The Daily News. SATURDAY, JULY 23, 1921. GOVERNING SAMOA.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 July 1921, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, JULY 23, 1921. GOVERNING SAMOA.

The visit of the Hon. E. P. Lee (Minister of External Affairs) to Samoa should enable him to gain that practical insight of the problems concerning the administration of this mandated territory’ that can only be obtained by personal observation on the spot, and by enquiries and conferences concerning the many subjects that bear upon the chief matters connected with the successful administration of the island. Considering that New Zealand accepted the mandate over Western Samoa with a desire to assist in maintaining the peace of the Pacific, her first duty is obviously to do all that is possible in the direction of administering the trust in such a way as is best calculated to achieve peace and prosperity in the islands. Admittedly the task is by no means an easy one, for, at best, Samoa is bound to prove a new and troublesome factor in Dominion polities, consequent on the peeuliar eonditions noaeerainE la-

boi’, for if the Samoan plantations, on which the country depends, are not to be ruined, and the Samoans themselves pauperised, there must be importations of contract labor, for the natives have a rooted objection to work. In taking over the control of Samoa, existing conditions had to be accepted, the only sane course being to make the best of them and set to work to induce the natives to throw off their sloth and become-actively interested in developing the resources of the country. This must necessarily be a slow process, just as it was in the case of the Maoris. It was only on May 1, 1920, that civil government was instituted in the islands, though the mandate was not issued till January, 1921, a delay that is regarded as a factor in promoting unrest, the opponents of New Zealand being encouraged to continue their opposition in the hope of influencing the ultimate destination of the mandate. That opposition still exists, -chiefly on the part of the traders and planters the real causes, however, being the prohibition of liquor, the labor supply measures, and the customs policy. The only matter of, real importance and complexity is the labor question, the planters fearing that, should the Labor Party become dominant in New Zealand, there would be an end tiiade of indentured labor in Samoa. No ground exists for that fear, and the fact that the importation of Chinese coolies is being continued should satisfy the planters that the Dominion Government is quite as much interested in the prosperity of the island as they are! All that is necessary is to provide against the system'of indentured labor being abused. The customs tariff is bound up to some extent with the native disaffection, the seeds of the trouble being sown when the price of copra (the chief article exported) rose to £44 per ton, and the harvest of unrest ripened when the price fell to £26, and the cost of ordinary merchandise did not drop proportionately. On the other hand, some of the merchants blame the Administration, on the ground that the high prices and cost of living are the result of the increased tariff. During the war the Americans got hold of the copra traffic, and diverted it to America, but the tariff is likely to restore this trade to Britain, and this is not likely to soothe the American traders. Meanwhile much is being done to promote the health of the people, and to build up an improved and extended system of education, useful arts and erafts being taught in all schools. The Minister should have acquired much information during hA visit, and though it is almost inevitable that for some years to come there will be more or less trouble in Samoa, it may confidently be expected that those qualities which have enabled British rule to adjust all difficulties in other places will be equally successful in Samoa. It was only to be expected that the transition stage should exhibit features requiring the exercise of wise and tactful measures. It is quite possible that Samoa may prove more of a burden than a benefit to New Zealand, but as the mandate was accepted in order to assist, in maintaining the peace of the Pacific, its exercise must be regarded as’an Empire obligation and not as a business venture.