Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Samoa Under the Sailing Gods

III

page 238

III

The following extract from a speech made by Sir George Richardson to the Mau prisoners while interned at Mulinuu is worthy of record. "The Japanese Government," he said, "nearly took possession of Samoa, and things would have been very bad for you, but the British Government sent in a force and protected you from falling into the hands of bad Governments. Should New Zealand go away from Samoa, the Japanese will take possession of you, and you will be very sorry afterwards."

He made small impression on the Mau prisoners, who informed him through the mouth of their spokesman Tamasese that they were well acquainted with him and his methods.

General Richardson possibly was right about the Japanese. There are some very ugly rumours afloat in the Pacific concerning conditions in the Japanese mandated territories. But the views, none the less, of the Japanese Government on this use of itself as a bogey would be decidedly interesting.