A.—4A,

23

In order to obtain as accurate a census as possible, steps were taken on this occasion to educate the Native officials in this work, and the forms used were made as simple as possible. Two months before the date of the census all the Pulenu'us (headmen) of the villages were brought in and instructed in the filling-in of the forms, sample copies of which were issued to them. Then during December officials visited the villages and again explained the forms to the Pulenu'us. The figures obtained are as accurate as it is possible to get in the present stage of Native development. A Native census is easier to take in Western Samoa at the present time than a European one. Many of the Europeans cannot read, write, or speak any language but Samoan, or can only do so very imperfectly. In section 4of the Samoa Act, 1921, the terms " European " and " Samoan " are defined as follows : " European " means any person other than a Samoan. " Samoan " means a person belonging to the Polynesian race, whether by pure or mixed descent; but does not include —(a) Persons registered as Europeans in accordance with any regulations or Ordinances in force in Samoa ; or (6) the legitimate children of a father who is a European either by birth or by registration as aforesaid. It will readily be seen that in a few generations the legitimate descendants of a full European male may have very little European blood in their veins. The tables given under the section dealing with Europeans show that such a position is rapidly arising. Males tend to marry towards the Samoan, and the result is that each generation becomes more Samoan and less European. At the present time there are a number of persons with the status of Europeans, but of only one-quarter or one-eighth European blood, with very little if any knowledge of any other language than Samoan —to all intents and purposes Samoans, living in Native houses in the villages. With the status of Europeans they have no right to the use of Native lands, nor can they take part in Native matters. Their European rights and privileges are of little if any use to them. They may be described as disinherited and landless Samoans —disinherited by their legitimacy. This is only one aspect of the problem of the inhabitants of mixed race. Those who have been brought up as Europeans —and there are a large number of such —must be given an opportunity to develop : this is being done by offering them the training necessary to make them fit to occupy positions as artisans and clerks, and by opening up Crown lands. The whole problem is engaging the attention of the Administration. (A.) Native Population. The Native population on the night of the census was 36,688, including 380 other Pacific-islanders. This figure, when compared with the census return for 1921, shows that the Native population has increased 4,087 during the four and three-quarter years, an increase of 12-2 per cent. The various Pacific races represented in Samoa are shown in the accompanying table : — Samoans .. .. 36,308 Rotumahans .. .. 39 Tongans .. . . 69 Eutuna-Islanders .. 8 Niueans .. .. 124 Ellice-Islanders .. 25 Fijians .. .. 20 Gilbert-Islanders .. 6 Solomon-Islanders .. 12 Others .. .. 5 Tokelau-Islanders .. 63 — Wallis-Islanders .. 9 36,688 Sex. The sex constitution of the Native population shows a slight preponderance of males, a condition which has not varied to any extent during the past five years, as the accompanying table shows. The difference between the sexes Would have been less but for the fact that 194 Samoan females have become Europeans by marriage, and therefore appear in the European census returns.

Ages. Accurate age-grouping is impossible at the present time. Very few Samoans know their ages even approximately : it is therefore only possible to give age-groups under the crude classification adopted by the Natives themselves. In time this difficulty will be overcome, as a correct record of age is now obtained under the system of registration of births introduced on Ist January, 1923. In the table given below the terms used have the following meanings : — Matai —the head, of a family. Taule'ale'a—a man of approximately sixteen years of age or over. Tamaitiiti —a boy from the age of about one year until he becomes a taule'ale'a.

. Census. Males. Females. ® xcess °f Males over Females. Per Cent. 1921 .. .. .. 16,596 16,005 964 591 1-8 1926 .. .. .. 18,641 18,047 968 594 1-6