MAU STILL RESTLESS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 744, 17 August 1929, Page 9

MAU STILL RESTLESS

PROSPERITY NOT AFFECTED ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT (THE SXJH'S Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Friday. Continued unrest In Samoa is revealed in the ninth annual report on the mandated territory of Western Samoa, submitted to the House of Representatives today. The Administrator’s report states that the total trade for the year 1928 was £748,728 (made up of imports, £326,553, and exports, £422,175), as against a total of £640,347 for 1927 (made up of imports, £304,369, and exports, £335,978). The climatic conditions for Island produce have been favourable. “The native unrest continues, and the Mau organisation still contains some two-thirds of the native population,” states the report. This is reflected iu the revenue from native taxes, which have produced for the year ended March 31, 1929, £6,343, out of an estimated return of £19,400. In spite of the diminution in native tax receipts, the activities of the adminis-

tration on behalf of the Samoan population by way of education and medical treatment have been fully maintained. REDUCTION OF MILITARY POLICE “In April, 1928, a force of 74 military police was brought to Samoa, and has effectively coped with all serious unrest. It is now proposed to reduce the number to 45, and to place the force on a civil basis. The behaviour of the police has been excellent, and

they have been particularly careful to avoid any provocative action. "From time to time it has appeared as if the present trouble was abating, but it still persists, although it is now more under control. The six original native members of the Citizens’ Committee were invited to meet the Administrator on August 1, 1928, to hear the report of the Permanent Mandates Commission relative to Western Samoa, which was adopted at the commission's thirteenth session. Three only accepted the invitation, and of these three two have since abandoned the Mau.

“Every effort has been made by the Administrator to meet the ileaders of the Mau and to discuss their grievances, but without success. On October 9, 1928, he induced Tamasese and Tuimalealiifano, the two principal native leaders of the Mau. to meet him, when they assured him that the Mau had now two grievances only. MAU'S GRIEVANCES “The first was that the report of the Mandates Commission wan not conveyed to them by a document signed and sealed by the various countries comprising the League of Nations or their representatives, and the second was that Mr. Nelson, whom they considered their representative, had not reported to them. The attitude of the Mau has changed during the year from one of ostentation and aggression to a more subdued form, but the same difficulty in dealing with it persists. To effect arrests on any charge is rendered difficult by the offender either running away to the bush or being concealed by his friends, and although the criminal law has been fairly well enforced, there are still a number of offenders at large. "The collection of taxes by civil process has been impossible to deal with in any large number, and more prominent individuals only have been singled out for attention. Although the position is, of course, by no means satisfactory, it is, on the other hand, easy to exaggerate the difficulties of the present situation. Except for the collection of native taxes, the adminis-

tration may be said to be functioning with reasonable efficiency. The country, with negligible exceptions, is quiet and orderly, and the trading figures for the year clearly indicate that the Mau movement has had no Beriously detrimental effect upon the material prosperity of the natives or upon the country as a whole. “No fono of faipules has been held except to welcome the new Administrator on his arrival in May, 1928, but on several occasions fonos of officials have been held in both Islands to discuss matters of policy in native affairs. It is now proposed to suspend the faipules for the time being. The faamasinos are also to be suspended, as they have been performing no duty recently. Except in a few cases, European district officers are now being appointed to perform the duties of the district councils and of the faipules in the various districts, and it is hoped that this change in the system will lead on the one hand to a stronger control of the native population, and on the other to a closer touch between the Administrator and the individual native.”