Personalities and Pasts in Samoa

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 104, 23 July 1927, Page 13

Personalities and Pasts in Samoa

A MINISTERIAL LIST members of committee (THE SIX'S Parliamentary Reporter .. WELLINGTON, Friday. YEITHER the Hon. O. F. Nelson nor Mr. A. G. Smyth, two of those concerned in the Samoan trouble, looked comfortable as they sat in the distinguishedvisitors’ gallery in the House of Representatives this evening while the Hon. W. Nosworthy read the full political pedigree of all members of the Citizens’ Committee at the islands.

The Minister did not confine himself to political pedigree, but brought in relations by marriage, and. in mentioning one native, recalled his theft of several hundreds of pounds from his district church funds. Mr. H. T. Armstrong, Christchurch East, later took exception to the details and said that the Minister had suggested that it was a crime for a man to marry a Samoan woman. Mr. Nelson smiled broadly when Mr. Nosworthy read reports from the Administrator inferring that there was direct incitement of the antive people to depose the New Zealand Administrator and to place Mr. Nelson in his stead.

Mr. Nosworthy said that while he was in Samoa he had been publicly invited by Mr. Nelson to investigate the status of the chiefs associated with the committee. He had accepted that invitation and had informed Mr. Nelson that he would make inquiries not only concerning the chiefs, but also regarding the political pedigree of the other members of the committee. He would read the results of his investigations so that the people of New Zealand would know with whom they had to deal. The details as read are:

Hon. O. F. Nelson.—A half-caste of Swedish-Samoan parentage, with relatives of German blood, one of whom, now in Samoa, fought in the ranks of the German Army in the Great War; naturalised as a British subject in 1924; principal of one of the largest mercantile firms with a network of stores throughout the group and agencies throughout the world; the largest buyer and exporter of native copra; senior elected member of the Legislative Council; president of the Citizen's Committee.

Hon. A. Williams. European, British, married to Samoan wife; plumber, tinsmith and general sheetmetal worker; second elected member of the Legislative Council. Hon. G. E. L. Westbrook. —European, British, married to native wife; trader; third elected member of Legislative Council; constant contributor to newspapers of the world, who has consistently criticised New Zealand’s administration since the enforcement of prohibition. Mr. A. G. Smyth. —European, British: no Samoan family ties; partner in the firm of Smyth and Carruthers (the latter of half-caste), which has just been purchased by Morris, Hedstrom, Ltd., of Fiji. Mr. E. W. Gurr. —European, British; legal agent, journalist, Samoan interpreter, married to Samoan wife; known to natives as the man who caused the Tau o le aso tasi, “the one-day war”; left the territory during the German regime for American Samoa; was employed by the American naval administration on August 4, 1900, as secretary to the commandant, and also to act as Judge and legal adviser; was dismissed in 1908 “for malfeasance in office”; is now a prohibited immigrant to American Samoa. An Auckland paper recently published a statement from Mr. Gurr in defence of himself. Mr. Gurr said he had not been deported from American Samoa. “I did not say he was deported,” said Mr. Nosworthy, “but he is a prohibited immigrant there. Mr. Gurr also says that ‘he was dismissed for political reasons, his nationality (British) being the chief cause,’ but we are officially advised by the American Government that he was ‘dismissed for malfeasance in office.’ He further says, ‘lt is difficult to understand how unfounded charges against his past can affect his editorship of the Samoa “Guardian,” a paper which has been favourably commented on by one and all for its independence and dignity.’ My comment on this is that a tree is known by its fruits.” The Minister then gave more details of members of the Citizens’ Committee as follows:

Mr. S. H. Meredith. —A half-caste of British-Samoan parentage; land and commission agent; brother-in-law of Lago Lago, who is leader of the native section of the committee.

Lago Lago.—Formerly known as Afama-saga; a Samoan of chiefly rank; lived mostly in vicinity of Apia; is a “Europeanised” native with a good knowledge of English and civilised ways; was convicted and fined for manufacturing alcoholic liquor and selling it to his own people; was convicted and imprisoned for embezzling about £7OO of his own district church moneys; now being asked to account for several thousands of pounds belonging to a native trading concern which he promoted and which failed: ex-Faipule, who was dismissed from office, deprived of title at request of his family for degrading same and ordered from Apia back to his district village: again ordered from Apia to Apolima village; brother-in-law of Mr. S. H. Meredith, of European committee: leader of Samoan members of committee; a prohibited immigrant to American Samoa.

Faumuina.—A Samoan of high chiefly rank and of good repute; has resided for some years past at Lepea. on outskirts of Apia; has knowledge of English and has until recently been conspicuous for leading the Lepea people in village reforms advocated by the Administration: his village has electric light, good sanitation and has been completely remodelled; Faumuina was himself the leader of the Fetu o’ Samoa, an adaptation of the Boy Scout movement, initiated by the present Administration: has not yet achieved appointment as a Faipule or other native authority. He stated in March last that his district had no complaints. Ainu 'U-A.—A minor chief of Apia, where until lately he hc:d an appointment in the Native Department as Court interpreter; was dismissed Lurough inability to observe ordinary discipline; was one of the ill*

terpreters with the Faipule delegation to New Zealand in 1924-25, and his work was very satisfactory: of good repute. Tofaeono.—A Samoan official of the Agricultural Department, holding a respected title in Vaiala, a village on the outskirts of Apia: has little knowledge of the real aims of the committee, as will be seen from notes of my interview with the committee at Apia on June 11; of good repute. Tuisila.—Samoan chief of Aleipata, who has preserved an attitude of antagonism to the Administration for a considerable number of years; penalised some time ago for wrongfully removing leper station equipment waiting to be burned to avoid the spread of infection.