SAMOA

Hokitika Guardian, 22 February 1921, Page 1

SAMOA

TRADE AND LABOUR MATTERS

INTERVIEW WITH CAPTAIN

COTTON

AUCKLAND; Feb. 17. Various aspects of Samoan affairs "'ere discussed to-day by Captain H. C. Cotton, who recently resigned the position of Secretary of Native Affairs in the Samoan Administration, and who arrived at Auckland yesterday. Captain Cotton, who went to Samoa with the advance guard of the Expeditionary Force in 1914, has held various official positions in both the military and civil administrations. Dealing first with “sa,” or the boycott of European goods by natives, Captain Cotton said iL commenced about six months ago. The principal reasons lor the action of the natives, apart from their unsettled state, were (1) their disappointment at not being able to float a company for the purchase of their goods and sale of their copra, and 1) the 'high prices the traders were

charging them. They wished to form a sort ol co-operative company. They j went so far as to collect £6500 for a company,' the capital of which was to / • ave been £15,000. They were-not able j to collect the rest of the money, and ' the venture fell through. They siie(ceded in their attempt to have prices

ieduced, tor the traders jointly issued j a price list, which did not, however, i have the effect of breaking the boycott ' to any large extent. The natives were : 1 oginning to see the folly of their policy, as it created hardships which pressed upon the women and children. I here was a likelihood of a break in tne attitude of natives towards the boycott, but competition among the , tin ders induced some of them to break j away from the ranks and reduce prices j further than the rates given in the 1 published list. The result was that the

natives were still supporting the boycott, in the hope that there would he a still further reduction. The boycott showed a tendency to lift in Several places, but this was not general throughout, the group. Along with it the natives were refraining from cutting copra, and this had caused the stagnation of the trade. The estimates Dr the nett period would have to ho reduced considerably, as the revenue bad fallen oft to a very large extent in consequence of the decrease in exports and imports.

The labour question was one of great moment, continued Captain Cotton. Du? present supply of Chinese was inadequate, the majority of plantations having insufficient to keep the weeds down, much less to develop production. The Samoan Committee had promised the Administration that it would supply native labour. It was hoped this promise would he kept, hut it would require careful organisation by the committee, owing to the difficulty of arranging supply consequent upon the communal system under which the tin' tives were living. Under this system the whole district would supply labour for vessels trading to and from Samoa, but the labour for plantations could only come from towns adjacent to the plantations. If inducements were sufficient, the natives would, lie thought.

work on !lie plantations, lint for limited periods only. Their time was mueli occupied in preparing their own foodstuffs and attending to village matters. Labour for public works, he believed, would be forthcoming when the Samoans could see that the Administration really intended to carry out their policy of giving better roads, travelling facilities, and water supplies. It wn an experiment which, if carefully haulled and commenced on a small scab, might lead to good results. Another happening showing the attitude of the natives was the tour of the island of Upolu made by the Administrator, Colonel Tate. The reft >- tion he received was cordial in all places except two. About twenty-six places were visited in all. The Administrator outlined his policy in his speeches ,and received from the natives requests for better travelling facilitie . medical services, and education, bi two disaffected places disloyal speeches were made, but the responsible chiefs afterwards apologised for the statements uttered.