Discourtesy’ To Tahiti’S

Governor

Letter to the Editor AFTER allowing for the freedom of the Press, and the right of every man to express his views, nearly all European residents of Samoa feel that it savours of unfair play when a person in high position is criticised, and because of his standing cannot defend himself.

The attack on our Queens’s rep resentative in Western Samoa, as printed in NZ Truth and reprinted m the May issue of PIM, had this element of unfairness.

Only those who reside in Apia know of the generous hospitality of "Vailima,” a hospitality which ex tends beyond duty, and therefore beyond official allowance for enter tainment purposes.

In the matter of the so-called discourtesy to the visiting Governor of Tahiti, it was surely Tahiti’s busi ness, and no more than ordinary politeness, to give natification of the impending overnight stay of its Governor in Samoa. In Apia we think far too highly of our High Commissioner to allow such critic ism to be published without protest.

I am, etc.,

“Vaiala”

Editorial Note

We express regret that we caused the High Commissioner any embarrassment by publishing a report taken from a source which we now know to be irresponsible and unreliable.

We are aware that it is the usual pro cedure that a high official, such as Governor Petitbon. if he wishes formal recognition in a place he proposes to visit, shall give some prior advice of his arrival. We learned that in this case Governor Petitbon gave no such advice; and the first that the High Commissioner (Mr. G. R. Powles) knew of his arrival was a telephone message at 2 p.m. from the French Consular Agent (Mr. F. E.

Paul), saying that the French Governor was in Apia, and would Mr. Powles care to join them at a cocktail party later in the day. Mr. Powles naturally assumed that M. Petitbon wanted no formalities; and M. Petitbon and Mr. Powles had a happy, and informal meeting at the cock tail party. That evening, the High Com missioner gave an official dinner party at Vailima, and M. Petitbon was among his guests. A few weeks later, Madame Petitbon, on her way through, stayed overnight in Apia, as the guest of the High Commissioner.

Mr. Powles, naturally, was amazed at the attack which appeared in the New Zealand newspaper, and which obviously was unjustified and irresponsible.

Saying that he could see no

mitigating circumstances, Mr. Justice

Gore, in the Supreme Court at Port Moresby, on June 9, sentenced a Sepik District native to death for

having raped a European woman.

The defence pleaded consent, but the judge accepted the contention that the native had overpowered the woman. The Executive Council will decide whether the death sentence will be carried out.