SAMOAN DEPUTATION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 41, 17 January 1938, Page 2

SAMOAN DEPUTATION

TO INTERVIEW GOVERNMENT. PREMIER’S STATEMENT. Per Press Association. WELLINGIUIN, Jan. 16. A deputation ot prominent toamoans headed ny Mr O. F. iNekson will visit New Zealand this month to wait on the Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. M. J. savage) seeking a discussion on Samoan affairs generally. In an interview on Saturday Mr Savage made it clear that while he did not believe tnat tnere was any great need tor such a discussion at tne present time lie was anxious that the aainoans should have just as much right to be heard by the Government as New Zealanders had. “it is quite true that a deputation is coming this month from Samoa,” Air Savage said. “While I considered when I heard of the proposal that there was no necessity tor these men to come over here, at the same tune I decided that they should be given the right to be heard if they wanted to and consequently they are coming. “We do not intend that the Samoans should be deprived of the right which every New Zealander has of coming to Wellington at his own expense to make representations to the Government on such subjects,” Air Savage said. “We have seen where past Governments refused to grant the Samoans that right with the result that trouble followed. We do not intend to follow that policy ” ' . Asked whether the Government had yet made any decision about the appointment of an Administrator for Samoa, Air Savage said at present the Government did not intend to alter the existing arrangement. DELEGATION LEAVES. APIA, Jan. 14. A Samoan delegation consisting of Mr O F. Nelson, four Alan leaders and Miss Olive Nelson, who is a barrister. has left for New Zealand by the Aronterey. Air R. A. Tattersall accompanies the delegation as Government interpreter.