SAMOAN AFFAIRS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 78, 2 April 1927, Page 18

SAMOAN AFFAIRS.

It should ho jroocl fur both New Zealand and Samoa that the real truth of how thinps arc progressing, or otherwise, should from time to time n|>|>onr in the Press. So far as the "New Zeahind Reparation Kstates" are concerned, there are many who will ajrree with Mr. Westbrooke's remarks. Mr. McCarthy says: '"Money may have been lost in the first instance in running the Crown estates"—as if there were doubts about the matter. Unless rumour is the usual lyinjl jade, the sum lost yearly for some years would total a fairly larpe one. much more than is usually realised. Would it be too much to ask these pentlemen whether all—or any—of these losses could not have been avoided? Mr. \Vestbrooke"s remarks re "Amateur Planters" are apain to be accepted! Let us accept the three names piven by Mr. McCarthy as l>ciii£ experienced men. What of those who were in charge of eomo of the other estates, who, when they went there, knew nothing about the cultivation or curing of the products grown? Mr. McCarthy also states: "Only n few planters were dejiorted"— meaning, 1 presume, Clermans. May 1 ask Mr. McCarthy if those who were left played the game by their employers? Could one expect them to do so? With a few years of experience of the East I have yet to find a company that lias done well without those at the head of affairs being "practical men." Somewhere a short time apo I saw an article complaining of the quality of copra exported. Let me say that unless there has been a great improvement in the quality of both copra and cocoa exported, the loss annually is more than it should be. ZEMINDAR.