THE SAMOAN PROBLEM

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 263, 31 July 1920, Page 8

THE SAMOAN PROBLEM

LABOUR MEMIiERS FIGHT INDENTURE SYSTEM GAMING ACT AMENDMENTS . ■/ The big business of the Houso yesterday was tho debate on Samoa. Mr. Holland, Leader of this Labour Party, submitted an amendment to express disapproval of the indentured labour 6ystem.for Samoa. His case has been stated very often before, and tho only new matter that ho had to offer the House in j this latest speeoh was something about tho result of his own unoliicial investigations among tho natives while Ic was with the Parliamentary party at Samoa. A most effective reply to the labour members was mado by Mr. Isitt, who wis -vary suspicious of indentured labour schemes until he had studied the Samoan problems for Binnelf. He otatej in flic plainwHangudt, l * that he did not'believe the professed concern of the extremists for the poor Chinaman, or for the morals of the simple Samoan was genuine. In any case he refuted nil the evidence offered by Mr. Holland.'■ The debate went on into tho morning. ■Before the Samoan question wa's reached there was n large number of [questions without notice, none of thtem of great importance. A small Bill, providing for the establishment of a" system of appeal in criminal cases trihd fo tie Supreme Court, was read a second time. The Council passed tho Gaming Bill with'amendments which may prove of legal importance. The definition of "bookmaker" has been widened to catcli the man who makes a book'occasionally, in addition to other work, the so-called "amateur" bookmaker. The double totalisator proposal was withdrawn by the mover. . The Houso was still sitting when The Dominion went to press.