McKay Family Collection , photographer Shelburne Studios , New York , 1946
In early June 1944 , McKay appears to have helped five internees gain release back to Samoa on compassionate and age-related grounds . In August and September he worked with the Aliens Appeal Tribunal in considering the other 29 cases still unresolved .
The Tribunal noted in its report that McKay was “ extremely helpful because of his personal knowledge of the individual men and their families , and of Samoan conditions generally .” The report of 20 September made other references to his advice : His “ judgements of all the men seemed to us kindly and understanding …. In six of these 10
cases , Mr McKay was inclined to take a more lenient view [ than that of the Administrator in Samoa ]. He appeared to favour the immediate return of those whose names we have marked with a cross …. As to all the remaining Samoans , numbering 15 , the position is that Mr McKay …. is in all cases , favourable to their immediate return .”
The image below , taken on Somes Island , appears to be the only one in existence of the German Samoans as a group . It appears to date from late 1942 . There are a couple of men missing from the picture .
In November 1943 , Mac McKay left Samoa with his wife and four sons , George , Arthur , Peter and Keith , to take up a job that he was told he couldn ’ t turn down , the newly created position of Secretary of the Department of Island Territories . He was reluctant to leave , even for this top Wellington job . For the internees on Somes Island it was a lucky break .
McKay was pulled into the extensive discussions which took place from mid-1944 in Wellington about the fate of the German Samoans in custody . With the tide of war having turned decisively against Germany and Japan the pressure now grew to have the men repatriated to Samoa – or Germany . Discussion also revolved around whether some should remain permanently in New Zealand . A key decision-making body in this process was the Aliens Appeal Tribunal , headed by a judge of the Court of Appeal . Mac McKay was coopted as a key advisor .
Schaumkell Family Collection
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