New Zealand Government accepted the mandate as a sacred trust. The Planters’ Association In .I assured him that it had dissociated itself from the Citizens’ Committee. Air Nosworthy told Mr Nelson,, one of the deputation, that if there l was further agitation, the Citizens’ Committee would he held directly responsible. He would give a reasonable fair time, for them to undo the trouble. He was not going to have the wool pulled over his eyes. He was giving the Committee the first and last reasonable chance to undo their intrigue, and further action was threatened. Mr Nosworthy later received a radio front the Premier of Samoa, •‘lmmigration order amended, to enable Administrator Samoa", as directed by the Governor, to order any person to leave Samoa, if the Administration is satisfied that the person is disaffected, disloyal or likely to he a source of danger to the peace, order and good government of the territory. Messrs Nosworthy and Gray were entertained at luncheon hv the Suva Chamber of Commerce. The guests included the Governor, Chief Justice and Messrs Joseph Carruthers and It. A. Farrar, of New South Wales.