SAMOA AFFAIRS

Hokitika Guardian, 8 October 1929, Page 7

SAMOA AFFAIRS

NATIVE COUNCILLORS.

APIA (Samoa), Sept. 19

The recent announcement of pending changes in the Legislative Council of Western Samoa has not been hailed with any great excitement, infr has it caused much critical comment. In effect, the change is probably more a shrewd stroke of administration on the part of his Excellency the Administrator than an indication of a real desire to aillow the Samoan to participate in the Government of his country, even though the Parliamentary statement declares that the intention is to associate the Samoan in the finance and administration of the terri.torv.

Uncle,v the existing system of the Legislative Council the Administrator presides over six official members and three elected members. With such a majority in his favour it is obvious that in most matters pertaining to the welfare of the country the Administrator must necessarily have his own way. This system of giving the Administrator or Governor a majority ruling is that which pertains in most places under the Colonial Office, and the vast experience of Empire-mak-ing behind the Colonial Office shows it to he well-founded.

In Samoa the privilege of the residents of electing three members is not a very old one, and unfortunately coincided with a period when politics did not show up at their best. It may safely be said, however, that ,i’ilthoiigh the elected 'members can advise the, Administrator, their powers do not go much farther. When this is taken into consideration the Europeans in Samoa, have not lost a great deal through having the number of ejected members reduced by one.

On the other hand, when matters are locked at in their true perspective, the natives have not gained much by having two members nominated to the Council. It is certain that once there they will not have much voice in any matters, and it is even doubtful if there is a single Samoan in all Western Samoa who is well enough equipped mentally to understand complicated matters *of administration, ilet alone finance. The fact that the Samoan councillors are to bo nominated shows that there is not much faith even in the capacity of. the natives to elect representatives. With the numbers of chiefs mid rival families in Samoa it is doubtful if the Samoans will ever be capable of electing members. Such an election at the present time would he a rock large enough to split the Man upon. The indications then are that it is more or less a policy move, and a wisely planned and well-timed one at that.

MAU OR MALO

It now remains to be seen who are the two lucky natives to be nominated to the Council. If the change is not a shrewd matter of policy the “plums” would necessarily go to Samoans, who through the political troubles, have faithful to the Administration. There are not a great number of these, but among the lew are Samoans carrying names well known and honoured in Samoa. The most likely would have been Matalafa, a member of one of the royal families, but as Matalafa is a fautua or adviser to the Administrator he is not .eligible. In any ease the position of fautua is a more responsible one than of Samoan councillor. Still, there are several others to choose from.

Samoa is more interested, however, in discussing which member of the Mau "ill be appointed—provided, of course, that a Mau native will be chosen—and the manner in which the Mau will react to tlio nomination. Representation in the administration of their country is one of the main planks of the Mail platform, and now that an opportunity is to bo provided for the natives to have a say in their affairs it removes one of the big gric vaiiK.es. Ikici dentally the Administrator will not lose an iota of his power.

The Mau to-day is still in a mood when it might be unreasonable enough to turn down the offer and to refuse to have anything to do with the Administration, but to so refuse would show the organisation up in a very bad light. In various ways the Mail has been granted quite a number of concessions lately, and it is about time that it responded to the Administrator’s 'advances. This w.ill ■provide an opportunity for it to acknowledge a concession without loss of dignity on either side. Among the Mau ranks are quite a number of high chiefs and influential natives worthy of nomination, but outstanding among them is High Chief Faumuina, who is the strongest man on the Mau Committee. Faumuina has been under a cloud more than once, but has proved himself moderate if occasionally unreasonable. It remains to be seen if such a man could bo nominated hv the Administrator to the Legislative Council and still retain his influence with the Mau. Xo doubt if an appointment is made of a member of the committee theie will be numerous long-winded fonos and much kava drinking in order to consider whether the Mau can asso,.jnto with the Government. Possibly there will also he a little jealousy, but it is to he hoped that wise counsels will prevail for once.

MAU IN OFFICE. ’When the Mau was at the 'zenith

of its power and a body of considerable importance its leaders were quite content to conduct their meetings in the usual Samoan style in a Samoan meeting house. Apparently the cause was sufficient in itself, without the trappings of external dignity. To-day, however, when the Mali is on the wane and is carried along mainly on the hacks of a few obstinate, hard-headed old veterans, there is evidently deemed the need for a little more show.

In the village of Vaimoso, which is the Mau headquarters, there is an ornamental little bandstand just a few steps off the main road. Recently, passers-by were interested to observe the erstwhile band stand undergoing alterations. The sides were closed in and a door was attached. Shortly afterwards two notices appeared, and the secret was out. On one notice appeared in large lettcis in the Samoan language, “Samoa for the Samoans,” and on the other, in English, “Office of the Mau.” Consequently, nowadays, anyone having business' with that abstract corporation known as the Man Committee will know exactly where to go. It is wondered how the inquirer at the “Office of the Mau” will be received. Will there be an urbane smiling Samoan secretary surrounded by piles of important documents, or is the bandstand merely a comic piece of camouflage ?

“NEW ZEALANDERS GET OUT.”

Sincie the inception of the “Office of the Man,” however, it has been rumoured around Apia that one or two letters of priceless importance have appeared over the signature of the Mau committee. One of these epistles was supposed to have been written to a gentleman whose occupation takes him a good deal on to Samoan lands, and contained a brief order to him that “this practice must cease.”

The other one is a little hard to swallow, lb ut is certainly not beyond the limits to which the Mail would go. According to the rumour it was a polite note to his Excellency the .Administrator requesting that all New Zealanders leave Samoa immediately. The sheer impudence of it is delightful, but is quite in accordance with another letter written when the Man was first feeling its strength, and which should be ever renowned as the most brief and decisive letter in Samoan history. It was a reply to a {request from General Sir Geoige Richardson asking the Mau to meet him at Mulinuu for a discussion, and read: “Dear Sir, —We have received your letter. We shall not come Committee of the- Mau.” Such a letter might well be brought to the notice of budding New Zealand politicians as a good example of brevity.

BUTCHER’S LUCK

The local butcher in Apia received a pleasant surprise by the last-Tofua. He had ordered a consignment of Jive pigs from Auckland, eight _ m number. On the trip over a pig died, leaving seven, according to accurate arithmetic, yet when' the ban'Ciei called to collect his consignment he found thirteen pigs, all of which were indubitably Iris. It appears that one of his consignment had been in a critical state of health at the time of embarkation, and the last night at sea gave birth to six fine piglets’, all of which came ashore without anyone questioning the bill of lading, which had made no allowance for them. It is understood t-liat the butcher is not making any serious complaint about the pig that died.