SAMOA TO-DAY.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 May 1922, Page 4

SAMOA TO-DAY.

first annual report

PROGRESS TO DATE

WELLINGTON, May 21. The first annual report of the New Zealand Government on the administration of the mandated territory of Western Samoa wa s issued for publication by tlie lion. E. P. Lee (Minister for External Affairs) yesterday. Under the Tieaty of Versailles each Government entrusted with a mandate lias to make such report each year to the Council of Ihe League of Nations in regard to the territory committed, to its charge. DISORGANISATION. •

Pointing oil t that when the New Zealand ti'ue.ps invaded and occupied S"mim in August. 1911. the existing organisations ut (lin'ei nineiit trade mid industry were “necessai ily ami suddenly thrown, into a state of great disorganisation,” the report points out- that during the military occupation, whieli continued lor many years, "there were, i; respective of the indigenous inhabitants, three eoliem rent organisations—firstly,the garrison of the eeeupying force; secondly, the administration set up by Lhe occupying force to carry on the civil government, which was a mili-tary-civil administration, necessarily in-ter-woven in its relations with the garrison; and. thirdly the original community itself, consisting of traders, planters and 0...C1S of (human and many other races, carrying on its activities as host it could, and lake conscious or um:on c cious advantage in some respects of the organisation set up hy tile garrison. ‘'Everyone snlfered from a feeling of insecurity of tciime. The garrison knew that its duty was only temporary mid sooner or later it would go. The (lermmis must have fell, as the fortunes of war ruse and fell, insecurity for their future, and remainder of the community must have shared in the sense of insecurity; and up to the time that the Armistice was declared in 1918. a steady deterioration was only to he expected. Tins deterioration was accentuated hy the repatriation o the majority of the Chinese lahouiers who were essential to the mainteunneand cultivation of the plantations; s that hy this time not only was there a deterioration in the organisation of the community, hut there was also a serious deterioration in the plantations which constituted its main wealth. THE INFLUENZA EPIDEMIC. “In November, 1918, the influenza epidemic struck the place, causing the death of many thousands of people, and hut for tile presence of the garrison, and the excellent. services the garrison rendered, the results would have been more disastrous. Their numbers were diminished, and they blamed their loss to the New Zealanders ocouying the place, just as they would have blamed any other nation which happened to lie occupying the country at the time of the visitation. Their temperamental cheerfulness received a severe blow. A great number of the older chiefs died, younger and less experienced men succeeded to til positions as chiefs, and nothing could have occurred to have so prepared the minds of the native people for the insiduous action of agitators, or lor the reflection of the views of the dissatisfied portion of the community, which, though it had suffered nothing of the actual horrors of the war, had had its organisation shattered, its manner of life disturbed, and was blind to any profit or advantage it had gained, and saw only its losses and inconvenience. PROHIBITION “Li 1919, after the Covenant of the League of Nations had been piildisneu, and in anticipation of the issue of the mandate, a prcchiniliou was issued prohibiting the further importation of intoxicating liquor, and shortly afterwards total prohibition became a fundamental portion of tlie constitution. Prohibition was imposed in wlint- was considered to be the best interests of the community, hut it was received with great dissatisfaction hy a considerable portion of the community other than native. This accentuated a state of mind already existing in the community of antagonism to administration l,y New Zealand, and to any constitution which New Zealand might set up.

| “Marly in 1920, the garrison was evacuated, and with it departed those elements of assistance to the administrative Government and to the community generally upon which both had, pernaps unconsciously, learned in some respects to lean. “This, then, was the state of things when the civil administration was instituted on May Ist, 1920. The task of th e new civil administration was to establish a new set of laws, to institute a reasonable and cffectve Government based oil tlm principles of the mandate, and to reorganise or to assist in reor-

gA'nising those aspects of life which had suffered,”

The Constitution Ordcr-iir-Coimul of 1930, afterwards passed substantially as the Constitution Act of Samoa, is briefly suminai ised. The powers of.-the Legislative Coiinel are explained; and the repatriation of the German nationale, together with the taking over of their plantations .as the Crown estates is reported on. NATIVE SELF-GOVERNMENT. “There seems (proceeds the report) to he a desire among a certain section of the Samoans, which probably is not widespread; for complete self-govein-ment; but such a cmirso is iinpnn tie able in the .present staLc of Samoan development and education. Tlie administrative government for the whole population, both European and Satin .an nro vested in tho Administrator, acting in the case of the legislative Council. Under the -German Administration of Samoa, tho natives were trusted with tho performance of certain administrative .duties, a course which was continued under tlie Military Administration, and is continued and being extended under the present Civil Administration. so far as the capacity of tho native Samoan extends. This is effected bv appointment of part-time officials charged with the performance of various duties, a. short statement of which will serve to show the manner in which the native Samoan exercises a share in the government of his own people.” The necessary details then follow..

The organisaion of the Native Department and of the Health Department togehor with the establishment of a medical station at Tun.sivi on the Island of Savaii and tho appointment of resident commissioners are reported on. So'too is the excellent work of the Education Department ; and the scheme for setting up in addition to the first grade mis'sion schools of Government tbird-crude or district schools. Statistics as to tin* work of the Postal Deparment and the radio station are given; also vital statistics which show that in suite of the epidemic tin* population which in 1902 was 32815, is now 32.953. The good work done by the Agricnltal Department in combating tlie rhinoceros beetle and other pests is reviewed; also the work of the Public Works Department and tho Justice Department etc. The Customs returns show an increasing revenue, and an increase in the total trade (exports and imports) from £529,480 in 1915 to 0917,740 in 1920. The exports in these two years were, respectively £252.389 and £380,587; and the imports £207,091 nml £501.153. CHINESE LABOUR.

“The provision of an adequate supply of efficient labour (states the repur) iis a vital necessity and a difficult problem. The possible categories of labour are. Samoans. Nine-Islanders. Melanesians (Sclcmon-Tslaiiilers, etc.)., a,ud Chinese. . . Tlie Samoan people do no provide a reliable source of unskilled labour. Their numbers are insufficient to effectively occupy all their lands foodstuffs are easily grown, no period of cessation of growth necessitates thrift or provision for the future, and nn incentive exists inducing them to work for wages. The proper role of the Samoans is to cultivate their lands and produce copra from their own trees; avid until the rutin* population increases enormously there will be no surplus of labour available for the requirements of others than themselves. Dealing with the question of Chinese labour, the report says:- “The Samoan people being lnanilestL una\ i*lable for labour on the plantations of Europeans, tlie Cermans imported both Chinese cud Melanesians for the purpose. The Melanesia.!!-' have be m n - I’erred (•: above, in 1911 there were 229 1 Chinese indentured labomels ui the various plantations in Samoa. Dur ing tin* military e * uoa.iion three repatriations cnlived great dotei ioi at i- n in tie* ohiiitntions. which must I . s i* - nosed to have iiuoircd the full number of 229,t Chinese t' l carry on to their full product ion. On April Is; 1920, the number of Chines* l in E.itees vos .9" The number of ('bin’se hdirnivrs in Samoa in August, 1925. ,vn Old laboll rears Sl!*, “Hahlis” labourers 502: total 1321*.

" About the sumo ine* the Chinese Consul. J. C. Lin, was replaced by Consul A Ido, ami from that time rc::snnable control of tie labourers became more and iv.niv difficult. Il.nlixing that the contracts of the 813 old labourers would expire on July 31s', I it 21, and that many of them would desire to 'email! in Samoa, pro's.s ils for

a new eonrt’att bushel'on the ‘llaldis’ contract (which had been approved by the I tying Kong authojitie f s) wore* elaborated and submitted (o llio Consul preparatory to publication to tlie labourers'. The attitude taken by tbo Ad.uini.sl rntieri was Hint it was lit ble 1.) Humiliate tho 819 labi.ui'C!s . n July 31st, and would do so, but that it was willing to re-iigagt* such of the labourers ns wished bo reimiin and who -were cousidared desirable of .felontiim. 'tlie reply of tlie (.'onsi.il. was to the effect that ti e Chinese Government did not approve of T.‘imlcnt me, and ii'queucd the whole of these men should be allowed to remn'in in Western Samoa as Idea settlers. No setilenient was reached on the subject. • In the meantime the labourers were given the opportunity of re-engaging if they so desired, when practically all expressed a cosire to return. It lias since been nstorwlien praeticnll.v all expressed a desire was not a true expression, out was largely the result of the intimidation of secret societies or of other agencies. Jt is anticipated that from 50 io 100 men will be incepted for retention from those now offering. “ Arrangements have been made for the repatriation of the old lahouiers. and for the introduction of new lalTurers from Hong Kong to leplaee them. On this repatriation and iniiv'd let ion being effected, it is estimated that there will them be available for 1; tour purposes in Samoa in addition to tin* 201 black boys above mentioned) the following. Chinese : ‘llaldis” men 502, old labmiiers retained (say) 50 ‘Ascot’ men (say 950; total, 1502.

*• The cost of ihe importation of Chinese is very considerable, and the cost of repatriation falls almost eiitiioiv upon the Administration, on behalf of Crown estates, no system having beer, adopted in the past for the creation o r a repat nation fund. To obviate this in tho future, and to recover the (osi of importation, a periodical levy vill lie made upon employers, so tl.at, though the expenditure is primarily made by the Administration, the burden will be carried by the i'mbisvnc.s employing labour.”