IN WESTERN SAMOA.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 36, 12 February 1931, Page 6

IN WESTERN SAMOA.

On account of the low price of all tropical produce the outlook in Western Samoa is very" - 1 " gloomy. The business houses are closing down ' quite a large number of their outside' trading \ stations, as well as- making drastic cute in-the; salaries'of their employees. Yet no attempt ; has been made by the Administration to cut . down the salaries of the officials or reduce the cost of upkeep of the Administration. On account of the low price .of copra the of the Samoans is less than'half what it was some - years ago. the early part, of . ~i; last month we had a big rainfall in ; Samoa, accompanied ■by windy and stormy weather. It is reported that most of the banana trees,- s*. are down, and it will take, many months before : Samoa will be enabled to send away full shipments. Therefore the revenue at 2/0. per case , export duty will not be forthcoming. . For f the first time in 'Samoa, with so many out.of ft" work, there is going to be genuine distress. It is time that a, very strict investigation was . '' : held into the staffing of the Departments and ', the paying of salaries to those whom' the territory is no longer in a position to ■ support. The work of imported Chinese should " is be confined to work on the plantations only, and in future no Chinese should be imported and used for the purpose- of houseboys, cpoks . and. stewards for either officials or civilians. All this .Avork can be done by the Sajnoains ■ .'jh and tliose who are Samoan born, . In fact it is their- birthright. No Chinese should he , imported to work in stores" or behind counters or do any work that can be done ;by the' inhabitants of Samoa. This , alone would be the means of keeping money to be circulated and spent in Samoa, a fair share of which now goes as savings .to China. That would mean":; the true spirit of Samoa for Samoa and its inhabitants. Samoa is no longer in a position ~ to be looked upon as a Tom Tiddler's ground, Money earned in Samoa must be kept! in Samoa and earned by Samoans as much asV'- v possible, ft , G.E.L.W. "