American Novelist Regards Samoan Situation Gloomily

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 100, 19 July 1927, Page 1

American Novelist Regards Samoan Situation Gloomily

OPPOSITION TO ADMINISTRATOR

A definite announcement of the 4 Government’s policy concerning the Samoan disaffection may be expected at an early date, as a ! result of the visit to Wellington of the Hon. O. F. Nelson and Mr. A. G. Smyth, both of Samoa, who leave Auckland for Wellington tonight.

+• Further light is shed on conditions in Samoa by a Press Association message from Honolulu, where an American novelist, Mr. Clem Yore, has made the statement that the Samoan natives are preparing to revolt. He says that unrest is general and the natives i are singing tribal war songs.

“The New Zealand administration has lost the confidence of the people of Samoa,” stated Mr. A. G. Smyth, a member of the Samoan Citizens’ Committee, who is in Auckland to-day, and leaves for Wellington with the Hon. O. F. Nielson this evening. Together they hope to interview the Prime Minister, and again impress on him the need for an investigation into conditions in the territory.

“All we ask is an impartial inquiry,” said Mr. Smyth this morning. “They can try us, or do anything they like, as long as they give our case a hearing.” On Friday last Mr. Nelson wrote to Mr. Coates, again drawing his attention to the state of affairs in Samoa. He offered to meet the Prime Minister at. any time, and any place, so that he could discuss the affair with him, but up to this morning had received no reply, and is therefore going to Wellington without the definite knowledge that the Prime Minister will consent to see him. ADMINISTRATOR’S WARNING

Mr. Smyth will return to Auckland in a few days, but Mr. Nelson may stay in Wellington some time. Both of them have in their possession letters received from the Administrator, George Richardson, before they left Samoa, warning them that on tbeir return they may be deported. Neither is incurring this contingency for some time, as Mr. Nelson may go on to England, putting his case before the League of Nations if he fails to get satisfaction in New Zealand. Mr. Smyth, who will be joined by Mrs. Smyth in August, intends spending a month or two in Australia. Discussing the situation this morning, Mr. Smyth said it was absurd to suggest that they were deliberately stirring up trouble. As business men their interests could best be served by orderly government, and not by strife. He pointed out that Mr. Nelson’s firm was capitalised at £150,000, while his own (Smyth and Carruthers) was capitalised at £50,000. Holding such interests in Samoa, he asked,' could it be suggested that they were acting purely with the intention of creating disorder in the community. CONSTITUTIONAL LINES “As a matter of fact,” he said, “there would have been serious trouble long before this if the Citizens’ Committee had not always insisted the natives pursue the correction of their grievances along constitutional lines. “When we met the Minister of External Affairs on June 11, there were 6,000 natives gathered outside the Courthouse, and their temper was such that not until several hours had elapsed did we dare to tell them of the hostile reception the Minister had given us.”

Sir George Richardson had acted as though he had been deliberately endeavouring to provoke dissension. On occasions he had made tactless reference to the European traders as the worst enemies of the Samoan people. Remarks such as those would not create goodwill among the residents of the islands.