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Session 11. 1923. NEW ZEALAND

MANDATED TERRITORY OF WESTERN SAMOA (THIRD REPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF NEW ZEALAND ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF) FOR THE YEAR ENDED THE 31st MARCH, 1923.

Presented to both Houses of the General. Assembly by Command of Ilis Excellency.

Sir,— 26th June, 1923. 1 have the honour to forward herewith the third annual report of the Government of New Zealand on the administration of the Mandated Territory of Western Samoa. Copies of the Orders in Council and Ordinances referred to in the report have been forwarded to you under separate cover. A copy of this report has also been forwarded direct to each member of the Permanent Mandates Commission. I have, &c, F. H. D. Bell, The Secretary-General, League of Nations, Geneva. For the Prime Minister.

Memorandum for the Right Hon. the Prime Ministeb. 31st May, 1923. I forward herewith the third annua] report on the administration of Western Samoa, which has been prepared by my direction, pursuant to Article (i of the Mandate for that Territory. There is again attached to this report certain of the questions in the questionnaire which was submitted by tho special Mandates Commission of the League of Nations, and the answers thereto as at the 31st March, 1923. In future the information particularly desired by the Commission will, unless the Commission otherwise requests, be incorporated in the, annual report. During the year ended the 31st, March last, Colour:! R. W. Tate. C.M.G., C.B.E. the first Administrator of Western Samoa under the civil constitution, completed his term of service, covering in all a period of four years, and was succeeded by Mujor-Oeneral (1. S. Richardson, C.8., C.M.G., C.B.E. I desire to take this opportunity of placing on record my appreciation of the faithful and excellent service rendered by Colonel Tate in Western Samoa. His was the onerous and difficult task of changing over from a military Administration to Civil Government, of meeting all the problems and troubles which are ever the legacy of war, and of carrying on through a period of great commercial and financial depression. The conditions in the mandated territory to-day testify to the success of his work. I have reoeived from Major-General Richardson, the new Administrator, a short statement of the impressions he lias formed since assuming the duties of Iris office, and this will be laid on the table of both Houses of the General Assembly of the Parliament of New Zealand with the third Mandate report for the information of honourable members. F. H. 1). Bull, For the Minister of Externa] Affairs,

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