The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET, AUCKLAND WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 1930 ARMISTICE IN SAMOA

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 913, 5 March 1930, Page 8

The Sun 42 WYNDHAM STREET, AUCKLAND WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 1930 ARMISTICE IN SAMOA

THERE is to be no killing of the fatted calf for the prodigal in Western Samoa. And there is as yet little prospect of any other sort of festal sacrifice as a practice of conciliatory generosity to a misguided native race. That was made clear by the Administrator of the mandated territory last Monday, when a pleasant armistice in the political war between New Zealand and the Man of Samoa was held for the laudable purpose of discussing- with representatives of the “rebels” the wisdom and necessity of bringing an intolerable trouble to a tolerable end. In the presence of the New Zealand Minister of Defence, the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, leading chiefs and other Samoans met Administrator Allen in conference at Vaimoso. The meeting, which has been described officially “as a big gathering of the Mau,” lasted for ninety minutes. Thus ample time was given for setting the foundations for a sound settlement of grievous difficulties. Since it has been reported that the conference was quiet, orderly and respectful, observei-s at a distance may infer that the circumstances were favourable for promoting the spirit, if not the final act, of reconciliation. It does not appear, however, that much was accomplished in the direction of breaking down a silent and passive rebellion of some seven thousand natives against the administrative laws of the mandatory State and the penalties inflicted for both trivial and serious breaches of those laws and for the maintenance by the Mau of orderly disorder.

The Administrator submitted to the representatives of the disaffected natives three points for consideration. These constituted and took the form of an ultimatum, hard as cast-iron and representing that firmness which is supposed to be impressive on simple minds, and therefore essential. Briefly, the Administrator* stipulated that the Mau must end, and also that the “wanted men” who are fugitives in the bush, playing an expensive game of hide-and-seek with New Zealand marines and xnilitai-y police, must surrender. If these conditions were complied with almost on the instant, Mr. Allen assured the big gathering that he, when required, would meet the leading representative chiefs to discuss all matters for the benefit of the people. Such an ultimatum will seem fair and l-easonable to those who believe in perfect sincerity that punishment must precede reconciliation in order to uphold the prestige of authority. But authority in Western Samoa, unfortunately, has*not been without its own defects. The Administration in this country has forgotten occasionally that New Zealand pledged itself at the Peace Conference of Paris to administer the mandated territory of Western Samoa not only as a backward native community so-called in need of guidance and development, but as an integral part of the Dominion. That pledge is written into the mandate. It is part of the bond. And the outstanding success and the unique harmony of New Zealand administration ixx respect of the Maori race were cited impressively and accepted readily as a guarantee of a similar triumph in Samoa. Has the Government all the time administered laws in the mandated territory as it must administer laws in this country? In Samoa punishment has been inflicted and deportation enfoi-ced without trial. What would the Maoi-is and even the Europeans in New Zealand say or do if they were subjected to what Mi-. Cobbe blandly would call “a blending of British laws and the best features of native customs” ? The right answer will leap to the tip of every tongue. There must be a rare optimism in Mr. Allen’s philosophy if he really expects and wants the fugitive members of the Mau to decide on surrender within twenty-foxxr hours after the issue of his ultimatum. Even in perfect contentment the Samoans are not to be hurried. It need not be anticipated that they will hasten to receive punishment. Naughty children may yield to an angry parent’s command to come home for a flogging before supper, but that does not always make for harmony in the home. Meanwhile, the Samoan “rebels” are in the hills, while, to quote a chronicler at Apia, their women and children appear to lack nothing. “It was all very peaceful and home-like and the laughter of children at play came through the palms.” War? It seems to be the kind of conflict that makes a mockei-y of political administration. TRANSPORT AT A VONDALE SINCE the definite shelving of the Morningside Tunnel scheme was announced by the Government, the provision of adequate transport services to the northern and western suburbs has assumed a new importance. Without the improved access which the Morningside Tunnel would have given, the Railway Department cannot be relied upon to accommodate the growing number of people requiring quick and efficient transport to the City, and the Ti-ansport Board’s decision to establish tram and feeder bus sei-vices fills the deficiency. To those who share in the widespread belief that the best bus services are private services, the board’s decision to run the services itself, instead of admitting private operators, will appear a mistake. But at least it is evidence that the board is anxious to grapple with its responsibilities. Involving as they do changes from one bus to another, or from bus to tram, in the course of a journey into the City, feeder bus services are attended by features which many travellers considei- irritating. It sometimes happens that the transfer cannot be accomplished without delay. People may even be kept standing in the rain. If the transport board management permits these defects to occur in its new service at Avondale, there will speedily be an outcry, but according to the general manager’s proposals as outlined at yesterday’s meeting of the board, stricter supervision and better facilities will go a long way toward eliminating such weaknesses. Whether, with such rather costly accompaniments, the service can be made to pay is another question. Mr. Ford estimates that the feeder services will give a direct return of £5,368 in bus fares, and £14,824 from fares brought in to the trams by the feeders. Setting against this the sum of £13.552 as the cost of operating the buses, he anticipates a profit of £5,840. But this seems to be a fallacious line of reasoning. No allowance has been made for the cost of carrying by tram tlie passengers who yield the above £14,824 in tram revenue. Even though these fares represent only a proportion of the traffic using the trams, a certain share of the costs of operation must be charged against them, and they cannot logically be lumped with the bus fares -without some such allowance being made. No doubt the transport management has considered the matter from all angles, and knows what it is about. But it cannot afford to make many more mistakes. The mild scepticism with which representatives of private bus operators greeted the boax-d’s decision to run its own services shows just what a good many outsiders think of the board’s capacity, to operate a bus system. ,