Samoans Again Urge Claim

For Full Self-Government

From Our Own Correspondent New Zealand must retain considerable responsibilities in Western Samoa for many years, in accordance with her commitments and duties under the United Nations Trusteeship Agreement, said the Minister of Island Territories (the Hon. T. L. Macdonald) when addressing a joint session of the Legislative Assembly and the Fono of Faipule at Apia on July 4.

WESTERN Samoa, the Minister continued, already possessed a considerable degree of self government, but for the achieve ment of full self-government much more training and experience would be required.

Much depended on the sincere efforts of the Samoan people themselves, Mr. Macdonald said.

New Zealand, whose friendship for the Samoan people was deep ind abiding, held Samoan welfare is its main concern, and the Dominion wanted only to ensure hat “the house of Samoa is built in a truly solid foundation.”

It was essential that the Samoan leople appreciate that New Zealand nust retain sufficient power and nitiative to discharge her re ponsibilities, especially during the ransition period.

Western Samoa, the Minister dded, already had a considerable leasure of self-government brough the Legislative Assembly, r hich almost completely controlled le Government income and spenditure. The Assembly had an lected Samoan majority which puld be inceased under the igislation proposed by New ealand.

N the ensuing discussion at the joint meeting, the Hon.

Tamasese. a member of the ouncil of State, while thanking le New Zealand Government for •omoting and advancing the cause Samoan self-government, said tat the Samoan people believed lat they could take over the induct of government. Depart ental experts, he said, could ntinue to advise the political aders.

“Even now the Chief Executive is to rely on the advice of his ipartmental heads in matters quiring expert knowledge.” said e Hon. Tamasese. “This is also e case in Tonga, where key ecutive positions are held by men am overseas, but political power vested solely in the Tongan ople.”

With regard to educational alifications, the Hon. Tamasese inted out that in Great Britain d New Zealand no educational alifications are required from rliamentary candidates.

ELF-GOVERMENT, he said, : could be granted immediately, [ with safeguards such as the

New Zealand power of veto and restriction on financial expenditure.

Only by actual experience, he added, could the Samoan people really develop their own govern ment.

This view was supported by the Hon. Tualaulelei, who said that although the Legislative Assembly generally determined Government policy, that policy at present was often not fully carried out by the executive branch of the Govern ment. He cited instances of de partmental overspending as evidence of a lack of co-operation, and contended that if the Samoans had their own Cabinet and a greater voice in financial matters, irregularities could have been avoided.

A European elected member, the Hon. A. M. Gurau, said that in principle there was nearly complete agreement between the NZ Govern ment’s views and those expressed by the Constitutional Convention,

except on a clear indication of an early date for self-government.

Mr. Gurau claimed that “remote the Western Samoan Public Service from Wellington had not worked satisfactorily, and asked for the immediate granting of at least a voice in this control to the Samoan Government. This he added, had already been tentatively agreed to by the NZ Government The three speakers quoted were

supported by the Hons. Fonoti and To’omata.

THE Minister promised to convey the views expressed to the Dominion Government for the fullest consideration, and said that a reply to the representations made would be sent to Apia. He added that the desire for rapid progress towards full self-government in dicated a healthy political spirit, but that “sometimes, when gazing at the heights, one fails to see the pitfalls in the road.”

The Hon. Tamasese expressed confidence in the Minister’s willing ness to help Samoa. He hoped that Mr. Macdonald would return and. perhaps, accept the title of a chief of Palauli, thus becoming an honorary citizen of Western Samoa.

The reference to the chiefly title was linked with a visit by the Ministerial party to the district of Palauli, in Savaii.

About 120 years ago, Mr.

Macdonald’s great - grandfather worked for the London Missionary Society in Palauli, and the Minister’s grandfather was born there.

THE people of Western Samoa be lieved that there was no other way at present than to appoint two Heads of State when they obtained self-government, said the special representative of New Zea land (Mr. G. R. Powles) in a state

ment to the UN Trusteeship Coun cil at New York in July.

Explaining that the two men now occupied the office of Fautua (high chief) Mr. Powles said he thought most people in Samoa appreciated the practical objections to having “two captains to a ship.”

However, much thought had been given to the problem.

Mr. Powles added; “The success of any such arrangement must de pend almost entirely on the person alities of the two. . . With these two, I think there is a very good pos sibility that the arrangement would work.”