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The Mission left Wellington by plane on 3 July, and arrived in Samoa on 4 July, via Fiji. The mission was accompanied from Wellington to Samoa by Mr G. R. Laking, representative of the Prime Minister, and Mr R. T. G. Patrick, Secretary of Island Territories, who remained in Apia during most of the Mission's stay there and made themselves constantly available for consultation. The third member of the Mission, Senator Eduardo Cruz-Coke, joined the Mission in Apia on 9 July, and remained with it until 8 August, when he had to return to his own country owing to urgent official duties there. Professor Keesing, the expert consultant, also arrived in Apia on 9 July. During the first two weeks after its arrival in Samoa the Mission held a series of meetings and interviews with officials of the New Zealand Administration, Samoan leaders, members of the European Citizens' Committee, spokesmen for the religious missions, and other representative groups and individuals. The Mission received, among others r the Samoan representatives who had signed the petition of 18 November, 1946. Some of these meetings were public, but many were private, in view of the confidential nature of the evidence presented. The Mission also made visits to various institutions, such as hospitals and schools. In view of the reference in the petition to the regime existing in the neighbouring Kingdom of Tonga, the Mission decided to make a short visit to the capital of that country in order to acquaint itself with the system of government and the general conditions there. This visit took place from 20 to 22 July. The Mission studied and collected information regarding the government system and the general situation in Tonga. Following its return to Apia the Mission spent ten days visiting the most important outlying districts of Western Samoa, travelling partly by car, partly by boat and canoe, and partly walking. Between 24 and 29 July a tour was made which practically encircled the Island of Upolu. The other main island, Savai'i was visited for four days, from 31 July to 3 August. During these journeys public meetings were held with the population of the main villages and the district leaders, and a number of private individuals were received by the Mission. Visits were also made to such institutions as hospitals, schools, and religious missions. The last three weeks in Western Samoa were devoted to final investigations, additional meetings with New Zealand officials and with Samoan and European leaders, as well as to the preparation of the Mission's draft report to the Trusteeship Council. The Mission left Western Samoa on 28 August, and returned directly to the headquarters of the United Nations in New York, where the work was completed and the final text of the report adopted on 12 September, 1947.