V

Towards the last week in April, Sir George Richardson sailed from New Zealand for Europe, where he was to represent the Mandatory Power at the June Session at Geneva of the Permanent Mandates Commission. Prior to his departure he stated that until eighteen months ago the Samoans were satisfied and grateful. The cause of the trouble was not discontent among them, but the actions of certain persons in inciting the minds of ignorant natives to believe that they had legitimate grievances.

The same boat which carried the ex-Administrator carried also a petition to the League of Nations, on which appeared nearly eight thousand signatures, being 93 per cent, of the Samoan tax-payers, protesting against the New Zealand administration.

On May 1st the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr. Coates, took over the portfolio of the Minister of External Affairs, and assumed control of the mandated territory himself. Colonel Stephen Allen—the mayor of a small township in New Zealand—became Administrator of Western Samoa.