SAMOA’S STRATEGIC VALUE.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3415, 20 February 1920, Page 5

SAMOA’S STRATEGIC VALUE.

PRIME MINISTER SAYS WE MUST ! HOLD IT . In a speech at Lower Hutt on Wednesday evening the Prime Minister(Rt. Mon. W. F. Massey) made r(-,-f<-:r-lence to the Samoa trip by the New Zealand Parliamentary party. “The party,” he said, “got away‘ very _nicely.” There Wasna certain amount lot’ wire—pulling to prevent their going. I hope they will have a pleasant trip, though I know they are going at a particularly warm time of the year. I hope they will be able to pick up a I'ot of information that will be worth Lavina. “I am one of those who think New Zealand is; going to play a very importtant part in the Pacific in time to come. It will be one of the two great Anglo-Saxons nations in the I’r:a.ific. The other will be Australia. We are each taking up a white nlan’s burden. It was a duty to take over Samoa, not because the islands are ferile, though I believe their production will be greatly increased. I should not be a bit surprised if in time to come we become dependent on Samoa for our sugar. The other group of islands. is closely connected with New Zealand, ‘and I have no doubt there willbe an attempt to increase production. | “I would like to say that it was, our duty to take possession of these islands so as to prevent some possible enemy from coming in. No one knows what will take place in fifty years to come. We all know what took place ‘when the Germans had their headquarters of some of their‘ battleships at ‘Apia—and they had some powerful ,ships there. We shall never forget ‘the anxious days. and nights we spent lat the outbreak of war with the everlpresent bpdssibility that a couple of these ships might shell our towns. We Ishall never forget the fight off the [coast of ‘America when our ships were ‘sunk and 600 good British seamen _were drowned. Is is a lesson the An'glo—Saxons should never forget. “Samoa. is one of the most impoi-t----ant strategic places in the Pacific, and 31 hope the Australians and the New lzealanders will hold it and never give any possible enemy an opportunity of making their headquarters there.” * THE SAMOAN PARTY. 1 INVI’I‘ATIO‘N TO TONGA. 1 - ._._._.. | The High Commissioner for the ‘Western Pacific has transmitted ihe ‘following telegram to His Excellency -the Governor-General from the Prom» lier of Tonga:——~“On behalf of the Tonigan Government I extend a cordial ‘welcome from Tonga to the New Zea‘land Parliamentary party.” i THE MEAT DEAL. -,-._.-__-_(,_... . ‘. _ PATAGONIAN PURCHASE. HIGH CO;\l.\llS.'s‘]‘()l‘\‘l<lß’S VERSION OF THE TRANSACTION. The Prinw ;\linistcr has wceivcd the I following l‘(":\'gl‘LllI| from the High Commissionor for New Zealand, dated Lonidon, 17th ins‘r:~~ “It is r‘cporicd in Press liere that "the fl_nlperial‘; 2G~ovel'nlnent lhad com)’pleted the purchase of the whole of ‘tho Patagonian meat output (of the 'year) amounting to 1,250,000 carcascs lat 5d to 6-.‘_.d per lb. I lapproached the Board of Trade, who informed me that no new contracts had been entered into ‘but that the Board of Trade are purchasing thc Patagonian meat. under arrangements made in 1917, whccby they agreed to purchase such quanti-' ties as they could provide tonnage for. “The paragraphs apparently are due to the fact that the allocation of tonnago for-the present season has just now been made. .“'l‘h.is is taking from thp Argentine trade and is said to ‘be 5000 tons more than last year.”

ITALY'S RESENTMENT. TO W_ILSON(-‘S ATTITUDE. Received 11.35 21.111. V T ROME, Feb. 18. The Corriere declares that Wilson’s attitude on the Adriatic is due to sp‘i»t¢ against Italy. .; The Tribunal believes mental disease is affecting Wilson’s judgment. '£.'T=_—._..._.._._——_.."""'j"""“‘