SAMOA

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 144, 14 March 1921, Page 6

SAMOA

• RECENT UNREST DESCRIBED VIEWS OF VETERAN MISSIONARY There has been considerable unrest in Samoa within recent months, and the causes were outlined by the Rev. J. Wilberforce Sibree. who, with Mrs. Sibree, arrived in Sydney by the Sonoma, states the "Morning Herald.” Probably no better authority on life and conditions in Samoa could bo found than Mr. Sibree, for he has hod 23 years of mission work in Samoa under the direction of the London Missionary Society. The trouble in, Samoa, he said, had existed among the whites and natives probably owing to prohibitive legislation enacted last year and to the high cost of living. Those who had lived long enough in the islands were, however, hopeful that the New Zealand Government, which had received a mandate over Samoa from the League of Nations, would make good with its new scheme of occupation. He expressed the opinion that there had been some hasty criticism and judgment of the Government’s efforts. During the lust five months, he added, there liad been a boycott by the natives, acting under thoir chiefs, against storekeepers and traders and toward exporters and importers. This boycott had been instituted largely on account of the high cost of living, according to the native idea. The natives had acted in rather an illegal way. - and the Government had had to adopt firm measures to defeat anything that savoured of conspiracy or concerted notion on their part. There lhad been considerable unrest among the natives, both in American Samoa and in British Samoa, towards their respective Governments, but it waa hoped that it had now ended. Mr. Sibree, besides being chairman ot the mission in Samoa and having charge of the Boys’ High School, was chaplain of the military forces during New Zealand’s occupation of the islaSid. He went to England on a troopship during the war with Imperial forces as a chaplain. He has resigned his appointment in Samoa largely owing to inaccurate reports made on the subject of his alleged criticism of Samoan people while on a visit to America. The condition of Mrs. Sibree’s health, which has been far from satisfactory, is another factor which induced him to relinquish the task, which it is acknowledged had earned him great popularity all over the islands. Before his departure he was tendered a farewell by the white residents—Colonel Tate, Administrator, presiding at the gathering —and received many gifts and a cheque for fi substantial amount as evidence of the appreciation of the people for his work among the whites and during the occupation of Samoa by New Zealand troops. He was also given a farewell by a large nnumber of the Samoans among Whom he had worked.