AFFAIRS AT SAMOA.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 February 1921, Page 10

AFFAIRS AT SAMOA.

THE NATIVE BOYCOTT. HOW A TENTATIVE AGREEMENT WAS REACHED. Gerard, the secretary to the Administration in Samoa, is going to .New' Zealand for a three-months’ rest, by the Navuh, and your correspondent questioned him about the recent troubles in Samoa (writes the Suva correspondent of the Auckland Star.) Mr. Gerard said the position was considerably improved. Colonel Tate had made a personal tour of Upolu, walking nearly the whole one hundred and fifty miles round the island to see for himself how' native affairs were and the conditions of the roads, etc. The result proved very valuable. The Administrator met with quite a cordial reception everywhere except at two places lying on each side of Apia, where white influence had evidently been at work. At one of these centres, Lufiliifi, the address presented* was decidedly discourteous, and quite evidently the composition of a white. *

The natives resented the raising of the tariff in May last, when import duties were, raised from 12/ 3 per cent, to 15 per cent, on British goods, and 12-A per cent, to 22| per cent. bri foreign goods. They attributed the high cost of living to the tariff. They then instituted a “sa” or boycott, and the chiefs fined any Samoan found guilty of purchasing out of any store. Colonel Tate met the chiefs, and pointed out to them that, while it was competent for them to refrain from buying and selling they had no power to interfere or fine anyone, and the fines must cease. The chiefs agreed to stop the fines, but the Samoans have sent a sort of “round robir.' that they will not buy until the prices suit them. The natives are now gradually coming back and buying imported goods, and Colonel Tate, follow,ing up his promise, has appointed a commission, consisting of Chief Judge Wilson, Mr. Cordery (Collector of Customs), Mr. Brush (Burns, Philp and Co., Ltd.), and a native tutaga or high chief, to report by the end of February on the whole question. A farpule, or native council, was about to be held as Mr. Gerard left to consider suggestions of the Administrator as to the extension of the present educational and medical services, and also the formation and maintenance of roads and bridges. Lately, the Samoan chiefs met the Secretary of Native Affairs in conference, and have signed an agreement by which they agree to provide all the labour required by the Government, either in towns, or on Crown estates, the wharves, or roads. The rates of wages with or without food are fixed. Two chiefs in Apia have been appointed as a committee, and they will deal with all requbsts for labor, and they bind themselves to provide all labor required. Asked about the charge by Samoan residents that the Civil Service was greatly overloaded, Mr. Gerard said it might appear so, but one must remember that the place was practically bare. We have a “naked baby,” said Mr. Gerard, and everything has to be done, new buildings, roads, bridges, are wanted everywhere, and we must have men we can rely on to oversee the work. If our educational and medical services arc to be included! then we will require more men still. When all the organising and constructive, work is in order, the Civil Service can be regulated more accurately to fit the situation.

CAUSES OF THE BOYCOTT. THE LABOR DIFFICULTY. Various aspects of Samoan affairs were discussed by Captain H. C. Cotton, who recently resigned the position of Secretary of Native Affairs in the Samoan Administration, and who arrived’ at Auckland last week. Captain Cotton, who went to Samoa with the advance guard of the Expeditionary Force in 1914, and save for one short visit to Auckland four years ago has been there ever since, has held various official positions In both the military and civil administrations. Dealing first with the “Sa,” or boycott of European goods, by the natives, Captain Cotton said it commenced about six months ago. The principal reasons for the action of the natives, apart from their unsettled state, were: First, their disappointment at not being able to float a company for the purchase of their goods and the sale of their copra; and, second, the high prices the traders were charging them. They wished to form a sort of co-operative company. They went so far as to collect £6500 in a company, the capital of which was to have been £15,000. They were not able to collect the rest of the money and the venture fell through. They succeeded in their attempt to have prices reduced, for the traders jointly issued a price list which did not, however, have the effect of breaking the boycott to any large extent. The natives were beginning to see the folly of their policy, as it created hardships which pressed upon the women and children. There was a likelihood of a break in the attitude of the natives toward the boycott, but the competition among the traders induced some of them to break away from the ranks and reduce prices further than the rates given in the published list. The result was that the natives were still supporting the boycott in the hope that there would be a still further reduction.

The boycott showed a tendency to lift in several places, but this was not general throughout the group. Along with it the natives were refraining from cutting copra, and this caused a stagnation of trade. The estimates for the next period would have to be reduced considerably, as the revenue had fallen off to a very large extent in consequence of the decrease in exports and imports.

The labor question was one of great moment, continued Captain Cotton. The group was sadly in need of labor. The present supply of Chinese was inadequate, the majority of the plantations having insufficient to keep the weeds down, much less to develop production. The Samoan Committee had promised the Administration that it would supply native labor. It was hoped this promise would be kept, but it would require careful organisation by the committee. owing to the difficulty of arranging the supply consequent upon the communal system under which the natives were living. Under this system the whole district would supply the labor for the vessels trading to and from Samoa, but the labor for plantations could only come from the towns adjacent to the plantations. If the inducements were sufficient, the natives would, he thought, work on the plantations, but for limited periods only. Theii time was much occupied in preparIheiii j>w«u fooAai*** jmk!

to village matters. The labor for public works, he believed, would be forthcoming when Samoans could see that the Administration really intended to carry out a policy of giving better roads, travelling facilities, and water supplies. It was an experiment which, if carefully handled and commenced on a small scale, might lead to good results.

Another happening showing the attitude of the natives was a tour of the island of Upolu, made by the Administrator, Col. R. W. Tate. The reception he received was cordial in all places except two. About 20 were visitgd in all. The Administrator outlined his policy in his speeches, and received from the natives requests for better travelling facilities, medical services, and education. In the two disaffected places disloyal speeches were made, but the responsible .chiefs afterwards apologised for the statements uttered. It vas probable the Administrator would next visit Savaii about April. The visit to Upolu was a timely one, as the Samoans had been wondering why, during the twenty months he had been in the islands, Colonel Tate had not visited thaai