The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1928. SITUATION IN SAMOA.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 February 1928, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1928. SITUATION IN SAMOA.

The situation at Samoa continues to cause concern The interest is heightened by the despatch of two warships to the seat of the trouble. It is somewhat unsatisfactory, that all this is happening without any official statement as to the immediate causes. The primae cause, no doubt, is generally known and understood, for there has been lengthy enquiries leading up to the absolution of the administration. There was, however, the recalcitrant group in Samoa, and some of the leading spirits have been deported. This action has produced further developments in Samoa, but the exact causes are not officially disclosed. It may be surmised tha the boycott methods have something to do with the situation, for one account says the boycott Is being enforced irregularly by the Samoan sympathisers. In the interim, Mr Holland, leader of the Opposition, is in the limelight, and has given his views very freely. Needless to say the policy he would adopt would reverse the Government action, notwithstanding that the general principles of the administration were approved by a Royal Commission. Mr Holland will he able to make some hay out of the incident, more especially as the silence of the Government adds to the justification for critical remarks. The fact that it is found necessary to send warships to the scene suggests that the situation affecting law and order is likely to get out of hand if the force is not adequate. Some extra policemen had been geitf Already, and though

told the Samoans are law-abiding, il is now found necessary to despatch two ships of war. There may be some features of the case which it is not advisable to disclose publicly at this juncture, but in the circumstances the Prime Minister could have communicated in confidence with the Leader oT the- Opposition and indicated the position. Had the House been in session. Parliament would have boon entitled to know precisely what was happening, end being out of session it appears reasonable that in a step of this nature which is quite outside ordinary ill - l 'i nal administration, the leaders of the House should be aware of such important doings and their immediate < ause. By the action the whole position assumes a matter of the highest public importance, lor New Zealand in this instance is acting on mandate, Mid the Government has a greater responsibility than to the people of the I'ominkm only. What was revealed at the Royal Commission, indicated that the Adninistration was not unreasonable, and the Government policy thus being so recently approved, there app/oars to he all the more ron- < in for an explicit statement of the general situation. In dealing with a | native population there must necos- ] sarily he some, departure from the ordinary methods of action. The native mind is slow to move, and if unduly aroused if will take time to regain coididcnce. Nothing violent has so far been attempted, but the presence of ships of war suggest tin* pissibility of extreme action in a case where other methods should he tried out. There is. too, at Samoa a considerable native section out of touch with those responsible for the native unrest, and it would apisear enough has not been made in that quarter to convince and placate the disturbed native .mind in regard to the ways of the administration. It may lie accepted at the outset that New Zealand desires to do only what is host for the native population, so that it is not helping matters for Mr Holland to parade an opposition iinlicv at this juncture and seek to make political capital out of an incident which generally has not any political significance. The Samoans have no votes in the New Zealand elections, and the Government is not acting in any petty way on that account. The Government has a larger object and duly in mind, and if Mr Holland were made more fully acquainted with the question, perhaps he would he better disposed towards assisting in the matter rather than pouring political octroi on the outbreak and causing a greater conflagration than would otherwise occur.