POLICY IN SAMOA

Hokitika Guardian, 9 April 1929, Page 3

POLICY IN SAMOA

ATTITUDE OF THE GOVERNMENT DEFIANCE MUST END. WELLINGTON. April G. A suggestion by Mr A. Hall 'Skelton, of Auckland, chairman of the Samoa Defence League, that the recent report of the finances and staff of the Allministration of Western Samoa has justified the actions of Man —and other points made by Air Skelton in a letter to the Prime Minister- —have been replied to by Sir Joseph Ward by mail. The Prime Minister to-day handed out for publication a copy of the letter he has forwarded to Air Skelton. Inter alia, Air Skelton had referred to the imprisonment of Tamasese, loader of the Ainu. “After the fullest consideration,” says Sir Joseph Ward, “the Government find themselves unable to alter in any direction the policy that they have announced. As I have already intimated, the Government are anxious'to arrive at a settlement of the difficulties in the territory. I hey wish to take the most generous and conciliatory attitude, and immediately the Alan abandon their open defiance of the law the Administrator and the Government are prepared to call a fono, unrestricted as to subject and time, and to provide facilities for Tamasese to attend. Beyond that point, the Government cannot go—they cannot deal amicably with open defiance of the law nor would public opinion in New Zealand or elsewheie expect-or even allow them to do so. “Finally, I feel it necessary to refer to one further point—the suggestion made, by you that the recent report on the finances and staff of the Administration has justified the actions of tlio Alan. This is not the ease—the burden of any want of economy in the administration of the Territory has fallen not upon the Alan or upon the Samoans, but upon the people: of New Zealand. “In view of the importance of the subject, it- is my intention to hand a copy of this communication to the Press.”