NEW ADMINISTRATOR FOR SAMOA

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 310, 22 March 1928, Page 1

NEW ADMINISTRATOR FOR SAMOA

COLONEL S. S. ALLEN, OF MORRINSVILLE

STATEMENT BY

PRIME MINISTER

IT is announced officially that Lieutenant-Colonel S. S. Allen, of Morrinsville, will succeed General Sir George Richardson as Administrator of Western Samoa.

Press Association. WELLINGTON, To-day. r £'HE following statement has been issued by Mr. Coates: —“MajorGeneral Sir George Richardson, whose extended term of office as Administrator of Western Samoa expired on March 16, will relinquish his duties on March 31, and will return to Wellington early in April for consultation with the Government before proceeding to Geneva to act as one of the representatives of New Zealand before the Permanent Mandates Commiss'i i> of the League of Nations, which meets on June 6 for discussion inter alia of Samoan questions. “The Government wish to take this, opportunity of expressing appreciatio n of the conspicuous ability shown by General Richardson during his administration of the territory and of the many outstanding results that he has achieved for the benefit of the Samoan people. The Government regrets exceedingly that it should be necessary for General Richardson to retire at this juncture when such a large degree of discontent and disaffection has made itself apparent among the Samoan people, but they have been compelled to yield to General Richardson’s representations on tlie matter and to the urgent necessity that the position of New Zealand should be made plain before the Mandates Commission by the person most competent to do so. “The Government has appointed as new Administrator of Western Samoa Mr. S. S. Alien, of Morrinsville. and Mr. Allen will assume office at an early date, as soon as it is possible

for him to make the necessary arrangements to proceed to Samoa. In the meantime the duties of Administrator will be carried on by the present Deputy-Administrator, Colonel Hutchen. “The Government feels that the new Administrator possesses the. qualities of personality, tact, patience and firmness that are required, if New Zealand’s administration of its trusteeship in Western Samoa is to be carried on without recourse to drastic measures.” Lieut.-Colonel Stephen Shepherd Allen, C. D. 5.0., had a distinguished war ' service, and is at present brigade commander of the First New Zaland Infantry (Auckland) Regiment. He was one of the mosts popular officers in the- New Zealand Forces,' both among officers ■ and men. Colonel Allen is at px-esent a solicitor, practising in Morrinsville, of which town he is also Mayor. He was elected in May, 1927. The newly appointed administrator of the mandated territory of Western Samoa is the youngest surviving son of Mr. C. W. Shepherd Allen, of Te Aroha. In 1918 he married Mary Isobel Hay, daughter of Mr. A. L. Foster, of Auckland. When war broke out in 191-1 Colonel Allen joined the Sixth Hauraki Regiment as major. He was promoted lieutenantcolonel In 1917, and for his distinguished conduct in the field he was awarded the D. and later the C.M.G. Tn 1922 - Colonel Allen contested the Ohinemuri seat against. Mr. H. Poland, but was defeated.