The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1928. THE SAMOAN QUESTION.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 August 1928, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 1928. THE SAMOAN QUESTION.

With the issue of the report of the Mandates Commission of the League of

Nations on the situation in Samoa, a long and distressful chapter in Samoan affairs comes to an end. An appeal has been made to the highest Court, .and the verdict is overwhelmingly in favour of the Government and against Mr Nelson and his associates. Except that the Government is Judged to have been “uncertain” in its attitude at a critical time, and the Administrator

perhaps not to have acted always “with sufficient psychological insight,’ the , report is a complete justification of the authorities, ft is true that at the hearing at Geneva the advantage was ail with the New Zealand Government, in that while Sir George Richardson was heard hy the Commission, the rules of procedure prevented Mr Nelson from stating his case, 'i lie Auckland Star in passing comment says it does not think that Mr Nelson’s presence lie fore the Commission would have made much difference. He comes out of the whole business badly, and for the sake of Samoa and himself we hope that he will now cease the agitation he has kept up so long and make his peace with the authorities. As we have emphasised, this paper has not been an advocate on his side in this long dispute about policy and administration in Samoa. What we criticised the Government for mainly was its action in deporting Mr Nelson and otherout trial, and the extremely important principle involved here stood quite a,part from other issues. Our contention was that no matter how strong the ease against him he was entitled to British justice. The reference to the Administrator’s possible lack of psychological insight may cover more than the League cares to state. We are not unmindful of the unusual nature of Sir George Richardson’s difficulties, or of the fine qualities that he brought to his task, when we say'that possibly a wiser man might have prevented the Man from becoming so powerful a force. Mr Nelson and the Administrator bid for the allegiance of the Samoans. Mr Nelson won to the extent that there was a grave division in the population. The new Administrator seems to have gone some way to heal the breach. For the salvation of Samoa the process must he completed. When the report becomes known in Samoa

the natives should realise that they have nothing to hope for from the agitation, and that its continuance will bring nothing but loss to the community, which has already suffered .severely in this bloodless civil war.