Returned from Samoa

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 87, 8 September 1914, Page 2

Returned from Samoa

THE MOKRAKI AIIIUVES. THE STORY OF Till'; TIIIP. For Press Asociation. YVelliiiig;on, jilonday

Scon this morning, atiar an executive ni'ueting, t-lic l'l-cuaw aaiil lie mad no announcement to make legarding the Expeditionary Force. Commander vVar.l had returned by the Moeraki and made an oilicial report ito tiie governor, luu the liovernor had not reporti-d lo ii.in (Mr Massey). Until he did bo, !i« could say nothing, as .he had to observe instructions from the liiiporttil autllon ties. Samoa was now 'being ad-minis-tered by tlie Imperial authoriti.'-; through the Governor -and would rumaui British' lerri-tory subject to tiny re-ad-justinent made as tlie result of peace negotiations. Samoa woird continue to be gairii-oiied iby cur troops, but he would not say anything regarding the ■further acijui.sition of territory in tins PaMtic.

The lloeraki, Xo. 1 transport of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, arrived back at Wellington Harbor from SiUfcoa. at (130 this morning, in charge ef Commanders Ward and Steward, with 21 invalided Territorials and lo el H.M.S. Sealark's company. 'Sergt. lilackmore, m the course of a statement to a representative of the Press Association, stated that, willi the fxception of two days, they had good weather during the whole of their "trip. First of all they called at New ISileuonia, then went on bo l Suva, and finally to &vmoa. At New Caledonia the troops were landed and a march inland, extending i-omo six miles, was made. The FrclK'li people were wildly enthusiastic, and 1 sang "The Marseiilitiso* and "God Save the King," In (he evening the French people 'held a patriotic concert on the wharf, which was attended by a very large crowd. The greatest enthusiasm prevailed. Sergt. Blackmmre declared that never had lie seen anything like it in his life. At the conclusion of the c.'neerli t'ie boats were anchored in the stream, and they sailed for Suva next morning. They reached Suva on Sunday mwi'niuu. and brought aboard a number of Sail) oan ivs.dents and the Seaiurk's ehip company. The transports left at. 8 o'clock on Tuesday morning far Kanm, w'hic'h was reached on, August 21). The Psyche went into Apia and tile trans ports landed at twelve o'clock. The yea lark's company worked all night, landing baggage and the equipment" o! ir.en from tile .Moeraki. lit the morning the -Moeraki left for Wellington convoyed by the Psyche ,but dropped the warship at 'd o'clock next evening and came on by herself, arriving at (>..!<) this morning Tile Psyche, under a white 'Hag, entered Apia ati I) a.m., and demanded the surrender. Captain shall could not find t'he Governor, Im*. the representative in power would not surrender. Eventually they found the Governor in the wireless station. Troops were then landed and formally annexed the town, and Ocdonel Logan took command.

The Monowni took the "overnor to Suva, the same night. Nob one shot was fired. The natives seem dead dly favorable to the British. The transports were convoyed by the Psyche, Philomel and Pyramus, and at Noumea they were mot by the Australia, .Melbourne and tile Ereneh ship Alontcalm. The. men landed were all in good spirits and appeared' to have sulFered no particular hardships except tile duiiciiUy du-ring the early days oi getting pro per meals.

The transports picked up -thirty men of the Sealark's ship company at Suva on August 22, under the eommtind ot

Lieut. A. L. Jackson. The men were sent off for the purpose of manning tile transports. Fifteen men were placed on each transport. These men, ai-t-hough sent back to New Zealand with

'.lie transports anticipate leaving again at an early date tor further service with other transports but) it h not possiblo to give any definite information. The men invalided have not received any serious accident but are mainly suffering from seasickness and other minor complaint®. When Uio Moeraki 'left Samoa there were no signs of any attempt to recover possession. .Nothing was- Seen of Genn..in warships in the vicinity. On 'Sunday. 23rd, at Suva, a church paradq was held'. An American, vessel was lying in Apia Harbor and the Germans" wouid not give her clearance hut as soon as the town was. annexed the boat was allowed to proceed on her voyage. All tlie nuirsing sisters remained at Samoa and are in good health. A nc>w sister audi a number of frontiersmen were picked up at Suva. Generally speaking, the men have no complaint to maife whatever with regard to their treatment, hut) the irregularity of meals caused a good deal of dissatisfaction until after leaving Suva, when it would appear the commissariat department became better organised. Concerts were held «-t frequent intervals and the men were quite a happy .party.

A TROOPER'S DIARY

JiXl'KC'l ED FIGHTING FAILS TO MATJiiUALiISK NEW ZEALANDKRS SEARCHING FOR. GERMAN TllOOl'S. Wellington, Last -Night. Following are extracts from a "diary kept by wis of 'the returned men.--August 18,—Left Wellington, 4 a.m. We kept along the coast and h.ul fine weather. .Ricked up convoy oil' Auckland at 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon, reaching 'Suva, Tuesday, IStii. On the way over, picked up an Australian warsi.ip, which cha.>ed land captured a German vessel Hying the Norwegian llag. Dri-lls were very' hot. We hail a hard fight to get tucker but managed to get it ia the. end. On Thursday 2l)th arrived at Noumea at 10 a.m., and ttiere found a friendly cruiser. She presented a very pretty siglit sis we steamed by, the Imiihls playing the "Marsellaise" and "(iod Save the King," all the troops standing to attention. The New Zealand troops sang "God Save the Iving," and cheered I tin: cruiser.

On t'he 21st, the troops were exercised 07i' the fsiiand by a six-mile march in excessively hot weather. The men were -kept moving very briskly, >nd several times bad to double. They were not allowed to accept limes, or lemons, rr anyt'inng in the way of giiU fr m, the French people. W-nen fearing .\ou.nei the Mouowai

!an aground, but was relioa'ted on the following day. Some of the hoys took advantage of (lie occasion to get ashore, iu.,l, as a result, were sentenced to 'ive days' solitary confinement, We lifted anchor at !).20 a.m. on the ifril. All itbe men were stripped and inapectedl and inocmlated for typhoid, aiul it may be mentioned: in Wife connection tiwt in a number of cases of sickness amongst tlue invalided borne, it j* attributed by I them t'J this .process, fto lights were, allowed after (J p.m.. on any of the boat's. On Tuesday, 251 hj, w ; ere given

amflibwd «it at- 9 a.m. The fo«owi»K it was niin'ng cju'epuonaliy lieuvih'.

After stopping For 24 -hours, wi; left for Samoa, picking up a iiiiciter of Hantoansi at jSwvsi to act an kn-erpre-t'oio'. The reason given tor this v:us tiia* tile Viermans h'.ul told e native,, that file ]y«w Zcalandem were ci.ni.iii" to (i#t them. Tne mew wi re sunphed wiui too rounds of ammuiviiion, "as h was anticipated it.iat .still" lighting would tatei place, but this wa-s not "realised.'

Oil) i'riuay, Bta, the- weather cairn! up very rough, and (learly all the men were seasick. We arrived in Apu luirbor ait J1 a.m. 011 Hie il'Jeii. On arrival!, ,the lVyche entered l!ie liarbor, Hying a (lag of i.nivc, audi conveying a message that llw enemy would be given an hour to .surrender.

A reply came hack, saying that tlw Governor had gone pig-lronting, a:id in !us ifl'bseiK'c till e Deputy -governor o;mM not surrender, bu'j he .-'tated (hat, he would oiler no resistance t.o t!ie landing of itroops. (In receipt of that rel>l.v. t'he .traipa landed and took formal possession. They wre put ashore bv beats from the Moeraki and JI.M.S. HcaJark. A,s a pnaauKon. tin; Psyche carefully wareiied for mines at the entrance to the tiarlior and laidl o.i-t a channel for the- troopships to fo'lhw. ft is said that a Stmioan native was tni- iirso to ha-jj down the Germ in Rn s? .

'lite formal proclamation followed, the UnkM .lack was hirsted, ?.n..l salutes were fired 'by the Psvche and P' :n----iriiH. Then Ilia "Stars ' and Strip's" were hoisted, and ako ca'itiled by'the warships. • The troops wire then V:ken ashore in iplatoons, each sergeant in dhargo of a section, and put on guird throughout Apia. A thorough sviuvli was nsads fin- weapons and ammunition. Sixty Uemmn prisoners were iuken, incluing the Governor, who was eventually discovered near the wirelcs< station. J'hey were taken to Tenia by the Psyche.

It was nraored that some 4:1(1 < r SCO (.forma n troops were concealed in the 'hills, and tile expeditionary fere;.' was divided into tw-o companies for the purpose of completely sweeping the island, which tlliey were doing when the Moerafa Scft.

On Xanday, August IlOih, the trco-is were .paraded at six a.m., and by 0 p.m. the W.it was clear ami sailed for Tonga tfilh Uventy-five invalided mien. The voyage home «:is not altogether pleasant, two bad dayj 'being cxwricaeed.

'the men appeared to have warmly apiprecfcrtcxl tlli.e kindie-isi of t'li.e oli'icers in ipromcting cincerts and other entisrtainnients cturing itlie voyage. The men a-fco speak with > iVceptional warmfh of iho kindness sduwii them bv the nurses.

A BUUSII WITH CHINESE. Wellington, Last Night. The occupation of .Samoa was ma-riied by one collision, wlhielii looked seiious for the time. Owing to the dislocation of shipping, supplies li.td been ,I'uim.ug short. S:/;n« 2000 uiiaiesc l'rom; the piiuitajtions erowdl'ed a-oimd the headquarters, and refused 'to disperse when ordered. At length CoTonel Logan ordered the Samoan polite to charge the mob, which wan done, the free use of the batons Ihavmg the <l-esired effect.

THE HEAT OPPRESSIVE. Wellington, bast Night. Private letters 'received in Wellington by th# Moeraki state 'that the hot weather is affecting some of -the Colonial troops now stationed a,t Apia. "Tne limit-," 'says on® IWelling-t'on isoldier, "is very great, and I am"looking like a nigger." Me goes on to say that it, was a great .sight to sea the eight vessel.-: (six men-o'-war and two trail-• suits) nuking their way from Noumea--- where a two days' stay was made—to Samoa Some memheni oi the expeditionary force assisted in the troopships' Ma! bunkers, and found the work verv trying,on account of the heat, the temp.'r.i-tu-ro below decks being weli 'ever 100 degrees.

"A report, is current at Apia," <ys (lie correspondent, "Unit a portion of the force now there is shortly to lie cmf'oyed elsewhere."