Samoa's Future

Probably Affected By Imperial Conference Decisions

VIfHEN the Prime Minister of New * * Zealand (Mr. Savage) has completed his work in London and the Imperial Conference, he may make some announce ment about the future of Western Samoa —especially, as matters relating to the Pacific are receiving so much attention fiom the Conference.

It is clear that Mr. Savage went to London with his hands free, so far as the Samoan Mandate is concerned. He was prepared to hand the Mandate over to Britain, if Whitehall so desired. That explains N.Z.’s failure to appoint an Administrator.

Much depends on the tenor of the Lon don conversations. Britain may elect to bring Samoa under the High Commis sioner of the Western Pacific (he already administers two Crown Colonies, two Protectorates, and a Condominium, so a Mandate need not worry him); but, if New Zealand public opinion is likely to be hurt by the withdrawal of the Man date, the farseeing British statesmen will leave the position as it is.

On arriving in London, Mr. Savage was interviewed by over 20 reporters, and he defended N.Z.’s Labour Government warmly and effectively.

Asked whether New Zealand would be willing to surrender its Samoan Mandate to Germany, Mr. Savage said: “The first thing which we must do to obtain world peace is to give justice to all nations, I am just a little afraid that we are not using our mandated territories as well as we might.”