EMPTY TREASURY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 138, 13 June 1934, Page 14

EMPTY TREASURY.

SAMOAN AFFAIRS. RETURN; OF ADMINISTRATOR. NELSON JUDGMENT AWAITED. (From Our Own Correspondent.) APIA, May 31. Things are very quiet in Samoa at present. The only excitement is the arrival of the Maui Pomare with passengers, tourists and mails from New Zealand, which event, coupled with the monthly banana shipment, brings sonic much-needed cash to the pockets of European and Samoan planters. Unfortunately there has been a spell of rainy and squally weather, which must have spoilt their stay in Samoa for the dozen or so tourists the Maui Pomare brought along for her round trip to Niue and Samoa. The visitors had, however, the opportunity to witness the reception given to a returning Administrator in Samoa, with fautasis (racing boats) meeting the steamer when entering the inner harbour, decorated with garlands and flowers, with school children acting as guard of honour, a brass band giving a festive air to proceedings, and numerous officials and prominent citizens eager to welcome his Excellency back, eager to hear the news, good or otherwise, and hoping against hope that they would eontain some hint of financial assistance from New Zealand to the depicted exchequer of Samoa. So far nothing has been heard of what New Zealand people and the New Zealand Government think about the future, and the effects of the low produce, prices on Samoa. In spite of all efforts to bide the truth, it is only too well known that the treasury of Samoa is empty and that there are no prospects of its being replenished in the near future. Something will have to be done to remedy things, and very speedily, too. But as the Administrator has arrived only: on the day of writing it is obviously too early to expect an official pronouncement in the matter. The judgment of the Court of Appeal at Wellington in the Nelson appeal case is still awaited with great interest. The Samoans have just had thenannual "me" meeting at Malua, held by the- London Misionary Society, where usually largo crowds assemble to discuss Church matters. This year, owing to the depression, the gathering was not so well attended and the results of the collections taken were much smaller than in preceding years. There has not been much fluctuation in the prices for local products, cocoa, copra and bananas. The cocoa crop is over now and the planters must look forward to a few lean months now. Many Ships Expected. The Apia harbour will show abnormal and unusual activity during the next few months. The warships Dunedin, Diomede and Laburnum are to call at Apia during June and July, also the oil tanker Byculla. The American warship Whip-poor-will is expected from Pago Pago on June 2 with an official party to take part in the King's Birthday celebrations in Apia. The American steamer Los Angeles and the Union steamship Marama are expected in July and August respectively on tourist cruises. A Chinese transport, which will bring new coolies and take timeexpired men away, is to reach Apia in August, Furthermore, a boat is expected to take Samoan lepers to the leper settlement at Makogai, Fiji. The American steamer Beulah is expected to arrive from San Francisco in July. Apart from these calls the ordinary three calls of the banana steamer and of Union boats will be made in the next three months.

The small 10-ton yacht Viking, at present at Pago Pago and recently bought by Mr. D.'Head, of Niue Island, wi)f be taken from Pago to Niue by Captain CO. Anderson, well known South Sea .skipper. After a. pleasure cruise and fishing expedition the boat -vill probably be taken to New Zealand and offered there for sale. Launch Mishap in Harbour. Chief Judge Luxford and Captain L. C. Bovlton, who were appointed a commiesioii to inquire into the stranding of the .Government motor launch Tahatu on a x<j.ef inside the harbour, exonerated Captain D. McClymont, the harbourmaster, from blame. The commission found that the real cause of the mishap was the failure of a light on the wharf. "Owing to the darkness of the night, Captain McClymont was forced to rely on Ms judgment to determine the time to turn from the Vaea-Mulivai line towards the wharf. He made an error of judgment in turning too soon. After the casualty all possible steps were taken to salvage tho Tahatu." Planters' Association. The Western Samoa Planters' Association, at their annual meeting, discussed the difficult labour problem, and resolved to make various suggestions to the Administration. The work of the planters' committee -was much commended by members, and the, president, Mr. P. L. Goetz, tho treasurer and secretary, Mr. P. L. Morgan, were unanimously re-elected. The committee 1 now consists of Messrs. Carruthers, Cobcroft, Brighouse, Eden, Meidecke, and Meyer. Tha important question of excess acidity in Samoan cocoa was dealt with in a very lengthy discussion, in which the president communicated important results of some experiments undertaken at the Reparation Estates' Tuainamato plantation. The representatives of the Carnegie Institute, Messrs. V. G. Heiser and S. M. Lambert, have arrived in Apia, in pursuance of their scientific studies. They just missed Dr. Ernest Hunt, chief medical officer, who had departed a few days previously, and hoped to meet Dr. Lambert in Fiji. Dr. Hunt, who has resigned his position, was tho recipient of a presentation from the officials of the Administration before his departure. Dr. Monaghan is acting as chief medical officer. An old and respected resident of Samoa, Mr. Frederic Ernest Syddall, died suddenly of heart failure at Tuvao plantation, aged 72 years. He arrived in Samoa from South America in 1894, took up land in the Falefa district, and for some time was trading for the wellknown firm of H. J. Moors. After a short stay in Fiji, he again returned to Samoa, and owned for long years a store in Apia, on the site of tho present now Burns, Philp building. A second building and store, which he had erected, ho sold out a few years ago to Messrs. C. Bartley and Son, and he then took up the lease of Tuvao plantation. Ho had been a member of this Land and Titles Com- -; mission 1 for 10 years, and a. member oi the Legislative Council for three y !* T «< "He was a 1 Freemason of 42 years' '*E£fflfo- : 6 was largely 7 European tridents. Mr.