CONDITIONS AT APIA

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 139, 8 March 1920, Page 6

CONDITIONS AT APIA

SAMOA NO "HAPPY ISLE" TO EUROPEANS. Distant fields look green, and many a South Sea Island takes on a roseate appearance in (lie perspective of imagination. It is pretty well known that there were a large iium'ber of applicants for official positions at Samoa, when it became cleat that New Zealand was to administer the group, and those who were successful were considered lucky. From letters which have arrived during last week from Apia, it would seem that the living conditions arc not at all what wayward fancy painted. Olio official, writing to his wife, states that butter in tins, often rank, cost 3s. per lb., and. was not always obtainable. Fresh meat and fish were almost a luxury, and had to be paid for as such, and fruit—'bananas, pines, and orangeswere as dear to buy as in Wellington, The writer stated that most of the officials ivere living in barracks, as there were no houses available, and there w'as no prospect of the married men having their wives there until .Tune at the earliest. Another Apia resident said that as far lis meat supples were concerned, they were living 011 "bully beef," and tho conditions were as bad as though they were in the trenches. All groceries were scarce and high-priced, and everything necessary to a European's idea of comfort was in short supply. One writer stated that they were thankful tlwt the Parliamentary party was coming along, as they would be able to judge for themselves of the conditions, and how inadequate salaries were, considering what had to be paid for stores.