WELLINGTON TOPICS

Hokitika Guardian, 10 February 1930, Page 2

WELLINGTON TOPICS

TROUBLE IN SAMOA. GOVERNMENT TAKES ACTION (Special Correspondent.)

I WELLINGTON, February 6. I There is a general feeling that the lovernment has taken the right course li sending a Minister of the Crown to |o Samoa to confer with the adminispator there in regard to the Mau ■rouble The Cabinet has stated Jnite frankly that the authority [f the Government has been directly lhallenged by the promoters of the llau movement and that such a condition o'f affairs cannot be longer tolerIted without betraying the high responsibility with which the Dominion Is entrusted. The Hon. J. G. Cobbe, Ihe Minister of Defence, will leave here |>y the Maui Pomare on Tuesday in advance of the body of Military Police that is being trained for such service,' pnd he is hoping to find the misled islanders amenable to reason. Mr fcobbe, it is scarcely necessary to say, is not going in his military capacity, pt the head of an armed force; but in Ihis official capacity with an earnest Idesire to satisfy the misled Samoans of [the error of their way. TACT AND FIRMNESS. Mr J. S. Fletcher, the member for Parnell, telegraphed to the Prime. Minister yesterday suggesting that Sir Apirana- Ngata. should accompany the Minister of Defence on his visit to the Islands. Such an arrangement would [meet with the approval of the whole community, since it regards Sir Apirana ns the physican capable of healing all mann of dissension. But judging •from the speech he made in the House of Representatives last session, when the Samoan problem was under discussion, be would have some hesitation in accepting the role bf mediator in the case. Though one of the most cultured members of the present House, and perhaps the most British of therii all, he has so high a regard for the etiquette of his own race he never would think of thrusting himself upon another unbidden. In any case the present mission is Mr Cobbe’s own job and the Minister of Defence is well equipped by tact and firmness to carry it to a successful conclusion.

AT LAST. Every good sportsman, as well as every good citizen, will be glad to learn from the proceedings in the Magistrates Court at Hamilton yesterday that the authorities at last have determined to deal with the bookmakers’ clients in the salutary manner they have been dealing with the bookmakers themselves for some years past. Fines of from £5 to £lO, amounting to £345 in all—inflicted by a magistrate who is to be higl-y- commended—upon fourteen amatuer offender's, will at least go far towards shaking the equanimity of the bookmakers’ clientele, Whether it is the Minister of Justice or Minister of In* ternal Affairs, or the whole Cabinet that has moved in this matter, a great deal of credit is due to the Police Commissioner ‘and his staff for the thoroughness with which they have put the law into effective operation. If their thoroughness is maintained the hoomakers and their occupation will speedily cease to be among the scourages of the country. ' ' LAND' PURCHASE. The “Dominion” refuses to accept as gospel the eulogy pronounced by the Minister of Lands upon the Wilden Estate in Otago just purchased by the Government for closer settlement. “It is first class country,” Mr Forbes declares, “and a large portion of it is suitable for cropping. Agriculture has been carried on in the‘past up to a height of 2000 ft above sea level. The stock carried prior to the purchase by the Government was 18,340 ewes, 4323 dry sheep, and 340 cattle.” The area of the property is 15,174 acres of freehold and 8890 acres held on pastrol license. The “Dominiotn” meets the statement of the Minister with a sheaf of interrogations. It wants to know whether the estate can be worked more economically by fourteen owners than by one; whether there will be better pasture and flock management; whether fourteen occupants will be stronger financially than one, and so on and so on. Here surely are promising problems fdr practical solution between the Minister and the newspaper.