CAUSE OF THE UNREST

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 177, 22 April 1919, Page 4

CAUSE OF THE UNREST

, TJIE INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC. The trouble in Samoa, according to information that has reached Wellington, has been due almost entirely to the influenza epidemic.' The portion of tho group taken from the Germans in 1914, and at present administered by New Zealand, sulTered severely from the epidemic, while the American islands escaped. The natives became convinced that the infection hud reached them from New Zealand, and they pointed to th& fact that American Samoa was sheltered behind strict quarantine regulations and practically escaped the influenza. The petition that was presented to Colonel '.L'ate, the Acting-Administrator, requesting that the islands should be placed under American rule, was drawn up at a timo when the natives were still in a state of alarm about the influenza. ,

There is reason to believe, moreover, that the native chiefs did not act entire]y upon their own initiative. German influence is not entirely abolished from Samoa. The military administratis hns interned many Germans, and hai taken other steps to clear away tin enemy taint. But the German com. panies jn Samoa,hud many ramifications, and tiiere were questions of nationality not easily solved. Another factor operating against the administration was the desire of loyal Americans, with big interests in American Samoa, to have the whole group brought under their country's rule. The trade interests involved were very large. A comparison of dates makes it deal that the New Zealand Administration at Samoa cannot fairly be given all tin blame for the appearance of influenza among the natives. The mail steamei that is stated to have conveyed the infection reached Samoa. a day after influenza had been declared to be an infeo tious disease in New Zealand. When the steamer left the Dominion nobody had realised that the epidemic .was oi unusual severity.' A few days later the seriousness of the danger became apparent, and the Americans were ablfe.to protect their portion of the group. But in tho meantime the infection had reached German Samoa. The task of the Administration then was to the disease Among the native population, and it is admitted that very fine work was done.