Mr Powles Back

W. Samoan

Appointment

For Fourth Term

A lengthy debate followed the

announcement to the Western

Samoa Legislative Assembly of a

fourth 3-year term for the New

Zealand High Commissioner, Mr.

G. R. Powles.

THE Leader of Government Business, the Hon. E. F. Paul, announced the re-appomtment.

It had been made public in New Zealand by the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr. Walter Nash.

The announcement stated that Mr. Powles had been responsible for much of the considerable con stitutional and material progress made by Western Samoa in recent years, that he had most ably ad vised the New Zealand Government and guided the Territorial Adminis tration and had been one of the principal architects of plans for Samoa’s current constitutional de velopment.

The announcement by the Prime Minister also stated that Mr. Powles had earned the full confidence of the New Zealand Government and the Samoan people, and that he was sure the Western Samoan Ministers and Legislators would welcome the re-appointment of an experienced friend on whose judge ment they could rely and of whose sympathy they were assured.

Mr. Paul moved a formal motion of congratulation to Mr. G. R.

Powles. He said that Mr. Powles had served Samoa well during the past nine years. He had to make difficult decisions which not always met with the approval of some people, but the Samoan people were most happy to have Mr. Powles’ help and guidance in the next im portant three years.

The motion submitted to the House brought about a lengthy de bate on the circumstances sur rounding the re-appointment of Mr. Powles.

A Samoan member, Hon. Tofae ono, criticised the fact that the re appointment had been made by the New Zealand Government without previous consultation of the Samoan leaders.

In reply it was pointed out that the appointment was made by the Governor-General of New Zealand on the recommendation of the New Zealand Government and that the appointment was a prerogative of the New Zealand Government. The Samoan leaders and the Legislative Assembly had no jurisdiction in the matter. After 1960, however, Western Samoa would have an op

portunity to have a voice in the appointment and the policies of the representative of New Zealand.

When the Attorney-General moved that no further debate should take place on the motion, the House voted 22 votes to 22 on his motion “that the question be now put”, and the Speaker ruled that in consequence the debate could be carried on.

Samoan and European members criticised the fact that in recent

years the High Commissioner in many instances ignored rese tions of the Legislature. In s of some creditable political, so and economic progress made hy\ Territory during his term of o;< policy mistakes during the time resulted in the worst crisis: Government finance that Wes: Samoa had ever experienced.

The motion of congratulation finally passed, with about 12 sensions. (See article page 56, this issv