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1930. N EW ZEALAND.

MANDATED TERRITORY OF WESTERN SAMOA (TENTH REPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF NEW ZEALAND ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF) FOR THE YEAR ENDED THE 31st MARCH, 1930. Prepared by Direction of the Minister of External Affairs for the Information of the League of Nations, pursuant to Article 6 of the Mandate and Article 22 of the Covenant.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

Prime Minister's Office, Wellington, N.Z., 28th July, 1930. Sir, — I have the honour to forward herewith the Tenth Annual Report on the Mandated Territory of Western Samoa, for the year ended 31st March, 1930. This report has been prepared by the Administrator of Western Samoa and adopted by the New Zealand Government as its report for the purposes of Article 6 of the Mandate, and in conformity with Article 22 of the Covenant of the League of Nations. For the present the Supplementary Report by the Department of Health, which has for several years past accompanied the Annual Report, has been discontinued, and most of the information usually contained in the Supplementary Report will be found in the Public Health section of this report. The political situation in the Territory up to the 31st March last is fully dealt with in the report, and the Government has little to add to the Administrator's remarks in that connection. In February last the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, Minister of Defence, visited the Territory in order to confer with the Administrator regarding the policy that was being pursued, and to obtain personal knowledge of the situation for the information of the Government of New Zealand. Mr. Cobbe remained in the Territory for two weeks and attended the meetings which took place between the Administrator and the Mau. These meetings are dealt with in the Administrator's remarks, and reports of the proceedings are included as an Appendix hereto. As a result of the riot in Apia on the 28th December last, and of the necessity of effecting the arrest of certain Natives wanted on criminal charges, the New Zealand Government enlisted a force of Military Police, approximately 250 strong, and placed them in camp in New Zealand in readiness to proceed to the Territory to reinforce the Civil Police and to replace the cruiser " Dunedin " should their services be required, but on the surrender of the wanted men and the dispersal of the Mau the despatch of the Force became unnecessary and it was disbanded. The situation in the Territory is now greatly improved, and no difficulty is being experienced in enforcing law and order. There is, good ground to hope that co-operation with the Samoans of the Mau will be feasible at no distant date, though the possibility of isolated incidents cannot be ignored. It is considered that the present police force will be adequate for the maintenance of order in the Territory, but the Government are, of course, prepared to reinforce it if necessary. As regards staff and finance, the recommendations contained in the report presented to the Government by the Public Service Commissioner, the Assistant Secretary to the Treasury, and the Secretary for External Affairs have been kept steadily in view. As far as the unsettled conditions existing in the Territory would permit, reorganization has been carried out in the various departmental staffs, resulting both in economy and increased efficiency. It is pleasing to note that as a. result of economies effected, and without any material curtailment of the activities of the Administration, the Territory (except for the cost of the police) was for the year under review self-supporting—a subsidy of £20,000 was paid to the Territory by the New Zealand Government, but the year closed with a surplus of £20,136.

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