TAMASESE’S RETURN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 710, 9 July 1929, Page 9

TAMASESE’S RETURN

TOFUA’S PASSENGERS INVITED TO BIG FEAST HIGH CHIEF’S RECEPTION An interesting account of Tamasese’s jeturn to Apia was told by a passenger on the Tofua last evening. He said that personal invitations were sent to all the passengers on the Tofua, who travelled down on the last trip with the Samoan high chief, to attend the celebration which was given him on his return. The passenger stated that Tamasese left the Tofua as soon as she arrived at Suva. He then joined the Matson liner. Sierra, for Pago Pago,' in American Samoa. The idea was that he w ould take the Lady Roberts from Pago Pago to Apia, and arrive there four days before the Tofua. However, on arrival at Pago Pago, Tamasese decided to alter the arrangements. He stayed there and took a launch to Apia and timed his arrival at Apia to coincide with the arrival of the Tofua.

‘'All the passengers on the ship received personal invitations to attend a feast and official reception to Tamasese,” said the man who told the story,

“and it certainly was a wonderful reception.

“Some of the chiefs told me that the idea was to impress the ship’s passengers so that they would come back to New Zealand with stories of the high chief’s wonderful reception.”