Hawaii Governor At Apia

Visit Has No Political Significance

From Our Own Correspondent

Apia, Nov. 17.

/"\N November 8 the U.S.S. coastguard cutter Taney arrived from Pago Pago with the Governor of Hawaii (Hon. B.

Poindexter) and an official party on •board to pay a three days’ informal visit to Western Samoa, after having spent five days in American Samoa.

Included in the party were high offi cials of the Division of Territories and Island Possessions and representatives of the American Air Corps. The Taney visited Jarvis, Baker, and Howland Is lands and some of the Hawaiian stud ents, relieved after their three months’ occupation of these lonely specks in the Pacific, were also on board the cutter.

During their Robinson Crusoe existence on the islands they had grown enormous beards which caused great amusement among the belles of Apia.

Apart from an official dinner at Vai lima, visits to plantations and schools for officers and men, and a kava cere mony at Mulinu’u, no official functions were arranged, at the express wish of

Governor Poindexter. After leaving Apia, the Taney paid a short visit to the neigh bouring island of Savaii with the Native Secretary, Mr. C. G. R. McKay on board.

No Political Background

On the day the Taney arrived here, a radio broadcast was received from London stating that negotiations were on foot between Great Britain and U.S.A. regarding a transfer of certain islands in the Pacific to the latter. Residents excitedly discussed the possibilities of a transfer of the Western Samoa mandate from New Zealand to U.S.A. and the pos sible connection therewith of this visit of the Governor of Hawaii. It was, how ever, authoritatively stated that, the visit had no political significance what soever.

Official Visit 50 Years Ago

It is just 50 years since the visit of the last official party from Hawaii. On Janu ary 3, 1887, the Hawaiian armed cruiser Kaimiloa arrived at Apia with a dele gation from the Hawaiian Government, under Envoy J. E. Bush. It had been sent by the Premier (Mr. ‘Gibson) to negotiate with the Samoan Government for a federation of the Pacific Islands.

The Samoan chiefs were presented with uniforms and decorated with Hawaiian orders. On February 17, a deed of federa tion was signed by Malietoa Laupepa and other chiefs.

The Hawaiian delegation, however, got into serious financial difficulties. The warship’s plate and gear had to be bar tered for food, and the whole affair ended in a fiasco.