THE SAMOA JAUNT

Hokitika Guardian, 9 March 1920, Page 2

THE SAMOA JAUNT

Ir/EK PKESB ASSOCIATION. COPVKJGUT.i FURTHER PARTICULARS. APIA, March 6. On Saturday morning, the Parliamentary party toured the State and various Mission schools. The result of the Missionaries’ efforts is that all the Samoans can read and write their own language, and English is now generally taught. The Native chiefs were entertained at luncheon on the Mokoia. In the afternoon members of the party visited Vailima and Stevenson’s tomb; also the wireless station and geophysical observatory, where the visiting scientists were delighted with the scopejmd value of the work undertaken.

To-day, which is the Samoan Saturday, members motored to the plantations and visited the estates where there is a fairly plentiful supply of labour, and later visited a property on which before the war there were 284 indentured labourers. Now there are 12 of the former employees, 41 Chinese and 7 Samoan women engaged. The Chinamen weed and prune the cocoa trees and pick the pods. Their pay is about £2 10s per month. The women break the pods and remove the seeds prior to the process pf drying. They receive 3s per day.

The party inspected the workers’ quarters, and through an interpreter closely questioned the indentured men. The Chinese have not been permitted so far to bring their wives from China. Some of them have Samoan wives.

The second plantation visited was a wilderness, choked with tropical undergrowth, and the homestead was dismantled. The few remaining indentured labourers pick the cocoa pods where the trees have survived while the rubber is practically untapped. The planters state that the solution is more labour. It is estimated that a thousand additional indentureds are needed immediately.

In the afternoon the Samoans gave a feast, at which there were generous supplies of taro plantains, pigs, poultry and fish. The members partook of the feast in the native fashion. There was a great display of tribal-dancing. The European residents were entertained on the Mokoia in the evening at a ball. Tin*-vessel will take a cargo of sugar from Suva, and will now probably reach Auckland on the 22nd. The weather is hot, but. all members of the party are well.