FUTURE OF SAMOA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 89

FUTURE OF SAMOA.

AN ATTRACTIVE PICTURE (Fro* Ova Own Cohrespondent ) AUCKLAND. January 30. An interesting review of the condition of Samoa under German rule is gi\en by the Herald's Apia correspondent. In the course of his communication he Pays: — I "Up to the present time the German! administration of Samoa has been fair, painstaking, honourable, lenient, and passably progressive. By treaty stipulations foreigners were protected against discrimination, and no movement to avoid these formal arrangements has ever been made by the Administration. v> hich hae kept every pledge most rigoiously. The Chinese coolie experiment has pioved, so far, a distinct success. Lando formerly held in low estimatinon have greatly advanced in price, and purchasers from Germany and from other places have turned up, so that some shoit time ago sales were very frequent. Old cultivations were extended and new ones started. Experience has now demonstiated that cacao can be made highly profitable — in fact, extravagantly so, for the profits per acre per annum frequently exceed £20 net. It is believed by a, number of experienced planters that rubber in its various varieties can be made even more remunerative than cacao, and a number of people have turned their attention in its. direction, and perhaps 2000 acres of trees are now in various stages of growth. So far the ' havca. ' or ' para ' ■n arietv seems most attractive to planters, but there are aleo a good many castilloa kixia and ficus trees set out. The Samoan nati\ es, under Governmental regulation, have planted hundreds of thousands of cocoanut trees, many of which are already beginning to bear, and this great addition to the staple output '6 j expected in a few years to send the exports from a normal 8500 tons to 15.000 or more tons. These crops at present i prices yield the planters about £4 per j acre net profit, and the pasturage beneath the trees 16 probably worth about £2 per acre per annum. Two cows per acre under palm trees are the usual rule, and where the land is unshaded and free of weeds as many as three animals per acre do very well all the year round except in very dry seasons. Thousands of acres of fine land still remain untouched, and some of this within a short distance of Apia may yet be bought for comparatively low prices. But notwithstanding the many advantages which we stand possessed of, we have arrived at the singular noeition that German capital for investment seems to have ceased to come this way. while British colonials and others close at hand 6eem either utterly misinformed or entirely unacquainted with prevailing conditions, or perhaps quite heedless of them. The several original companies which bought land imported Chinese coolies, and have persevered to the present date, appear to have made excellent progress, but they have not yet had sufficient income to pay dividends, though the first beginners are nearly m this happy position. It is safe to say that a number of enterprises will pay handsomely in 1908 and 1909, unless by some convulsion of Nature the islands are devastated. The great volcano on North Sa,vaii has until now done comparatively little injury, as its immense lava flow as a rule took its course over old lava fields, which were of trifling value. Since the hurricane of 1884 no serious storm has visited Samoa, and no blow within living memory has ever been of 6uch extreme violence as are those hurricanes which are so frequent in Fiji and Tonga. It is surprising that so very little capital has found its way here from Australasia* However, it must not be overlooked that two London companies are already well established in Samoa, and apparently on the high road to success— indeed, the Upolu Plantation I Company (Limited) ought, to pay a sub- \ stantial dividend this year. Of its 600^ acres of planted cacao, 500 acres will be , in excellent bearing trim, and it is hkelv ' that 150 tons of highest claes cacao beans will be exported from this magnificent estate. These will go either to London or to Hamburg for disposal, and they will probably bring about 100s per owt at the port of delivery. Up to £5 13s 6d has been paid for Samoan cacao this past year. Probably this plantation' 6 dividend will equal 30 per cent, upon the outlay, and even a considerable fall in cacao prices would still allow the plantation to pay 25 per cent, profit per annum. So far rubber profits are not determinable. All that is really known is that all varieties may be grown with as much certainty as anywhere else in the world, and the output is of the highest quality. The cult nation of catch crops of fruit between the rows of cacao or rubber has not generally been followed up, because Samoa laek6 direct j and quick communication with extensive i markets, always so necessary for the 6afe disposal of perishable products. Efforts in ! this line formerly made were deemed I unprofitable. It would be highly advanj tageous to German Samoa if a number of I energetic and determined planters were to 1 come into this country and take up and ! work upon approved principles comparatively small holdings, managing their own affairs. Although Samoa is a German 1 colony, its immense distance from the Fatherland and its close location near British and American possessions, with whom i(s chief business relatione exist, renders it highly cosmopolitan in its character. German is, indeed, the official language of the place, but Enalisli is far mor.e

intensively used throughout the country. Since German annexation in 1899 this situation has not altered in the least, and it is unlikely that it will do co. Hundreds of Samoa.ns have acquired the English language, and use it with more or less fluency, while it is probable that not above half a dozen of thorn can speak the German language. Such a, condition is entirely natural, for the neoplo took their earliest instructions from the British missionaries, and they found that every one of tho inflowing foreigners could leadily speak English, while very few were conversant with German."