Mystery Radiogram

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 411, 20 July 1928, Page 1

Mystery Radiogram

LIGHT ON SAMOAN SCARE Message Slipped Through Censor (THE SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. SOME light has been thrown on the rather mysterious message from Samoa, with which a morning newspaper presented an ominous view of happenings in the mandated territory. The House of Representatives this afternoon discussed the Administration’s report. The debate mainly centred round the mysterious radio message from Samoa when the Dunedin and Diomede were there early in March. The Sun’s editorial comment on this anonymous message was employed by Mr. Holland in his attack, : n which, he described the message as “a foul slander on the Samoan people.”

Briefly, the substance of the message referred to by Mr. Holland was that happenings in Samoa at the particular date, March 13, were arousing genuine alarm among the white population; that white women were in fear of molestation, and that the European civilians were arming. Though the main criticism of Samoa was disposed of on Tuesday, th e Opposition then intimated that there would be more to come, and the production of the annual report on the administration of the territory gave the Opposition the chance to fulfil the threat this afternoon. Air. Holland first protested emphatically against the fact that no notice had been given that the report was to be produced. He then proceeded to discuss the wireless message published in an Auckland morning newspaper on March 13, and termed it “a mass of deliberately concocted falsehoods,” for which he believed the Administrator was to be held responsible. The Prime Minister himself had denied, though belatedly, th© truth of the message. If anything were calculated to inflame the Samoans, it was such a foul slander on their race. To say that the Europeans were arming, and that. the natives were inflamed by his (Mr. Holland’s) speeches in New Zealand, was a falsehood. He pointed out that at that time it was impossible, owing to the restrictions imposed by the Administrator, for translations of his speeches to be translated or distributed in Samoa. WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE? The Minister, tho Hon. W. Nosworthy, would have to attempt to justify the lies that had been sent out. Mr. Speaker here intervened, saying that he would have to check Mr. Holland in the direction of making him use more moderate language toward persons outside the House. Mr. Holland: I bow to your ruling. But one naturally speaks with coneiderable feeling. “I think that General Richardson himself fabricated the message/’ he stated, and went on to quote editorial comment of The Sun, which said at the time that the origin of the message should have been explained. Six days later, went on Mr. Holland, was published the Prime Minister’s refutation of the message, which Mr. Coates described as an “alarmist report sent from an unofficial source.” Th© Press Association agent at estport, where the speaker happened to be when the original message was published, it having been sent by Press Association from Auckland, declined to publish his answer to its statement as to the effect of his speeches, ‘and even when he had offered to accept financial responsibility for rejection by papers that did not want the message, still refused to send it out. Finally it was sent out in » mutilated form. PRESS ASSOCIATION S POSITION , Nosw °rthy: You’re not blaming Government for that, are you? Mr. Holland: I think the day will come when the Government will have t£ re cognise its responsibility by telling me Press Association that, in return for the concessions granted it by the Ciovernment, it must give both sides when national questions are involved, ana not become, as at present, the instrument of party propaganda. “Let anyone read the alleged reports given y *“ e Wellington “Dominion,” and he report it will give to-morrow of my speech to-day,” said Mr. Holland, making further reference to party newspapers. He added that not a. vord bis reply was cabled overas Hie fir st message had been. . * cannot believe,” he said in con“that the Government acqui>ced in- this message from Samoa, u tif it took no action about it; then 1 \? USt stand condemned.” ht/k Coates said Mr. Holland had set. P bogeys and knocked them down asain. Mr. Holland; What I have said about me message is not a bogey. ■p/~ r * Coates: Did you say General Richardson sent the message? tw r Y Holland: I said I am confident mat he sent it. T - Coates: I am going to tell you be did not. r * Holland: It could not have come thout his knowledge and consent. * r \ ( ~? ates: if was sent by the representauve of a New Zealand news\t' t ** should not have been sent. f* Holland: Will you explain why it? era * Hichardson did not repudiate did not know of it oates: I asked him. when he of h aca * an< i be said he neither knew d-ic« sent it. It had. of course, has k throu Sh the censor’s hands, but been let through. son « tlollanci: Was General Richardmmunicated with as soon as the message appeared? shnJti oates: Well, if not at once, sboruy afterwards. h,..® Hon. J. a. Young: Didn’t the come through Fiji? th-, ' oa * es: Yes. but that is. nevermeless. no excuse. bart!Lw!? e<i lett ers. however, sup,e view that there were some nds for uneasiness at the time. turned m ,° tt S v '. hat was said, it all re- . the fuct th;lt New Zealand’s ces“fS aUon in Sam °a had been sue- / Hr. Holland's arguments \r«! USt ,P fcad Sea fruit. Wk J rs - E - J- Howard and J. A. Lee I.J iT.i Up t . heir leader’s criticism, Mr. would : ma ting that the Labour Party Samoa w® stiU mol ’e to say about g uK *5 ter In the session. equently a Labour amendment.

MAU’S ILL EFFECTS

that the questionable nature of the radiogram be put on record was defeated by 45 votes to 10. OFFICIAL RESPONSIBLE Before the discussion terminated, Mr. Nosworthy made further explanation, . stating that the message was sent by a junior member of th© Administration staff, who, whir© on furlough in New Zealand, had made an arrangement with a newspaper to supply news from Samoa. Steps had been taken by the Government to see that no repetition of the breach, which he regretted, occurred in future. Except that the officer concerned saw that the message got through uncensored, he was unable to say how the message got past the censor. He did not think it was fair to mention the name of the officer, although ho knew it, but he could state that he had been reprimanded.

REPORT BY ADMINISTRATION OBSTRUCTION AND DESTRUCTION (THE SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, To-day. A feature of the Samoa Administration’s annual report, presented to the House of Representatives to-day, is the repeated reference, in the reviews of departmental activities, to the adverse effects of the Mau’s agitation. TN many respects the disclosures in A the report present the results of the Mau’s activities in a more serious light than hitherto indicated. The tone of the report, in fact, might almost be termed pessimistic. , - Passive resistance by Mau adherents has clearly served to cripple many forms of administrative effort, with the result, among others, that the ravages of the rhinoceros beetle on the copra plantations are now reaching the worst mark for years, the life of the industry being threatened and the outlook altogether disquieting. The Mau movement, it is alleged, has resulted in lessened attendances at schools, deliberate failure to register births and deaths, interference with survey marks, general disobedience to regulations, and a huge drop in the revenu© from native taxes, the deficit being such as to require the New Zealand Government to lend £30,000 to the Samoan Treasury. Lastly, there is brief reference to the malicious damage to official property. So many street lights have been smashed and stolen in Apia that tho street-lighting service has been abandoned. The water supply system in Apia has been tampered with, and much other minor damage done. “The policy of the Government.” says the report, “is to extend patience and tolerance as far as possible. The Government is reluctant, except in a last resort, to apply force to these misguided natives. The position is being closely watched and an attitude of watchful toleration will be continued in the meantime, but, should this policy fail, the administration must ultimately fall back on stronger measures.”