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The Hon. Sir James Allen has kindly conveyed to us the greetings and good wishes both of the Prime Minister and of the other members of the Cabinet. That is why we address to you this letter, which we hand personally to Sir James Allen to deliver to you upon his arrival, and which we give in trust to him with our sincere affection and the fervent hope that it may be as a bond of good fellowship between us, so that there shall come the result that we shall remain for all time loyally joined in the truest friendship. This gathering has the semblance of the meeting of the father with his children. Many good words were spoken and considered in our meeting, but all ended with the foundation word of Nevertheless one matter fills our heart with sorrow : it is that this our meeting is but as a passing reflection. It is like as a man who gazes upon a mirror before him —he sees the likeness in the glass, but when he departs everything vanishes and is again unseen, and almost forgotten. We have a thousand regrets that the members of the Parliamentary Party may not remain and continue their meeting with the Faipules of Western Samoa for the whole of the circling year. Then indeed would the New Zealand Parliament understand fully our conditions and Samoa, and would become acquainted with the details of Samoan affairs and customs, and would be enabled to control these lands accordingly, and to base their protection upon that knowledge. We earnestly trust that the blessing of the Almighty may rest upon your lands and upon these lands, and that both you and ourselves shall be happy. Soifua-' [May you live long.] (Signed) A kino, Chairman, Toelupe, Councillor, Matupo, Councillor, T. Laupu'e, Secretary, Representing the Faipules [Councillors] of Western Samoa. Hon. Sir James Allen, in thanking the Faipules for their kindly greetings and good wishes, said he was sure the visit of the New Zealand Parliamentary Party would be productive of nothing but good and would lead to a much better understanding between New Zealand and Samoa. It would give him much pleasure to convey the message of good will from the Faipules of Western Samoa to the Right Hon. the Prime Minister and the members of his Government.
Savaii, 11th March, 1920. MEETING WITH THE FAIPULES. Present: The Hon. Sir James Allen and members of the Parliamentary Party, Faipules, Mr. Williams (Deputy Administrator at Savaii), and Sua (the official interpreter). The meeting took place in the village of Fagamalo. There were some twenty-five Faipules present, and they chose as their speaker the oldest man amongst them. The Chief who had been selected as spokesman welcomed the party. Since they had heard that they were to be governed by New Zealand under the rule of King George V the Faipules of Savaii had been very desirous of meeting the representatives of the Government, and they felt very thankful to God Almighty that the opportunity had now been given them. They looked upon their eminent visitor as their father, as far as the Government was concerned, and hoped that the meeting would prove faithful in the interests of the people of the island. They trusted that the new Government would stand for an improvement in the conditions of the islanders and would protect them. When they learned that the League of Nations had appointed Great Britain to rule Samoa through New Zealand they were very pleased, for they were certain that it was a Government that loved the people and would protect them. Prior to the war they had been under German rule and had never been sure that any improvements would be effected for them. They were thankful that, they were under the Government of Great Britain and were going to serve her. There were two matters that they wished to bring forward. They desired that a wireless station should be erected on Savaii so that they might have an easier means of communication with Apia. At present it was exceedingly difficult communicating with the island of Upolu : messages had to be sent by boat or motor-launch, a dangerous and tedious method. They also requested that the Government should provide them with doctors on Savaii. At present they had no doctor on the island, and sick people who required medical treatment had to journey to Apia either in a row-boat or in a motor-launch. Row-boats were not so numerous as formerly, and in anycase the trip was an expensive one. They asked particularly for a doctor for the village of Fagamalo. In conclusion the speaker wished the party a safe and pleasant journey back to New Zealand. The Hon. Sir James Allen, in reply, thanked the Faipules for their kindly welcome. At the same time he conveyed to them greetings from the representatives in New Zealand of the King (the Governor-General) and from Mr. Massey (the Prime Minister). The visitors had come to Samoa at the request of the Prime Minister of New Zealand. The Dominion having taken the responsibility for the care of these islands, it was thought to be only right that they should come to see for themselves what the islands were like, to make the acquaintance of their people and to ascertain their requirements. They believed that the terms of the great, Peace Treaty were wise in that as a result the League of Nations had allotted Samoa to the care of New Zealand. The representatives of the New Zealand Parliament had come to tell them that, whatever their difficulties might be there was always behind the Samoans not only the Government, and King George and his Government, but also the people of New Zealand. He had no doubt but that in
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