THE CRISIS IN SAMOA

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 940, 5 April 1930, Page 10

THE CRISIS IN SAMOA

THE CAUSES OF THE DEADLOCK By O. F. XELSOX fPu blished by Arrangement) tin this series of articles, the Hon. O. J-\ Nelson will write on the situation in Samoa from the Samoans' point of view, end will trace the causes of the unrest in the Territory as seen through Samoan fyes.J I. spending a few days in Samoa, recently, the special war correspondent of the Auckland morning paper has contributed a lengthy series of articles which are supposed in some way to reveal some sort of dark conspiracy against the New Zealand administration, but he has only succeeded in throwing a smokescreen over the conflict which exists in Samoa, and the propaganda matter published shows unmistakable signs of inspiration from official sources in a feeble attempt to justify the policy of force adopted by the Government for some years now, and culminating in the slaying of Tamasese and other Samoans in the Christmas week tragedy. MISLEADING PROPAGANDA As The Sun very truly remarked in its editorial of March 21, the Auckland morning paper, as one of "the champions of compulsion and aggression,” is also one “whose treatment of recent Samoan news has not been conspicuous for impartiality,” and also that ‘ there are two brands of misleading propaganda.” That from official sources in Apia and Wellington has usually consisted of half-truths with suppressed truths; the other propaganda from "the champions of compulsion and aggression” has always shown an exaggeration which makes it very wearisome to be constantly exposing its more glaring inaccuracies. The defenders of the Samoans, who are merely pleading for a recognition of solemn treaty rights, and objecting to a policy of brute force, the denial of rudimentary principles of justice, and the vicious system of taxation without representation under a military dictatorship, have no need to go beyond the actual facts and official records to expose the blundering, wasteful, incompetent and brutal manner in which New Zealand has attempted to administer its mandate over Western Samoa. A PROTEST FROM GENEVA The misleading propaganda of the Government and the advocates of force has beeu so widespread that when the truth comes to the surface, as it inevitably must, there is general indignation at the deception practised, and even the Permanent Mandates Commission of the League of Nations, at its session in November last, was compelled to urge upon the New Zealand Government the necessity for more frankness and candour in its official reports on Samoan affairs, and concluded its observations with the following remark: “The Commission expresses the earnest hope that the annual report of the Mandatory Power (New Zealand) will in future be such as to allow it to form a true opinion of the whole administra- • tion, and so to avoid the painful surprise whic hit experienced this year in considering the report of the Commission of administrative experts.”

Such a remark from unbiased critics cannot be very palatable to citizens here who have any jegard for their country's prestige, and it shows the folly of persons in authority being so reckless in their disregard for facts. The Mau has been called many harsh names during its striving to secure freedom and justice for the Samoans end this latest Auckland critic tries to lay all the blame for the bloodshed and hostilities in Samoa on the shoulders of the Mau leaders and their friends in New Zealand. THE NATURE OF THE MAU But the Government took a different attitude in November last year when Sir James Pax-r submitted to the delegates at Geneva the following dispatch from his Government in Wellington:—■ "There never has been any doubt as to the Government’s power to coerce the disaffected Samoans by force of arms should this be unavoidable. ... It (the Government) refused to take a course that will involve the probable necessity of bloodshed among these misguided people, whose opinions, though mistaken and mischievous, would nevertheless appear to be sincei-e and honest. It cannot lose sight of the fact that throughout the unfortunate agitation the attitude of the Samoans in all its larger aspects lias never been threatening and that the movement . . . has been conducted by the Mau with some dignity and restraint. The disaffected Samoans have, generally speaking, been careful to abstain from any wrongful acts, either against person or property, their deliberations have always . . . been conducted after appeals for Divine gu< dance, and the Government does not feel that even the paramount necessity of upholding the prestige of the Administration would justify the adoption of forcible measures in the existing circumstances . . .” POLICE PRAISE THE MAU In August last the “Samoa Guardian” editor was charged with publishing a seditious libel, by reprinting, Without comment, an advertisement which had appeared in the Auckland “Herald.” Giving evidence before Chief - Judge Luxford, Inspector Braisby, the chief of police, said in answer to the Chief-Judge that the Mau had caused no panic or riotous disorder during the past year. They were ignoring ordinances and regulations, but the only trouble the police had was when trying to collect the poll-tax. The Mau harboured tax-j-esisters, but the inspector said he “should mention in fairness to the natives that in several instances they have assisted the police in the execution of warrants arising from ordinary criminal offences.” His Honour: Whether Mau or not, they have assisted the police in carrying out their duties in ordinary yffences? Inspector Braisby: Yes, especially In the more serious offences. Yet the Mau has been held up to the view of the people of New Zealand End the outside world as a truculent mob of savage rebels; flaunting rebellious colours: armed with copra knives and heavy clubs; terrorising •he people of the territory by openly Routing all law and ordei-. (To be continued.)