Government Denies Samoan Censorship

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 868, 11 January 1930, Page 10

Government Denies Samoan Censorship

PUBLICITY DESIRED A MISCHIEVOUS MESSAGE Press Association WELLINGTON, Friday. In a statement issued this afternoon in regard to the situation in Western Samoa, the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, replies to Press and other criticism and comment on the events of the past few days. The Government, he says, will welcome the fullest pub- , licity. | With reference to the suggestions : that the news of the situation in i Western Samoa is being heavily censored. the Prime r Minister said that all official reports *'of recent events in the territory have been made available to the Press, and the Administrator was no doubt awaiting the result of the inquests to forward any further details which would, of course, be authoritative as found by the coroner’s inquiry. It was understood that one very long message, which was presented by the local Mau organ, the “Samoa Guardian,” was refused transmission, as being so inaccurate as to be mischievous, but neither the Government nor the Administrator approves of unnecessary interference with messages. Indeed, it is clear that at least one very long and detailed account of the riots was actually dispatched to a newspaper in Australia. The Governj meat knows no reason why a similar | course should not have been adopted ! in respect of the New Zealand Press, I and it may be taken for granted that both the Government and the Adminis- ’■ trator have nothing to hide, and will welcome the fullest publicity in respect of both past and future events. While the Government naturally cannot see its way to abolish the right of censorship altogether, in the existing state of affairs, the public and the Press may rely upon it that the power will be exercised only where it is strictly necessary, and that there will be no interference -with any message, Press or otherwise! that is fair and accurate. PROVOCATIVE ACTIONS The Prime Minister added: “In many Press comments it is being stated that Tamasese served his recent sentence in New Zealand for failing to pay taxes. This is not the case. The sentence he served in New Zealand was for a far more serious offence, that of resisting the police, and indeed, the circumstances were such that his resistance might well have led to a serious conflict and bloodshed. The public should know also that while from the Press report it would appear to be possible that Tamasese, though among the rioters, was, when wounded, endeavouring to restrain them, the actual facts can only be established when the inquest is concluded. In any case, he was clearly a party to the step that precipitated the crisis, namely, the flaunting in front of the Administration’s offices of men wanted on warrant for an attack on the police. “Indeed, it is understood that for some time past the late chief had been acting in a provocative manner, leading bands of natives armed with knives and batons, and that on one occasion recently he and his followers ambushed and stopped a car, apparently in the belief that it contained members of the police force. Official reports confirm last night’s Press message that the Mau have abandoned Vaimoso and Lepea and that they are now congregating at Leauvaa, 10 miles to the west of Apia and Solosolo, some 12 miles to the Gabt ‘ FIRMNESS JUSTIFIED Sir Joseph was disinclined to comment in detail on a statement published by the Leader of the Labour Party. He felt that the public could be left to judge whether, after many indications of the Government’s desire to be generous had been contemptuously rejected by the Mau and its supporters, the Government could possibly ignore the Mau’s forcible resistance to lawful arrest on warrant, and the shocking murder of a New Zealand constable in the execution of his duty. He felt it necessary, however, to reiterate that the arrests attempted by the police at the time of the riot were not for the non-payment of taxes, but for attacks on the police. The Government had no knowledge of a “huge concourse” attending funerals (though this might very properly be so), or of “European meeting of protest” or “remarkable movement now being organised by the women of Samoa,” referred to by Mr. Holland. “It should also be added,” said Sir Joseph, “that the system of direct taxation a head is a common one in the Pacific territories, and its recent abandonment was not due to the recognition of its injustice, but to the fact that in the circumstances it was considered unwise to adhere to it. This system is in operation in the neighbouring territory of American Samoa, w T here the head tax is considerably higher than that formerly in operation in Western Samoa.” NOT CENSORED PRESS ASSOCIATION MESSAGES WELLINGTON, Today. The Press Association’s Apia correspondent telegraphs that Mr. H. E. Holland’s statement that his message was barred by the censor on the ground of partisanship is incorrect, and that all his messages have been passed by the censor.