Sāmoa's right of determination - ‘oh no’

Invincible Strangers 40 Chapter 17.3

One-time Āpia Garrison commander Major Andrew Richardson (no relation to the administrator) publicly expressed concern at what was going on: ‘I am sure that if the minister had used more tact when he visited the islands any trouble would have been cleared away.’ He doubted Meredith and Nelson were causing trouble: ‘Nelson is the uncrowned king of Sāmoa, and is a champion of his people. He is not being fairly treated. He has a large following. He is revered by the natives, for all his efforts have been for their good.’ Andrew Richardson said if the prime minister had taken Taisi’s side and organised a conference, Taisi would have been useful: ‘Nelson was always out for law and order, and his actions during my acquaintance with him were not those of a law-resisting man, or one who considered pounds, shilling and pence before the interests of the natives.’

Administrator Richardson saw it in a warlike way, referring to Waterloo: ‘I, like the Duke of Wellington, have held on …successfully beaten off all attacks and have waited for Blücher to come in on the flanks and give the decisive blow to Mr Nelson and his intrigues – Mr Nosworthy was our Blücher and came here last week.’ Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher was German. Nosworthy decided ‘there is nothing wrong with the Sāmoan Administration’ and approved Richardson’s plans to warn Ta’isi, Williams, Westbrook, Smyth, Gurr and Meredith that they faced deportation. Faumuina and Afamasaga were exiled to Apolima. Around 100 people lived there, often short of water and food. Its ali’i, Sa’u, complained that sending two more mouths to feed was not helpful. Faumuina and Afamasaga had to discourage the islanders from joining the Mau.

NZ Dept of Lands and Survey 1924 map of Apia. National Library