THE PEACE TREATY.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 January 1920, Page 5

THE PEACE TREATY.

THE SAMOAN MANDATE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Jan. 6. The ratification of the Peace Treaty, now reported to be imminent, is ol fa* portance to New Zealand on account of Samoa. The administration of Samoa is being, conducted at present under consideiible difficulties, owing to the ftot'l that the mandate from the Le&gut of Nations to New Zealand will not be is* sued formally until the Peace Treaty is ratified. The New Zealand Government is acquainted with the terms of the nundate. But until the mandate ia actually issued the Government cannot ipt Into effective operation the Samoan Constitution Order, which was laid before admbers of Parliament last session, or the other Orders since prepared. " The results of the delay that has taken place in the issue of the mandate are more serious than most people WWlfl imagine. The Civil Administration vfl Samoa cannot be given the powers tiutil it requires until the mandate beMNM fully operative. The territory, as a nptft] ter of fact, is still under military adatfn istration, though the civil machinery « ready for use as soon as the Treaty 3 ratified. Directly the mandate is issue* British law will operate in Samoa.Sutll the meantime German la At still rvns.AlJ other important fact not realised even by the white people now in Slmfl is that, pending the issue of themandifl (he New Zealand Government may MM trol German property, but cannot acttjafl ky enter into possession. v'fl Directly the mandate is issued, man property in Samoa will beeoog tfl property of the New Zealand Qot«MubHM The transfer will include not property of the German Samoa, but also the property of companies, such as the well-know# Jj&H and P.G., and German planters. of all the land, buildings, plantatlgH and other interests So acquired bjr Zealand will be assessed and will fl credited to the Dominion's sharp of tfl reparations payments that undertaken to make. It is expected t&H for the purposes of this valuation commission will be appotnjH This commission will report to tnq Zealand Government, and its will be sent on to the League of which will make the necessary from the sum to be paid by by way of reparation. The owners of the Samoan properties have to recover their money, if from the German Government. The question of policy to be by the New Zealand Government tdH future, in connection with the' Administration, will include the lof the lands so taken over Germans. Probably a scheme of ment will be devised, and New era will have an opportunity ot up land suitable for the copra, cocoa, cotton and other products. The present official tlmt the success of any such be dependent on an adequate imported labor. The native will not supply the necessary white men cannot undertake heavy work in the Samoan climte, and pical products all require Intensive vation. This is one of the points be studied by members of the New land Parliament during their visit Dominion's new dependency.