WHO IS TO GOVERN SAMOA?

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3746, 26 January 1928, Page 3

WHO IS TO GOVERN SAMOA?

The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, Prime Minister of New Zealand, has issued a statement replying to criticism of the Government’s action in deporting Messrs Nelson, Gurr and Smyth from Samoa, and describing the events which led to the necessity for this action, particularly emphasising the serious results that could have been expected had Strong measures not been taken. The concluding portion of the statement points out that “our duty in New Zealand is <to govern Samoa, . The Peace Treaty, instituting the system of mandate’s makes it quite clear that those nations undertaking a mandate accept a sacred trust on behalf of people toho are ‘not yet able to stand by themselves under the strenuous conditions of the modern world.’ “It is our duty to govern Samoa by the terms of the mandate issued to us, andj quite apart from this, it is our duty to govern 'Samoa on humanitarian methods, in tlie interests of the Samoan natives. During the past six months the administration and the Government of New Zealand have shown limitless patience in most difficult circumstances, and have carried toleration to such an extent that it might even he said that our administration of the country has been inef-; feetive during that time. Even today we are advised that the Mau has actually set up a police force of its own, equipped with uniforms supplied by Mr. Nelson’s firm, arid that members of this ‘force’ in uniform actually aceompanied'Mr. Nelson on board the Tofua prior to his departure from Samoa.; “With a full recognition of the dangerous situation that whs developing the administration and the Government held their hand and at the request of the Administrator the fullest enquiry was instituted into the Samoan position. “Now that this enquiry has been concluded and the administration vindicated in every essential particular, we have determined that the time has arrived when authority must -be enforced. It is ~our duty to govern Samoa and from this point onward we intend to govern Samoa.

“The question (that then arose for decision was as to the method to be adopted to re-introduce a settled condition. We hari ample power to enforce the law. in the same manner 'as the law would be enforced in New Zealand 'by force. The objections to this course were many obvious. It would have involinflicting grave hardship on natives who have been, in our opipion, merely the dupes of others more directly responsible and it might even hav>e led to bloodshed and the loss of innocent life. For- ' tunately we. have another alternative—to remove what was in our opinion tlie source and origin of the trouble, in the Confidence that, left tp themselves, ! ;the ; Samoans would gradually, of their own accord realise the position and co-operate with Jt/: the administration as in the past. “The necessary steps under lhe ■ . Samoa Amendment Act 1927 having been taken 'by the Administrator, the Government of New Zealand approved of his recommendation that the best means of remedying the i troubles (would, the to remove the three persons whose deportation has already been announced. It cannot be made too clear that this step is not in' any way a punishment for a crime dr an offence and it is not, in the strict sense of the term, a judical act. It is an executive act taken not as a penalty but as a preventive measure to facilitate the good, government of the territory. There is nothing unfreeedented or unconstitutional in this course, and I have been greatly surprised' at the criticism that has been directed against the Samoan Amendment Act which authorised the course that has been adopted. Neither the Act nor the form of procedure under'it infringes in any degree the fundamental principles of \ - British administration. This power of deportation by the (executive, \ as distinct from punishmetnt by the judiciary, is possessed and .has been exercised by the Pacific administrations around us. “I have found it hard to understand the solicitude that has been shown for Mr. Nelson and his Enro- , pean colleagues by the leader of the Labour Party and by a section of our own Press and public. Do the health welfare and prosperity of the Samoan people—their lives even :* —Count for nothing with these critics? Are 'they prepared to sacrifice all these in their devotion to what they conceive to be abstract V principles of justice which are en■l tirely inapplicable to the. circumstances of this case? These critics have ignored the weight of op- • inion of the most highly qualified colonial statesmen in the world, whose experience and judgment teach that it is impossible to deal promptly and effectively in a purely native territory with a trouble which may involve life and! death issues according to the standards and principles which are laid flown for the government of democratic and educated communities. “We have felt it advisable to' k prefer the interests of the large k number of natives to the interests . of a handful of Europeans, and we are satisfied that the course we have adopted was correct and that it will be justified by future events.”