Plea for Another Mandatory

Letter to the Editor SMALL though Samoa is, its tragic post war history is known in every civilised country. Yet, year after year, the Man dates Commission have complacently lis tened to a tissue of obvious absurdities from New Zealand’s representative. Each year he has stated the same thing, that the Mau is dead or dying, and that all is well in the Territory. Yet the years roll by, and still the Mau exists without any apparent diminution in the numbers of its followers. Does this inspire confidence in the League of Nations, that body you once referred to as a “fantastic creation” ?

I think very few people to-day question the advisability of transferring the Samoan mandate to some other power more capable of governing than New Zea land. But, as you once suggested, official dom will try to prevent the politicians from doing what is obviously the right thing. This we must expect from people who, even to-day, blather about their pres tige in Samoa. People whose efforts to govern this little Territory have made them a laughing-stock, and who still talk of prestige, are obviously incapable of realising what outside opinion really is.

They appear to be protected by an armour of self-satisfaction and personal egotism, which precludes the possibility of their ever realising their ignorance of Samoan psychology.

The one hope left for this Territory is that a change of Government will take place at the coming elections in New Zea land, which may result in the transfer of the mandate. I, for one, sincerely hope so, for we have already suffered much from the experiment of placing this Ter ritory under the control of New Zealand.

I am, etc.,

Dirigo.

Apia, 29/3/35.