SAMOAN COMPLAINTS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 298, 10 September 1920, Page 3

SAMOAN COMPLAINTS

REPLY BY MINISTER TRADING ENTERPRISES IN GROUP In a communication sent to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, I'lie Minister of External Affairs (the Hon. E. P. J.ee) has given a co.'upreheusivo reply to the representations criticising the Administration's management of the affairs of Western Samoa mjide by a delegation from the Apic, Chamber of Commerce which is au present visiting the Dominion. 1 "I feel it necessary," writes the .Minister, in dealing with the statements made by the delegation to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, "to point out that the delegation has referred to several trading enterprises which the Administrator is now conducting, without in any way stating for the information of your members and the public of the Dominion the circumstances which caused the Administration to take them over, and has made eerious e.hnrges of loss and extravagance and predictions of failure without having made iihe slightest inquiry from the .Administration before leaving Samoa to ascertain how,these concerns are progressing. I very much regret to find that your chambcr has also accepted those statements at .fflieir face value, and has Keen fit to pass a resolution without first hearing the case for the Administration. I also wish to dissenO most ■ strongly_ from'-the assertion that the comniunity of 'Western Samoa is, at the present time,_ disgruntled, and iihnt most serious dissa'lisfaction. is l'ampant at New Aland's control of the group. I know that a cerla n section of the comniunity has noil forgiven the Government for enforcing the total prohibition of the pale of alcoholic Honors, but T also know that thisdecision has given tlio utmost satisfaction to a great number nf tlm residents and particularly to the Snmoan people, and after all we are mainly in the group to promote the -'interests and well-being, of the native Samoans."

Stores Sales Branch, Referring to the protest against the establishment by.tlie Administration of a stores sales branch, the Minister says thati this will be a m:'lnor department of the stores branch which has, just' been organised by Lieut.-Colonel ' M'Cristell. There ;s no reason whatsoever for thinking that it will be less efficiently or ecor nomicallv run than the Defence stores during -iiie war. It is intended that all Btores for the Central Hotel, the Crown estates and the Administration officials will be issued- plus freight, landing charge?, duty, and a. fair nroport'on of overhead charges. There will be no cash sales, but the Treasury will for cash each mon-lh. to the permanent officials coupons to the value of the amount they am authorised to purchase. The regulations provide that anv officer found cuilty of transferring coupons will be liable to dfemiwal from the Sanioan Public Service. The Stores Denariinent will deliver goods over thei counter only; under no c-'ircunistances will outside delivery ly» made. _ Tt. is also intended that where the Administration romnels Ramoans to effect sanitary and Oulipr improvements in theilr homes or'villages, the necessary materials will lie stocked by the Stores Denirtment- and will be Fold for cash to the Snmoans at landed cosi plus dutv and a fair percentage to cover overhead expenses.

Legislative Council, The delegation, in asking that the unofficial members of the Legislative- Council should be elected, ureed that there should be no taxation without renresent'nfr? 11 ' "I entirely agree," says the Minister, "and the Government' is anxious to introduce the principle of election by the neople as early as possible- But i' certainl- <Io not ; think -that time is yet. Tor instance, the delegation has suggested that the franchise should be given tn all adult B'ltisli sub.iects of-two years' ..residence. This would-exclude, the 'great majority of the Government officials, and would leave an electorate of about SSO out of a total European population of 1600. I can hardly believe that this wculd provu!o i a better system than Hie present nominative method Mr. Sydall and Mr. A. J. Tattersall. two of the nominated members of the Legislative Council, are respected members of thn business community of 25 and Ml years' standing respectively. ... . The taxation of Samca, apart, from Customs duties, is merely nominal, and it will bs time enough to consider representation when the Government finds it necessary to impose taxes more in keeping with the Dominion's incidence." ' The Central Hotel. Among the other matters the Minister refers ,to is the Central Hotel, concerning which he says that it was abandoned by the licensee when the supply of intoxicating liquor ran out as a result cf the Prohibition Ordinance. The Administration could not stand idly by and set. visitors and permanent boarders left: without any accommodation, and with 'the approval of the New Zealand Government, therefore, it took over the premises as a going concern, and has since conducted the property as a Government accommodation liousp. The property was most carefully valued before purchase, and absolutely no compensation, was paid for the loss of license to sell intoxicating liquor. The amount of accommodation is still quite inadequate, anil tlio Got ernment has now authorised ah additional expenditure of £1000 to build tho necessary additions. "The delegation's assertion that, the hotel is being run at n loss of =£100 per week is a careless and irresponsible' statement," declared the Minister. "My advice is that the hotel is paying its way, but is not at. present paying interest on capital—about .£450 per annum:;- It is confidently anticipated that when the initial dffflcul-H-5 ro ovorcome i and particularly when additional accommodation and cold storage are provided, that the hotel will produce a profit oil all expenditure, including interest on capital and sinking fund." jho Minister denies that the public nervico is overstaffed, and says that some departments are still understaffed. Trade Relations, "With respect to the matter of the development of trade relations between New Zealand and the Pacific Islands," the Minister declares, "I entirely agree that this is a subject of vital interest to this Dominion, and.especially to Auckland, and I can assure you that the New Zealand Government and tho Sanioan Administration are anxious and willing to do everything possible to foster and promote this trade. .But if New Zealand's Island trade is' not at present as satisfactory as it might be, do not the responsibility and blame rest entirely with the merchants and traders of the Dominion? I certainly do not think that -the New Zealand Government or the fcamoan Administration can bo justly blamed. AH the facts within my knowledge indicate that the merchants • and tnders, particularly of Auckland, have shown themselves indifferent to the possibilities of our Island trade. The constant complaint of the Island tradors is that they cannot get their-orders, particularly for meats and breadstuffs, filled and that the New Zealand merchants make no effort to cater for their special needs.