Administrator’s Difficult

Position Political Unrest in Samoa

From a Special Correspondent.

Apia, Oct. 21.

4 WORD of praise should be given to the way in which the Acting-Ad ministrator of Western Samoa (Mr. A. C.

Turnbull) has conducted himself in a position of extraordinary difficulty. (See long article on Page 49.) He has been scrupulously loyal to the new Government in New Zealand and has fully co-operated with both the “Goodwill Mission” and Mr. O. F, Nelson, who were ‘•wished” on him by the N.Z, Government.

With his knowledge of Samoa and the Samoans he must have known that what was being done would only cause more serious trouble, but no-one heard from him a word of protest or complaint. When the new Fono got out of hand he dis played both tact and strength in handling a deplorable situation.

The outlook is very uncertain —there is likely to be bad feeling between the old party (the Mau) and the two new parties —the European party and the Malietoa section. It would not surprise anyone if the N.Z. Government tries to get out of the mess it has made by sacrificing Mr.

Turnbull. At least, he will have the satisfaction of knowing that he has earned the respect and admiration of all the Europeans here.

At this stage one cannot help remem bering the forecast made by the Editor of the P.I.M. when he was here early in July—namely, that the “Goodwill Mis sion” was making confusion worse con founded; that the N.Z. Government would keep Mr. Turnbull in office in an acting capacity until they saw what would happen, and then they would “slaughter” him; and that Mr. Turnbull probably would be crushed between upper and nether millstones, neither of which were of his own creating.

Mr. C. G. A. Done, Town Clerk of Thurs day Island, has been appointed Shire Clerk of Kingaroy, Queensland.