SAMOAN PROBLEMS

Hokitika Guardian, 21 July 1927, Page 4

SAMOAN PROBLEMS

■ Till-: INTERESTS OF THE NATIVES.” (I!y EX-RESIDENT. in the Auckland '• Star ”.) Samoan affairs are bulking largely in the |>ll Ofir- eye. lint it is obvious from the opinion expressed in different quarters tnal people in New Zealand have very little real appreciation of the situation. This is not to hi' wondered at. eon sideline that during the past, ten years litti’e Samoan news has been published in New Zealand apart front official and semi-official reports. The writer spent three years in Samoa, and on Ids return to New Zealand was surprised to find how little I lie average ma n knew of these islands, and that must people hail still less interest in them. As some teat's have elapsed since the writer's return — sufficient time in which to regain one’s sense of proportion—he flits hecn hold ennui'll to think that a lew observations on Samoan society and politics may he of general interest at this time. WHO AUK THE '■ NATIVES ” Stress is always laid and rightly so —on the fact that, by-the terms of the mandate, the government of these islands slini'l he in the interests of the natives. It does not seem to have occurred to anyone to ask who are the natives. Accordin'; to the figures for J fil'd—l have not litter figures to handlin’ population was: Whites. 2023; Samoans and other natives, 3.3.221: coolie labour, Oi the white population, about 2UO would he represented by the officials itnd their families. The hitlanee consists of whites and Kuroncsinns ranking it' whites. Practically nil these whites have been so lone domiciled in Samoa that it would he impossible for them to reside in any other country. .Many of them have inter-married with

the native population, and all their interests are In these islands. This fact was recongised hv the New Zealand C.overnmuet when it was a question of repatriatin'; (ioniums after the war: those Germans who had married .Samoans or Etnonesians were allowed to stay, as it would have been an act of injustice to break up families by deporting the bread-winner, or to compel native-born inhabitants of those islands to live in a foreign country. Tile whites at present resident in Samoa would appear to be entitled to at least as much consideration its the Germans got, and I would submit that these people, white and Eumnesian. conic wit It in the category of " natives ” for the purpose of the mandate. Surely, then, any Government of these islands must consider their interests as well as those of the natives, in the strict sense of the word. Constantly one sees it slatted or inferred that the interests of the “beach ” people—not ''beachcombers." I would ask you to note— must necessarily clash with the interests of the natives; but is this so-' Most of Lite “ beach ” party are enplaned in trade, and it stands to reason that they must rely on the good will of the natives if they wish to succeed. Further, main of them are related by marriage or hv blood to the native .Samoan, and. until the contrary is proved, one must assume that they are in the best position to understand and sympathise with the natives. NO • EXPLOITATION.”

The word •'exploitation" is also a favourite one in some quarters, but. there is no people less liable to exploitation limn the Samoan. By the word ’■ exploitation ” it is commonly understood that the few. taking advantage of the economic situation, are able to oppress the many and use them for their own ends. If the many in Samoa, the natives, were dependent; on the lew. the traders, they no doubt would be liable to exploitation, hut such is not the ease. Whii'e the native is necessary to the trader, it b.\ no means follows that the trader is necessary to the native. The Samoan would lie just as happy and iu.st as well fed—synonymous terms—if every white man left the country to-morrow, lie is a communist livin'; in a land which provides abundant food crops all the year round with a minimum of labour, in cnn.se-

((lienee of which there aro no rich ;in i no poor. and >:>> ones goes to lied hungry. Some years ago tile Samoans decided to Ijoyeott tin* Ku.ropenn stores, and for months the traders outside Apia did praetieally no business, and those in Apia very little more, so independent were the Samoans of the white man's goods. At present tt-e Samoan works when he wishes to buy some foreign luxury, or when his taxes are due. Copra making is not arduous —most of the work is done by the women and eiiilden—and apart from the taxes due to the Government, no Samoan need cut a single pound of copra unless he desires to. How. then, can he he exploited if he is so independent of the exploiter, so-called? At present the native is well eared for, but what of the beach party? There are three members of the Legislative Council elected by the whites on a limited franchise, hut they are outnumbered by the nominated members.

The whites Itnve no cheek on the revenue nor on the moneys borrowed from New Zealand. All thnt is left to them is tlie privilege of paving fresh taxes as the Administration may see fit to impose and of accepting liability for such sums as may he borrowed. Under certain conditions one could imagine that deportation might lie sought after. PHOHmiTiox. Prohibition is mentioned ax one ot the causes of discontent and with a certain amount of justification ; but before condemning the beach people one should consider all the factors. Personally the writer is a prohibitionist, and hei'ieves that Samoa is better without alcohol, but. nevertheless, he is of opinion that this question has been handled injudiciously. In the lirst place, it may be stated quite definitely that the Samoan did not require protection so far as alcohol is concerned. For many years before New Zealand had any interest in Samoa the consumption of alcoholic liquors in Apia far exceeded that of wafer, and yet the Samoan never became addicted to it. Knvn satisfied all bis desires, and even yet 1 do not believe that except in a few isolated eases, any Samoan indulges in alcoholic

l»o vo rages. In New Zealand we i'ook on prohibition as a matter which can only he settled by the free vote of the people concerned: in Samoa the people concerned were not even consulted, but the policy was decided upon and enforced by a body on which they had no representation. It was first imposed by mii'itary proclamation, and was naturally looked on as a war-time measure: but when the civil constitution was drawn up prohibition was embodied in the constituion and has been the law ever since. In other words, a policy, which in other countries is left to the free vote of the people, was enforced on the whites in Samoa by the fiat of an outside body. The object aimed at. namely, the protection of the natives, could easily have been achieved without antagonising the whites if a proper permit system bad been established in the first pi'aee. INVESTIGATION'. It lias been suggested that a Parliamentary party or committee should visit Samoa and invetsigate tlie matter on the spot. This would merely mean that the debate started in the House would be continued in Apia, only to be resumed in Wellington again and who doubts but that the finding would be decided on party lines ? (

Samoa lias had one experience of a visit from a Parliamentary party and it is still wondering what benefits accrued either to Samoa or to New Zealand as a result of this expensive jaunt. If a real investigation is desired, why not borrow a competent official from the Foreign Office, or send down one or more Judges of the Supreme Court? In conclusion, let it he said that all this troubi'e seems unnecessary. The Samoans tire the easiest people in the world to handle if they are treated sympathetically. The bench people, too. arc just as anxious that there should be peace, as it is only in an atmosphere of peace that trade call prosper. All this talk of enemy agencies at work can he disregarded, llcmove the internal friction and Samoa will settle down as one contented family.