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CHAPTER IV—CONCLUDING REMARKS The Mission, in concluding its report, wishes to express its warm appreciation to the New Zealand Government and its representatives and officials in Western Samoa for their whole-hearted co-operation and assistance. Everything possible was done to assist the Mission in carrying on its work. The Prime Minister, the Right Honourable P. Fraser, through his great personal weight and prestige, helped immeasurably in making possible a full investigation of the facts. Furthermore, the leaders and representatives of the Samoan people afforded the Mission not only the highest honours and demonstrations of friendship, but also constant co-operation in its activities. Members of the European community, including individual missionaries, business men, and planters, as well as the members of the European Citizens' Committee, also assisted the Mission in every possible. The Mission's visit provided an impressive demonstration of the friendly co-operation among all groups, official and unofficial, Samoan and European, such as will be needed if Samoa is to make successful progress in self-government. It was also a heartening assurance of the possibilities of international co-operation to reach common objectives according to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Every opportunity was taken by the Mission to make the people of Western Samoa feel that the United Nations, and the New Zealand Government as a member of the United Nations and as administering authority, were by concrete measures pressing forward towards the objective of self-government and planning actively for its realization in the shortest possible time. The fact that the Samoan petition was under consideration by the United Nations manifestly did not relieve the New Zealand Government as the administering authority from the responsibility of going ahead with plans to implement the new Trusteeship Agreement. During the Mission's visit New Zealand representatives and experts carried on independent investigations and held conferences with Samoan leaders. As a result of these negotiations the Mission was confronted by a situation that carried grave responsibilities. The Mission's report will doubtless be considered by the Trusteeship Council in its November, 1947, session. Recommendations by the Trusteeship Council will presumably be brought before the United Nations General Assembly at its regular session of September, 1948. Formal notification of the General Assembly's resolution cannot, therefore, be expected before the end of 1948 session of the New Zealand Parliament.

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